11 USGS Streamgages · Mississippi River system
Republican River flows and levels
Republican River is gauged at 11 USGS streamgages in Nebraska and Kansas, each tracked by Rivermatics. The mainstem runs about 596 miles (959 km) from headwaters to outlet. It drains into the Mississippi River system. Drainage area at the gauges ranges from 4,880 square miles at Republican River at Benkelman, Nebr. up to 24,900 at Republican River at Junction City, KS. The gauged reach falls about 1,915 feet, from 2,998 feet down to 1,083. Rivermatics issues a daily machine-learned 14-day flow outlook at 10 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.
| Gauge | State | Drainage sq mi | Elevation ft | April p50 cfs | July p50 cfs | Forecast |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican River at Benkelman, Nebr. | NE | 4,880 | 2,998 | 93.7 | 13.4 | 14-day |
| Republican River at Stratton, Nebr. | NE | 8,200 | 2,792 | 109.4 | 3.2 | 14-day |
| Republican River at McCook, Nebr. | NE | 12,240 | 2,472 | 86.6 | 118.5 | 14-day |
| Republican River at Cambridge, Nebr. | NE | 14,460 | 2,250 | 157.8 | 239.1 | — |
| Republican River near Orleans, Nebr. | NE | 15,580 | 1,994 | 219.2 | 85.7 | 14-day |
| Republican River at Guide Rock, Nebr. | NE | 22,100 | 1,621 | 110.4 | 51.2 | 14-day |
| Republican River near Hardy, NE | KS | 22,401 | 1,516 | 183.9 | 141.1 | 14-day + temp |
| Republican River at Scandia, KS | KS | 23,560 | 1,456 | 479.8 | 323 | 14-day |
| Republican River at Concordia, KS | KS | 23,560 | 1,350 | 292.9 | 396.9 | 14-day |
| Republican River at Clay Center, KS | KS | 24,542 | 1,176 | 591.1 | 591.6 | 14-day + temp |
| Republican River at Junction City, KS | KS | 24,900 | 1,083 | 186.7 | 588.4 | 14-day |
Typical flow by month at Republican River at Junction City, KS
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 59 years of data), averaged within each month. These describe the historical normal range — they are not a forecast and not today's reading.
| Month | Low p10 | Typical p50 | High p90 | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 54.6 | 251.2 | 1,189.6 | |
| February | 47.3 | 297.9 | 1,274 | |
| March | 40.9 | 223 | 2,091 | |
| April | 32.7 | 186.7 | 2,280.3 | |
| May | 32.1 | 383.3 | 2,965.2 | |
| June | 35.4 | 479 | 3,491 | |
| July | 35.9 | 588.4 | 3,421 | |
| August | 42.6 | 401.1 | 2,465.5 | |
| September | 32.5 | 199.1 | 1,649 | |
| October | 34.3 | 163.8 | 1,660 | |
| November | 32.9 | 185.8 | 1,881 | |
| December | 32.9 | 336.3 | 2,316.8 |
All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).
Common questions
- When does the Republican River run highest?
- July, on the long-term record at Republican River at Junction City, KS — the furthest-downstream gauge Rivermatics tracks on this river. Median daily flow there is about 588.4 cfs that month, against 163.8 cfs in October, 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 Republican River?
- Rivermatics tracks 11 USGS streamgages on the Republican River, across Nebraska and Kansas. 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 Republican River?
- Yes, at 10 of the 11 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 Republican River part of?
- The Republican 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 Republican 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
- Missouri River 52 gauges
- Big Sioux River 17 gauges
- James River 15 gauges
- Kansas River 12 gauges
- Smoky Hill River 12 gauges
- Platte River 11 gauges
- Rapid Creek 11 gauges
- Yellowstone River 10 gauges