West Nishnabotna River near Hancock
Observed Wed, Sep 30, 7:00 AM CDT
- Flood stage
- 14.00 ft
- Record crest
- 23.52 ft1993
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 23.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 19.00 ft |
| Minor flood | 14.00 ft |
| Action | 12.00 ft |
- 29.00 ftWater reaches the bottom of the bridge deck at the gage site.
- 24.00 ftPortions of Hancock west of the railroad tracks begin to flood. In addition, the top of the berm protecting the lagoons for the City of Hancock are overtopped.
- 22.00 ftThe lowland areas of Avoca begin to flood. The degree of flooding also depends on how high the water is on the West Branch which flows along the east side of town.
- 21.00 ftG30 road begins to flood west of Hancock.
- 19.00 ftThe lowland areas in Oakland, generally west of Highway 59, begin to flood.
- 18.00 ftThough low-lying areas of the park have already flooded, at this level the majority of the park is underwater.
- 17.00 ftThe paved road leading from G30 to Botna Bend Park is flooded.
- 15.50 ftThe bathroom facility at Botna Bend Park floods.
- 14.00 ftLow-lying areas of Botna Bend Park in Hancock begin to flood. In addition, lowland flooding along the river begins.
Flood outlook
Chance of flooding, October to December
| Category | Chance |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | Under 5% |
| Moderate flooding | Under 5% |
| Major flooding | Under 5% |
The three-month chances are the River Forecast Centers’ long-range flood outlook, issued September 23, 2026.
Crest history
70 crests on NOAA’s list since 1960.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | July 10, 1993 | 23.52 ft |
| 2 | March 14, 2019 | 22.36 ft |
| 3 | September 13, 1972 | 22.12 ft |
| 4 | May 6, 2007 | 20.53 ft |
| 5 | March 1, 1965 | 20.44 ft |
| 6 | March 18, 1979 | 19.54 ft |
| 7 | September 8, 1989 | 19.44 ft |
| 8 | February 19, 1971 | 18.56 ft |
| 9 | June 12, 2008 | 18.47 ft |
| 10 | June 17, 1990 | 18.33 ft |
| 11 | July 17, 1996 | 17.91 ft |
| 12 | September 13, 1978 | 17.85 ft |
| 13 | August 5, 1996 | 17.71 ft |
| 14 | June 15, 1998 | 17.53 ft |
| 15 | May 25, 2004 | 17.19 ft |
| 16 | June 21, 1996 | 17.00 ft |
| 17 | February 18, 1997 | 17.00 ft |
| 18 | September 26, 1973 | 16.54 ft |
| 19 | September 1, 2014 | 16.44 ft |
| 20 | February 21, 1982 | 15.84 ft |
| 21 | March 17, 1965 | 15.39 ft |
| 22 | May 10, 1986 | 15.19 ft |
| 23 | March 18, 1969 | 15.02 ft |
| 24 | June 15, 1984 | 14.52 ft |
| 25 | May 26, 1964 | 14.50 ft |
Most recent crests
- July 12, 2025: 5.40 ft
- May 21, 2024: 13.03 ft
- February 27, 2023: 11.39 ft
- June 16, 2022: 5.46 ft
- March 4, 2021: 4.42 ft
- February 18, 2020: 7.74 ft
- March 14, 2019: 22.36 ft
- August 20, 2018: 9.12 ft
- May 20, 2017: 9.05 ft
- May 10, 2016: 12.95 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.