River stage
Kearney, Platte River
- River level
- 2.25 ft
- Status
- Below flood stage
- 7-day change
- -0.65 ft
- Recent high
- 3.53 ft
- Recent low
- 1.82 ft
Last reported 2026-10-13 | NWS KEAN1
- 30-day change
- -0.39 ft
- Average
- 2.44 ft
- Readings
- 122
- Data span
- 122 days
- Record crest
- 8.62 ft
In brief
The Platte River at Kearney, NE read 2.25 ft on Oct 13, 2026, 3.75 ft below action stage. That is 0.39 ft lower than 30 days earlier.
Source: National Weather Service gauge KEAN1
River level timeline
Stage threshold profile
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Crest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8.62 ft | 1994-02-24 |
| 2 | 7.95 ft | 2008-05-26 |
| 3 | 7.60 ft | 2019-07-10 |
| 4 | 7.43 ft | 1995-06-11 |
| 5 | 7.42 ft | 1983-06-29 |
| 6 | 7.40 ft | 1985-01-11 |
| 7 | 7.22 ft | 2013-09-28 |
| 8 | 7.21 ft | 2015-06-04 |
Flood crests recorded at this gauge by the National Weather Service.
What happens at each level
- 6.00 ft
Minor flooding of rural lowlands occur.
- 7.00 ft
An access road to a small housing subdivision located directly south of Gibbon, on the south side of Interstate 80, at the northeast corner of Lowell Road and 24th Road, including Woodland Road, will begin to flood.
- 7.50 ft
Water will surround homes and may begin to impact lowest sub-floors in the Sweetwater neighborhoods both north and south of Interstate 80. There will also be extensive flooding at the Nebraska Youth Camp located off of Sweetwater Avenue cutting off access to the camp, but most of the structures will be just above the flood water. Interstate 80 is at a high enough elevation that it will not be impacted.
Written by the local National Weather Service forecast office for this exact gauge.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Platte River flooding at Kearney?
No. The Platte River at Kearney is at 2.25 ft, 3.75 ft below action stage.
What is the flood stage at Kearney?
The National Weather Service sets action stage 6 ft, minor flooding 7 ft, moderate flooding 8 ft and major flooding 9 ft.
What is the highest the Platte River has been at Kearney?
The highest crest on record is 8.62 ft, on 1994-02-24.
Is the Platte River high or low right now at Kearney?
At 2.25 ft it is higher than 45% of readings over the last 122 days.
Stage and flood information from the NOAA National Weather Service (gauge KEAN1); daily history from the U.S. Geological Survey (site 06770200). Last reading 2026-10-13. For flood safety decisions always follow official National Weather Service warnings.