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Big Blue River at Beatrice

Highest listed crest 33.02 ftFlood stage 18.0 ft130 crests since 1903

The Big Blue River at Beatrice crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 130 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1903 to 2024. The highest, 33.02 ft on October 12, 1973, was major flooding, 15.02 feet above flood stage. 3 other gauges on the Big Blue River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
33.02 ft
October 12, 1973; 49,100 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
18.0 ft
Major flooding from 32.0 ft
Crests at major
1
38th of 187 gauges in Nebraska
Most recent flood crest
March 16, 2021
18.05 ft, minor flooding
Location
Gage County
Near Beatrice (1.1 mi)

Flood stages

The thresholds the National Weather Service uses for this gauge today, and how many listed crests reached each.

Flood categories, Big Blue River at Beatrice
Action stage16.020May 31, 2016The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)18.042Mar 16, 2021Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage26.010May 7, 2015Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage32.01Oct 12, 1973Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

130 crests from 1903 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Big Blue River at Beatrice, 1903 to 2024 010203040ft Flood stage 18.0 ftMajor 32.0 ft May 29, 1903: 25.60 ft, minor flooding; 32,200 cubic feet per secondMay 4, 1906: 7.10 ft, below flood stage; 3,600 cubic feet per secondJul 15, 1907: 13.80 ft, below flood stage; 10,200 cubic feet per secondJun 28, 1908: 22.20 ft, minor flooding; 25,800 cubic feet per secondJul 6, 1909: 19.70 ft, minor flooding; 20,000 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 1910: 5.90 ft, below flood stage; 2,400 cubic feet per secondJul 23, 1911: 26.00 ft, moderate flooding; 33,000 cubic feet per secondMar 20, 1912: 20.10 ft, minor flooding; 21,600 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 1913: 13.80 ft, below flood stage; 9,400 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 1914: 16.30 ft, action stage; 12,300 cubic feet per secondJul 16, 1915: 13.40 ft, below flood stage; 8,290 cubic feet per secondFeb 18, 1916: 18.00 ft, minor flooding; 16,400 cubic feet per secondJun 6, 1917: 7.70 ft, below flood stage; 3,600 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 1918: 12.40 ft, below flood stage; 7,700 cubic feet per secondJun 10, 1919: 10.60 ft, below flood stage; 5,900 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 1920: 5.90 ft, below flood stage; 2,400 cubic feet per secondMay 10, 1921: 6.10 ft, below flood stage; 2,500 cubic feet per secondJul 7, 1922: 8.10 ft, below flood stage; 3,900 cubic feet per secondSep 30, 1923: 21.30 ft, minor flooding; 22,900 cubic feet per secondJul 23, 1924: 11.00 ft, below flood stage; 2,900 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 1925: 17.30 ft, action stage; 10,400 cubic feet per secondSep 16, 1926: 14.40 ft, below flood stage; 6,600 cubic feet per secondAug 7, 1927: 12.70 ft, below flood stage; 4,700 cubic feet per secondJun 23, 1928: 8.60 ft, below flood stage; 800 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 1929: 13.70 ft, below flood stage; 5,800 cubic feet per secondMay 14, 1930: 17.70 ft, action stage; 11,000 cubic feet per secondSep 25, 1931: 9.20 ft, below flood stage; 1,200 cubic feet per secondJun 4, 1932: 14.20 ft, below flood stage; 6,400 cubic feet per secondAug 23, 1933: 9.20 ft, below flood stage; 1,200 cubic feet per secondSep 4, 1934: 8.50 ft, below flood stage; 700 cubic feet per secondJun 1, 1935: 17.00 ft, action stage; 10,000 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 1936: 12.50 ft, below flood stage; 4,500 cubic feet per secondJul 30, 1937: 10.00 ft, below flood stage; 2,000 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 1938: 11.10 ft, below flood stage; 3,000 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 1939: 13.40 ft, below flood stage; 5,500 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 1940: 9.70 ft, below flood stage; 1,700 cubic feet per secondSep 16, 1941: 26.30 ft, moderate flooding; 27,900 cubic feet per secondMay 11, 1942: 17.60 ft, action stage; 10,800 cubic feet per secondJun 13, 1943: 20.24 ft, minor flooding; 14,900 cubic feet per secondJun 13, 1944: 20.20 ft, minor flooding; 14,800 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 1945: 16.50 ft, action stage; 9,300 cubic feet per secondJun 23, 1946: 11.90 ft, below flood stage; 3,800 cubic feet per secondJun 23, 1947: 27.65 ft, moderate flooding; 31,800 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 1948: 22.93 ft, minor flooding; 20,100 cubic feet per secondMar 8, 1949: 24.90 ft, minor flooding; 24,300 cubic feet per secondMay 9, 1950: 24.65 ft, minor flooding; 23,600 cubic feet per secondJun 4, 1951: 28.30 ft, moderate flooding; 34,000 cubic feet per secondJun 29, 1952: 23.13 ft, minor flooding; 19,300 cubic feet per secondJun 10, 1953: 9.50 ft, below flood stage; 2,700 cubic feet per secondAug 8, 1954: 22.36 ft, minor flooding; 19,000 cubic feet per secondJun 20, 1955: 10.40 ft, below flood stage; 3,400 cubic feet per secondJul 3, 1956: 19.85 ft, minor flooding; 13,800 cubic feet per secondJun 21, 1957: 23.37 ft, minor flooding; 19,600 cubic feet per secondJul 26, 1958: 17.60 ft, action stage; 10,600 cubic feet per secondMay 7, 1959: 20.73 ft, minor flooding; 15,000 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 1960: 25.66 ft, minor flooding; 26,000 cubic feet per secondSep 13, 1961: 10.12 ft, below flood stage; 3,700 cubic feet per secondMar 25, 1962: 16.18 ft, action stage; 10,100 cubic feet per secondJun 25, 1963: 24.58 ft, minor flooding; 22,600 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 1964: 11.67 ft, below flood stage; 5,200 cubic feet per secondJun 30, 1965: 23.12 ft, minor flooding; 19,400 cubic feet per secondFeb 11, 1966: 12.15 ft, below flood stage; 5,600 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 1967: 26.06 ft, moderate flooding; 27,000 cubic feet per secondAug 19, 1968: 15.08 ft, below flood stage; 8,800 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 1969: 23.15 ft, minor flooding; 20,000 cubic feet per secondAug 6, 1970: 6.60 ft, below flood stage; 1,400 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 1971: 15.75 ft, below flood stage; 9,700 cubic feet per secondJul 15, 1972: 11.15 ft, below flood stage; 4,700 cubic feet per secondSep 26, 1973: 19.88 ft, minor flooding; 13,400 cubic feet per secondOct 12, 1973: 33.02 ft, major flooding; 49,100 cubic feet per secondJun 23, 1975: 10.93 ft, below flood stage; 4,640 cubic feet per secondJul 21, 1976: 7.86 ft, below flood stage; 2,400 cubic feet per secondAug 16, 1977: 14.94 ft, below flood stage; 7,480 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1978: 21.78 ft, minor flooding; 15,800 cubic feet per secondJul 22, 1978: 19.11 ft, minor flooding; 12,400 cubic feet per secondMar 3, 1979: 19.87 ft, minor flooding; 13,700 cubic feet per secondMar 20, 1979: 19.60 ft, minor flooding; 14,100 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 1979: 17.95 ft, action stage; 11,900 cubic feet per secondJun 28, 1979: 16.29 ft, action stage; 8,000 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 1980: 12.11 ft, below flood stage; 5,570 cubic feet per secondOct 19, 1980: 8.58 ft, below flood stage; 2,920 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 1982: 17.27 ft, action stage; 10,700 cubic feet per secondJun 28, 1982: 18.20 ft, minor flooding; 11,700 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 1983: 19.59 ft, minor flooding; 14,100 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 1984: 17.09 ft, action stage; 10,700 cubic feet per secondApr 23, 1984: 16.79 ft, action stage; 10,400 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 1984: 17.17 ft, action stage; 10,800 cubic feet per secondJun 14, 1984: 31.27 ft, moderate flooding; 55,100 cubic feet per secondJul 24, 1985: 14.30 ft, below flood stage; 7,820 cubic feet per secondJul 4, 1986: 26.07 ft, moderate flooding; 23,300 cubic feet per secondOct 13, 1986: 25.26 ft, minor flooding; 21,200 cubic feet per secondMar 26, 1987: 27.44 ft, moderate flooding; 32,400 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 1987: 17.49 ft, action stage; 10,400 cubic feet per secondSep 30, 1988: 7.03 ft, below flood stage; 1,950 cubic feet per secondSep 12, 1989: 14.56 ft, below flood stage; 8,000 cubic feet per secondJun 15, 1990: 18.78 ft, minor flooding; 11,200 cubic feet per secondJun 8, 1991: 14.48 ft, below flood stage; 7,320 cubic feet per secondJul 27, 1992: 18.22 ft, minor flooding; 11,400 cubic feet per secondJul 26, 1993: 28.77 ft, moderate flooding; 28,800 cubic feet per secondJul 2, 1994: 11.10 ft, below flood stage; 4,820 cubic feet per secondMay 8, 1995: 17.94 ft, action stage; 10,900 cubic feet per secondMay 30, 1996: 18.15 ft, minor flooding; 10,800 cubic feet per secondJul 11, 1997: 20.19 ft, minor flooding; 13,600 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 1998: 13.92 ft, below flood stage; 7,450 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 1999: 18.86 ft, minor flooding; 12,100 cubic feet per secondJul 8, 2000: 11.84 ft, below flood stage; 5,690 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 2001: 18.65 ft, minor flooding; 11,000 cubic feet per secondMay 28, 2002: 15.51 ft, below flood stage; 8,870 cubic feet per secondJun 12, 2003: 11.13 ft, below flood stage; 5,300 cubic feet per secondMay 24, 2004: 16.02 ft, action stage; 9,340 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 2005: 16.84 ft, action stage; 9,860 cubic feet per secondAug 20, 2006: 11.62 ft, below flood stage; 5,060 cubic feet per secondMay 7, 2007: 23.87 ft, minor flooding; 18,600 cubic feet per secondJun 6, 2008: 21.25 ft, minor flooding; 14,200 cubic feet per secondJun 23, 2009: 8.54 ft, below flood stage; 2,820 cubic feet per secondMay 7, 2010: 23.87 ft, minor flooding; 18,600 cubic feet per secondMay 22, 2011: 14.92 ft, below flood stage; 7,050 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 2012: 15.75 ft, below flood stageMay 31, 2013: 17.99 ft, action stage; 9,500 cubic feet per secondJun 7, 2014: 13.75 ft, below flood stage; 7,390 cubic feet per secondMay 7, 2015: 30.26 ft, moderate flooding; 42,500 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 2016: 17.18 ft, action stage; 9,670 cubic feet per secondMay 22, 2017: 18.14 ft, minor flooding; 10,800 cubic feet per secondSep 5, 2018: 18.47 ft, minor flooding; 10,700 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 2019: 25.93 ft, minor flooding; 27,000 cubic feet per secondJun 19, 2020: 22.68 ft, minor flooding; 15,500 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 2021: 18.05 ft, minor flooding; 10,500 cubic feet per secondJun 11, 2022: 9.23 ft, below flood stage; 3,450 cubic feet per secondAug 28, 2023: 5.81 ft, below flood stage; 1,380 cubic feet per secondJul 5, 2024: 10.73 ft, below flood stage Highest, 33.02 ft, Oct 12, 1973 192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Big Blue River at Beatrice 1900s: 3 1910s: 3 1920s: 1 1930s: 0 1940s: 6 1950s: 7 7 1960s: 5 1970s: 6 1980s: 6 1990s: 6 2000s: 3 2010s: 5 2020s: 2 1900s1910s1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  1. These are the crests the local National Weather Service office lists for the gauge: the highest on record and recent crests. Lesser floods between them may be missing, so counts by decade are a floor.
  2. Categories use today's flood stages. Levees, dams and channel changes since a crest can make old and new stages not directly comparable.

Highest crests

The 50 highest of 130 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Big Blue River at Beatrice
1Oct 12, 197333.02+15.02Major49,100
2Jun 14, 198431.27+13.27Moderate55,100
3May 7, 201530.26+12.26Moderate42,500
4Jul 26, 199328.77+10.77Moderate28,800
5Jun 4, 195128.30+10.30Moderate34,000
6Jun 23, 194727.65+9.65Moderate31,800
7Mar 26, 198727.44+9.44Moderate32,400
8Sep 16, 194126.30+8.30Moderate27,900
9Jul 4, 198626.07+8.07Moderate23,300
10Jun 18, 196726.06+8.06Moderate27,000
11Jul 23, 191126.00+8.00Moderate33,000
12Mar 16, 201925.93+7.93Minor27,000
13Mar 31, 196025.66+7.66Minor26,000
14May 29, 190325.60+7.60Minor32,200
15Oct 13, 198625.26+7.26Minor21,200
16Mar 8, 194924.90+6.90Minor24,300
17May 9, 195024.65+6.65Minor23,600
18Jun 25, 196324.58+6.58Minor22,600
19May 7, 200723.87+5.87Minor18,600
20May 7, 201023.87+5.87Minor18,600
21Jun 21, 195723.37+5.37Minor19,600
22Mar 23, 196923.15+5.15Minor20,000
23Jun 29, 195223.13+5.13Minor19,300
24Jun 30, 196523.12+5.12Minor19,400
25Mar 22, 194822.93+4.93Minor20,100
26Jun 19, 202022.68+4.68Minor15,500
27Aug 8, 195422.36+4.36Minor19,000
28Jun 28, 190822.20+4.20Minor25,800
29Mar 19, 197821.78+3.78Minor15,800
30Sep 30, 192321.30+3.30Minor22,900
31Jun 6, 200821.25+3.25Minor14,200
32May 7, 195920.73+2.73Minor15,000
33Jun 13, 194320.24+2.24Minor14,900
34Jun 13, 194420.20+2.20Minor14,800
35Jul 11, 199720.19+2.19Minor13,600
36Mar 20, 191220.10+2.10Minor21,600
37Sep 26, 197319.88+1.88Minor13,400
38Mar 3, 197919.87+1.87Minor13,700
39Jul 3, 195619.85+1.85Minor13,800
40Jul 6, 190919.70+1.70Minor20,000
41Mar 20, 197919.60+1.60Minor14,100
42Jun 22, 198319.59+1.59Minor14,100
43Jul 22, 197819.11+1.11Minor12,400
44May 21, 199918.86+0.86Minor12,100
45Jun 15, 199018.78+0.78Minor11,200
46Jun 16, 200118.65+0.65Minor11,000
47Sep 5, 201818.47+0.47Minor10,700
48Jul 27, 199218.22+0.22Minor11,400
49Jun 28, 198218.20+0.20Minor11,700
50May 30, 199618.15+0.15Minor10,800

The worst floods along the Big Blue River

For this gauge's highest crests, the other gauges on the Big Blue River that crested above flood stage within a week.

October 12, 1973: 33.02 ft here, major flooding

  • MarysvilleKS · Oct 13, 1973 · 43.86 ft · Major
  • Blue RapidsKS · Oct 18, 1973 · 53.19 ft · Moderate
  • CreteNE · Oct 11, 1973 · 23.11 ft · Minor

June 14, 1984: 31.27 ft here, moderate flooding

  • BarnestonNE · Jun 14, 1984 · 30.21 ft · Moderate · its highest
  • CreteNE · Jun 18, 1984 · 25.16 ft · Moderate
  • SewardNE · Jun 16, 1984 · 18.47 ft · Minor
  • SurpriseNE · Jun 16, 1984 · 7.15 ft · Minor

May 7, 2015: 30.26 ft here, moderate flooding

  • BarnestonNE · May 8, 2015 · 27.78 ft · Moderate
  • Blue RapidsKS · May 9, 2015 · 40.72 ft · Minor
  • MarysvilleKS · May 9, 2015 · 35.62 ft · Minor
  • CreteNE · May 7, 2015 · 24.18 ft · Minor

Gauges on the Big Blue River

In USGS station-number order, which runs downstream within a river basin.

Flood gauges on the Big Blue River
SurpriseNE7.011.52 ft, Jul 19, 19650
SewardNE18.024.11 ft, Mar 14, 20190
CreteNE21.030.64 ft, Mar 15, 20190
Beatrice this gaugeNE18.033.02 ft, Oct 12, 19731
BarnestonNE20.030.21 ft, Jun 14, 19840
MarysvilleKS35.045.39 ft, Jun 9, 19413
Blue RapidsKS26.063.30 ft, Jul 22, 19930
Tuttle Creek LakeKS1,136.01,137.76 ft, Jul 23, 19930
ManhattanKS19.036.04 ft, Jul 12, 19512

Other gauges in Gage County

Flood gauges in Gage County
Barneston20.030.21 ft, Jun 14, 19840
DeWitt23.530.34 ft, May 7, 20152

Gage County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Nebraska

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge BEAN1, retrieved October 30, 2026. Stages in feet on the gauge's own datum, not elevation. Crests are as the National Weather Service lists them; preliminary values may be revised.