Rivermatics

5 USGS Streamgages · Mississippi River system

Elkhorn River flows and levels

Elkhorn River is gauged at 5 USGS streamgages in Nebraska, each tracked by Rivermatics. The mainstem runs about 312 miles (501 km) from headwaters to outlet. It drains into the Mississippi River system. Drainage area at the gauges ranges from 1,400 square miles at Elkhorn River at Ewing, Nebr. up to 6,900 at Elkhorn River at Waterloo, Nebr.. The gauged reach falls about 716 feet, from 1,848 feet down to 1,133. Rivermatics issues a daily machine-learned 14-day flow outlook for every one of them.

Gauges on this river, upstream to downstream

Ordered by drainage area, which is how far down the river each gauge sits. April and July figures are long-term median daily flows for that month from the USGS record — historical normals, not a forecast and not today's reading.

USGS streamgages on this river, ordered upstream to downstream
Gauge State Drainage sq mi Elevation ft April p50 cfs July p50 cfs Forecast
Elkhorn River at Ewing, Nebr. NE 1,400 1,848 228.3 74.7 14-day
Elkhorn River at Norfolk, Nebr. NE 2,790 1,522 651.1 315.2 14-day
Elkhorn River at Pilger, Nebr. NE 4,360 1,416 1,141.2 653.3 14-day
Elkhorn River at West Point, Nebr. NE 4,676 1,307 1,247.7 706.9 14-day
Elkhorn River at Waterloo, Nebr. NE 6,900 1,133 1,382 1,001.5 14-day + temp

Typical flow by month at Elkhorn River at Waterloo, Nebr.

The furthest-downstream gauge on this river, so the fullest flow it carries here. Long-term daily discharge percentiles from the USGS record (up to 127 years of data), averaged within each month. These describe the historical normal range — they are not a forecast and not today's reading.

Historical monthly discharge percentiles in cubic feet per second
Month Low p10 Typical p50 High p90 Range
January 280.5 576.8 1,443.9
February 330.4 869.4 2,747.6
March 666.4 1,393.2 5,109.7
April 664.2 1,382 4,488.7
May 599.3 1,577.4 5,228.4
June 547.9 1,702.3 6,898.7
July 341.4 1,001.5 3,442.3
August 224.9 650.4 2,181.9
September 228.9 544 1,883
October 291.4 564.3 1,964.8
November 340.5 676.9 1,860.3
December 295.2 635.8 1,612.9

All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).

Common questions

When does the Elkhorn River run highest?
June, on the long-term record at Elkhorn River at Waterloo, Nebr. — the furthest-downstream gauge Rivermatics tracks on this river. Median daily flow there is about 1,702.3 cfs that month, against 544 cfs in September, the lowest. Upstream gauges peak on their own schedule; the table on this page gives April and July for each.
How many gauges are on the Elkhorn River?
Rivermatics tracks 5 USGS streamgages on the Elkhorn River, across Nebraska. Each has its own page with the site's full flow record and monthly normals. The river may carry other gauges that publish neither daily values nor discharge statistics; those are not tracked here.
Is there a flow forecast for the Elkhorn River?
Yes, at 5 of the 5 gauges. Rivermatics trains a machine-learned model — a temporal-fusion transformer — on each basin's observed flows, weather and snowpack, and issues a daily outlook reaching 14 days ahead: a median estimate inside a confidence band, not a single number to bet on. Every forecast is scored against days the model never trained on, and that track record is published on each gauge's live screen.
What river system is the Elkhorn River part of?
The Elkhorn River drains into the Mississippi River system — it is a tributary somewhere in that chain, following the flowpath down to its terminal river. Rivermatics builds this from the USGS/geoconnex reference-mainstem network rather than from names.
Can I use Elkhorn River data for flood or safety decisions?
No. Rivermatics provides estimates, not guarantees, and the readings and forecasts here may be delayed, inaccurate, or wrong. Do not use them for navigation or for any safety, rescue, or emergency decision. Check the National Weather Service and USGS directly, and use your own judgment.

Other rivers in the Mississippi River system

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