North Loup River near St. Paul
Observed Fri, Oct 2, 12:15 AM CDT
- Flood stage
- 7.00 ft
- Record crest
- 11.49 ft2019
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 12.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 10.00 ft |
| Minor flood | 7.00 ft |
| Action | 6.00 ft |
- 14.50 ftWater will reach the bottom of the Highway 281 bridge.
- 12.00 ftNumerous homes within the Lake of the Woods Residential Area would be inundated by flood waters. This is more than 2 feet above the historical record crest of 9.6 feet set in 1947.
- 10.00 ftOutbuildings within the Lake of the Woods Residential Area may be impacted by flooding.
- 8.50 ftThe North Loup State Recreation Area will experience significant flooding.
- 7.00 ftFlooding occurs in lowland and wooded areas adjacent to the river. In addition, the North Loup State Recreation Area will begin to be impacted by flood waters.
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
112 crests on NOAA’s list since 1947.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | March 14, 2019 | 11.49 ft |
| 2 | June 22, 1947 | 9.60 ft |
| 3 | August 13, 1966 | 9.36 ft |
| 4 | March 7, 1993 | 8.85 ft |
| 5 | March 27, 1960 | 8.35 ft |
| 6 | February 22, 1982 | 8.26 ft |
| 7 | March 15, 1979 | 8.13 ft |
| 8 | March 20, 1969 | 8.04 ft |
| 9 | December 21, 1979 | 8.02 ft |
| 10 | February 26, 1957 | 7.73 ft |
| 11 | March 18, 1978 | 7.70 ft |
| 12 | August 5, 1981 | 7.38 ft |
| 13 | March 24, 1962 | 6.95 ft |
| 14 | February 21, 1965 | 6.83 ft |
| 15 | March 4, 1994 | 6.79 ft |
| 16 | February 25, 1958 | 6.78 ft |
| 17 | February 19, 1971 | 6.72 ft |
| 18 | February 22, 2007 | 6.71 ft |
| 19 | June 7, 1962 | 6.67 ft |
| 20 | March 11, 1989 | 6.63 ft |
| 21 | February 8, 2021 | 6.57 ft |
| 22 | February 15, 2023 | 6.57 ft |
| 23 | February 13, 1974 | 6.33 ft |
| 24 | March 29, 1960 | 6.33 ft |
| 25 | March 4, 2018 | 6.30 ft |
Most recent crests
- February 19, 2025: 4.95 ft
- June 22, 2024: 4.89 ft
- February 15, 2023: 6.57 ft
- March 1, 2022: 4.90 ft
- February 8, 2021: 6.57 ft
- July 21, 2020: 4.34 ft
- March 14, 2019: 11.49 ft
- March 4, 2018: 6.30 ft
- October 7, 2017: 4.89 ft
- April 27, 2016: 4.53 ft
Nearby
Upstream, downstream and the gauges around this one.
- UpstreamNorth Loup River at Ord
- DownstreamLoup River at Genoa
- Middle Loup River at St. Paul
- Turkey Creek (trib. to Middle Loup) at Dannebrog
- Davis Creek at Davis Creek Dam
- South Loup River at St. Michael
- Warm Slough at Central City
- Middle Loup River at Rockville
- Mira Creek at North Loup
- Cedar River at Fullerton
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 48 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 24 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.