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2025-12-17T18:00:00-07:00

The National Weather Service in Denver has issued a Red Flag Warning for wind and low relative humidity, which is in effect from 11 AM to 6 PM MST Wednesday. * AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zone 241. * TIMING...From 11 AM to 6 PM MST Wednesday. * WINDS...West 15 to 30 mph, with gusts to 45 mph. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...20 to 25 percent. * IMPACTS...Conditions will be favorable for rapid fire spread. Avoid outdoor burning and any activity that may produce a spark and start a wildfire.


Platte River River Levels

Last Updated: December 16, 2025

Get the latest River Levels, Streamflow, and Hydrology for Platte River in River flows across 13 streamgages of the Platte River


Summary

Total streamflow across the Platte River was last observed at 11,456 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 22,723 acre-ft of water today; about 72% of normal. Average streamflow for this time of year is 15,827 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2019-05-29 when daily discharge volume was observed at 281,920 cfs.

Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Platte R At Louisville Ne reporting a streamflow rate of 8,610 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Platte R Nr Ashland with a gauge stage of 14.89 ft. This river is monitored from 13 different streamgauging stations along the Platte River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 2,300 ft, the Platte River Near Overton.

River Details

Last Updated 2025-12-16
Discharge Volume 22,723 ACRE-FT
Streamflow 11,456.0 cfs
-1325.0 cfs (-10.37%)
Percent of Normal 72.38%
Maximum 281,920.0 cfs
2019-05-29
Seasonal Avg 15,827 cfs
       
River Streamflow Levels
Streamgauge Streamflow Gauge Stage 24hr Change (%) % Normal Minimum (cfs) Maximum (cfs) Air Temp Elevation
Platte River Near Overton
USGS 06768000
727 cfs 3.05 ft 42.27
Platte R Mid Ch
USGS 06768035
969 cfs 4.85 ft 157.03
Platte River Near Kearney
USGS 06770200
1150 cfs 3.03 ft -38.5
Platte River Near Grand Island
USGS 06770500
1450 cfs 3.86 ft -25.26
Platte River Near Duncan
USGS 06774000
243 cfs 4.51 ft -67.86
Platte River At North Bend
USGS 06796000
4920 cfs 3.31 ft 320.51
Platte River Nr Leshara
USGS 06796500
5270 cfs 4.89 ft 8.44
Platte R Nr Ashland
USGS 06801000
6290 cfs 14.89 ft 132.1
Platte R At Louisville Ne
USGS 06805500
8610 cfs 4.07 ft -17.21
Platte River Near Agency
USGS 06820500
59 cfs 5.25 ft -15.35
Platte River At Sharps Station
USGS 06821190
62 cfs 3.6 ft -6.73
Platte River Near Rockville
USGS 05414000
85 cfs 4.02 ft -10.58
Platte River At Honor
USGS 04126740
101 cfs 1.15 ft -0.98
Seasonal Discharge Comparison
Maximum Streamflow Discharge
Streamflow Elevation Profile

The Platte River is a major river in the state of Nebraska and is about 310 mi (500 km) long. Measured to its farthest source via its tributary the North Platte River, it flows for over 1,050 miles (1,690 km). The Platte River is a tributary of the Missouri River, which itself is a tributary of the Mississippi River which flows to the Gulf of Mexico. The Platte over most of its length is a muddy, broad, shallow, meandering stream with a swampy bottom and many islands—a braided stream. These characteristics made it too difficult for canoe travel, and it was never used as a major navigation route by European-American trappers or explorers.The Platte is one of the most significant tributary systems in the watershed of the Missouri, draining a large portion of the central Great Plains in Nebraska and the eastern Rocky Mountains in Colorado and Wyoming. The river valley played an important role in the westward expansion of the United States, providing the route for several major emigrant trails, including the Oregon, California, Mormon and Bozeman trails. The first Europeans to see the Platte were French explorers and fur trappers about 1714; they first called it the Nebraskier (Nebraska), a transliteration of the name given by the Otoe people, meaning "flat water". This expression is very close to the French words "rivière plate" ("flat river"), the probable origin of the name Platte River.