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Elkhorn River at Pilger

Highest listed crest 19.85 ftFlood stage 12.0 ft25 crests since 2001

The Elkhorn River at Pilger crested at major flood stage 2 times among the 25 crests the National Weather Service lists from 2001 to 2024. The highest, 19.85 ft on February 26, 2002, was major flooding, 7.85 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
19.85 ft
February 26, 2002
Flood stage
12.0 ft
Major flooding from 17.0 ft
Crests at major
2
23rd of 187 gauges in Nebraska
Most recent flood crest
March 14, 2019
19.60 ft, major flooding
Location
Stanton County
Nebraska

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Elkhorn River at Pilger
Action stage10.09Feb 5, 2024The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)12.02Feb 17, 2011Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage15.01Jun 16, 2010Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage17.02Mar 14, 2019Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

25 crests from 2001 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Elkhorn River at Pilger, 2001 to 2024 8101214161820ft Flood stage 12.0 ftMajor 17.0 ft Sep 15, 2001: 10.32 ft, action stage; 6,660 cubic feet per secondFeb 26, 2002: 19.85 ft, major floodingJun 11, 2002: 9.66 ft, below flood stage; 5,220 cubic feet per secondFeb 20, 2003: 10.53 ft, action stageMay 23, 2004: 11.44 ft, action stage; 11,700 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 2005: 10.67 ft, action stage; 7,540 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 2006: 10.03 ft, action stage; 4,780 cubic feet per secondFeb 22, 2007: 13.63 ft, minor floodingMay 31, 2008: 11.71 ft, action stage; 13,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 9, 2009: 10.42 ft, action stageJun 16, 2010: 15.18 ft, moderate flooding; 51,900 cubic feet per secondFeb 17, 2011: 12.28 ft, minor floodingMay 28, 2012: 9.55 ft, below flood stage; 5,860 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 2013: 8.84 ft, below flood stage; 3,000 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 2014: 9.88 ft, below flood stage; 5,810 cubic feet per secondAug 29, 2015: 9.21 ft, below flood stage; 3,300 cubic feet per secondMay 3, 2016: 10.41 ft, action stage; 8,770 cubic feet per secondOct 9, 2017: 9.64 ft, below flood stage; 8,410 cubic feet per secondJun 26, 2018: 9.80 ft, below flood stage; 8,770 cubic feet per secondMar 14, 2019: 19.60 ft, major flooding; 87,000 cubic feet per secondMay 26, 2020: 9.40 ft, below flood stage; 6,360 cubic feet per secondJan 26, 2021: 8.89 ft, below flood stageMay 3, 2022: 8.38 ft, below flood stage; 2,220 cubic feet per secondFeb 27, 2023: 9.30 ft, below flood stageFeb 5, 2024: 11.06 ft, action stage Highest, 19.85 ft, Feb 26, 2002 20052010201520202025

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Elkhorn River at Pilger 2000s: 2 2010s: 3 3 2020s: 0 2000s2010s2020s
  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

Highest listed crests, Elkhorn River at Pilger
1Feb 26, 200219.85+7.85Major—
2Mar 14, 201919.60+7.60Major87,000
3Jun 16, 201015.18+3.18Moderate51,900
4Feb 22, 200713.63+1.63Minor—
5Feb 17, 201112.28+0.28Minor—
6May 31, 200811.71−0.29Action13,600
7May 23, 200411.44−0.56Action11,700
8Feb 5, 202411.06−0.94Action—
9Jun 22, 200510.67−1.33Action7,540
10Feb 20, 200310.53−1.47Action—
11Feb 9, 200910.42−1.58Action—
12May 3, 201610.41−1.59Action8,770
13Sep 15, 200110.32−1.68Action6,660
14Mar 31, 200610.03−1.97Action4,780
15Jun 16, 20149.88−2.12Below flood stage5,810
16Jun 26, 20189.80−2.20Below flood stage8,770
17Jun 11, 20029.66−2.34Below flood stage5,220
18Oct 9, 20179.64−2.36Below flood stage8,410
19May 28, 20129.55−2.45Below flood stage5,860
20May 26, 20209.40−2.60Below flood stage6,360
21Feb 27, 20239.30−2.70Below flood stage—
22Aug 29, 20159.21−2.79Below flood stage3,300
23Jan 26, 20218.89−3.11Below flood stage—
24May 31, 20138.84−3.16Below flood stage3,000
25May 3, 20228.38−3.62Below flood stage2,220

The worst floods along the Elkhorn River

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

March 14, 2019: 19.60 ft here, major flooding

  • WaterlooNE · Mar 16, 2019 · 24.68 ft · Major · its highest
  • WinslowNE · Mar 14, 2019 · 24.14 ft · Major · its highest
  • West PointNE · Mar 13, 2019 · 17.66 ft · Major
  • NorfolkNE · Mar 14, 2019 · 15.59 ft · Moderate
  • AtkinsonNE · Mar 16, 2019 · 9.10 ft · Moderate
  • NelighNE · Mar 14, 2019 · 11.48 ft · Minor
  • EwingNE · Mar 17, 2019 · 9.99 ft · Minor

June 16, 2010: 15.18 ft here, moderate flooding

  • NorfolkNE · Jun 15, 2010 · 17.22 ft · Major · its highest
  • NelighNE · Jun 14, 2010 · 15.54 ft · Major · its highest
  • EwingNE · Jun 14, 2010 · 13.26 ft · Major · its highest
  • AtkinsonNE · Jun 14, 2010 · 10.27 ft · Major · its highest
  • WinslowNE · Jun 15, 2010 · 20.40 ft · Moderate
  • WaterlooNE · Jun 14, 2010 · 18.77 ft · Moderate
  • TildenNE · Jun 14, 2010 · 16.14 ft · Moderate · its highest
  • West PointNE · Jun 17, 2010 · 15.21 ft · Minor

February 17, 2011: 12.28 ft here, minor flooding

Gauges on the Elkhorn River

Flood gauges sharing the river's name, linked within 80 miles of one another.

Flood gauges on the Elkhorn River
EwingNE9.013.26 ft, Jun 14, 20101
NelighNE11.015.54 ft, Jun 14, 20101
NorfolkNE12.017.22 ft, Jun 15, 20101
Pilger this gaugeNE12.019.85 ft, Feb 26, 20022
WaterlooNE14.024.68 ft, Mar 16, 20191
West PointNE12.018.60 ft, Mar 9, 19934
AtkinsonNE7.510.27 ft, Jun 14, 20101
TildenNE15.016.14 ft, Jun 14, 20100
WinslowNE17.024.14 ft, Mar 14, 20191

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge PLGN1, 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.