Rivers in Nebraska

Big Nemaha River at Falls City

Richardson County, NebraskaNWS FLLN1USGS 06815000Valley office

Below flood stage
7.69ftStage

Observed Mon, Sep 28, 2:45 AM CDT

Flood stage
27.00 ft
Record crest
34.40 ft1973

Open the live map with the river flood outlook

Flood stages and impacts

CategoryStage
Major flood36.00 ft
Moderate flood30.00 ft
Minor flood27.00 ft
Action25.00 ft
  1. 36.00 ftFloodwaters begin to impact the bottom of the Highway 73 bridge.
  2. 30.00 ftPrimary roads have begun to flood. This may include portions of Highway 73 and Preston Road. Other primary roads in the area may be inundated depending on flows along Muddy Creek and the Missouri River.
  3. 29.00 ftThe parking lots of businesses just south of Falls City in the floodplain begin to be impacted. In addition, overflow begins at the Highway 73 bridge at the gage site.
  4. 28.00 ftAt this level county roads begin to flood.
  5. 27.00 ftLow lying flooding begins to impact farm fields and roadway ditches.

Flood outlook

Chance of flooding, September to November

CategoryChance
Minor flooding11%
Moderate floodingUnder 5%
Major floodingUnder 5%

The three-month chances are the River Forecast Centers’ long-range flood outlook, issued September 23, 2026.

Crest history

79 crests on NOAA’s list since 1941.

#DateStage
1October 11, 197334.40 ft
2July 6, 199332.77 ft
3June 29, 196531.90 ft
4June 2, 194931.80 ft
5May 29, 201931.59 ft
6July 11, 195831.14 ft
7July 30, 199231.03 ft
8June 25, 202130.99 ft
9June 5, 201530.94 ft
10June 17, 195430.90 ft
11March 28, 196030.75 ft
12August 13, 198230.60 ft
13June 10, 194130.60 ft
14May 7, 200730.46 ft
15May 1, 195130.27 ft
16May 13, 199529.85 ft
17June 9, 198429.43 ft
18September 13, 197729.25 ft
19July 16, 196829.20 ft
20March 3, 197929.10 ft
21May 9, 195029.00 ft
22May 30, 201328.91 ft
23June 12, 196728.90 ft
24May 7, 197828.85 ft
25September 4, 194628.77 ft

Most recent crests

  • September 23, 2025: 18.79 ft
  • June 19, 2024: 22.85 ft
  • April 20, 2023: 11.80 ft
  • May 26, 2022: 18.58 ft
  • June 25, 2021: 30.99 ft
  • July 30, 2020: 22.90 ft
  • May 29, 2019: 31.59 ft
  • October 9, 2018: 26.51 ft
  • May 1, 2017: 18.94 ft
  • April 27, 2016: 22.80 ft

Nearby

Upstream, downstream and the gauges around this one.

What this means

Forecasts by the Missouri Basin River Forecast Center. Forecasts are issued as needed during times of high water, but are not routinely available. River forecasts for this location take into account past precipitation and the precipitation amounts expected approximately 24 hours into the future from the forecast issuance time. River forecasts for this location take into account past precipitation and the precipitation amounts expected approximately 48 hours into the future from the forecast issuance time. Stage may be affected by ice.

Sources

Stage, flood stages, impacts and crest history from NOAA’s National Water Prediction Service. Streamflow and the daily record from the U.S. Geological Survey.