Search
Menu

Explore

Hazards

Analysis

Rankings

Reference

Missouri River at Rulo

Highest listed crest 28.13 ftFlood stage 17.0 ft90 crests since 1950

The Missouri River at Rulo crested at major flood stage 3 times among the 90 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1950 to 2025. The highest, 28.13 ft on March 20, 2019, was major flooding, 11.13 feet above flood stage. 18 other gauges on the Missouri River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 6 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
28.13 ft
March 20, 2019; 338,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
17.0 ft
Major flooding from 26.0 ft
Crests at major
3
12th of 187 gauges in Nebraska
Most recent flood crest
July 2, 2024
24.01 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Richardson County
Nebraska

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Missouri River at Rulo
Action stage16.010Jun 25, 2021The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)17.033May 26, 2020Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage21.026Jul 2, 2024Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage26.03Mar 20, 2019Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

90 crests from 1950 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Missouri River at Rulo, 1950 to 2025 1015202530ft Flood stage 17.0 ftMajor 26.0 ft Apr 29, 1950: 21.60 ft, moderate flooding; 185,000 cubic feet per secondMay 10, 1950: 21.50 ft, moderate flooding; 170,000 cubic feet per secondMay 2, 1951: 20.90 ft, minor floodingApr 22, 1952: 25.60 ft, moderate flooding; 358,000 cubic feet per secondJun 28, 1953: 17.47 ft, minor flooding; 117,000 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 1954: 17.18 ft, minor flooding; 122,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 19, 1955: 17.99 ft, minor floodingAug 19, 1956: 12.20 ft, below flood stage; 54,000 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 1957: 18.71 ft, minor flooding; 117,000 cubic feet per secondJul 11, 1958: 17.40 ft, minor flooding; 99,000 cubic feet per secondMay 30, 1959: 16.62 ft, action stage; 109,000 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1960: 22.36 ft, moderate flooding; 181,000 cubic feet per secondSep 13, 1961: 14.10 ft, below flood stage; 80,100 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 1962: 19.58 ft, minor flooding; 142,000 cubic feet per secondMay 29, 1962: 17.80 ft, minor flooding; 129,000 cubic feet per secondJun 26, 1963: 15.24 ft, below flood stage; 102,000 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 1964: 17.18 ft, minor flooding; 116,000 cubic feet per secondMar 1, 1965: 17.10 ft, minor flooding; 118,000 cubic feet per secondJun 30, 1965: 19.52 ft, minor floodingOct 1, 1965: 14.86 ft, below flood stage; 88,900 cubic feet per secondFeb 8, 1966: 16.30 ft, action stageJun 18, 1967: 22.41 ft, moderate flooding; 151,000 cubic feet per secondJan 27, 1968: 15.97 ft, below flood stageJun 27, 1968: 13.03 ft, below flood stage; 68,500 cubic feet per secondFeb 26, 1969: 20.55 ft, minor floodingApr 14, 1969: 17.45 ft, minor flooding; 109,000 cubic feet per secondJan 28, 1970: 14.97 ft, below flood stageAug 4, 1970: 13.17 ft, below flood stage; 60,500 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 1971: 16.28 ft, action stage; 131,000 cubic feet per secondJun 13, 1971: 18.05 ft, minor floodingSep 13, 1972: 17.84 ft, minor flooding; 94,200 cubic feet per secondDec 29, 1972: 20.74 ft, minor floodingApr 1, 1973: 19.69 ft, minor flooding; 120,000 cubic feet per secondOct 12, 1973: 23.41 ft, moderate flooding; 125,000 cubic feet per secondSep 4, 1975: 16.69 ft, action stage; 86,600 cubic feet per secondNov 22, 1975: 15.19 ft, below flood stage; 79,400 cubic feet per secondJan 28, 1977: 17.25 ft, minor floodingSep 5, 1977: 16.87 ft, action stage; 83,100 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 1978: 22.01 ft, moderate flooding; 161,100 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 1979: 20.33 ft, minor flooding; 136,100 cubic feet per secondJun 5, 1980: 16.81 ft, action stage; 84,600 cubic feet per secondAug 7, 1981: 14.43 ft, below flood stage; 63,200 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 1982: 19.73 ft, minor flooding; 126,000 cubic feet per secondJul 2, 1983: 21.38 ft, moderate flooding; 122,000 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 1984: 24.40 ft, moderate flooding; 242,000 cubic feet per secondApr 25, 1985: 16.76 ft, action stage; 88,800 cubic feet per secondJan 7, 1986: 20.00 ft, minor flooding; 113,000 cubic feet per secondJan 12, 1986: 20.25 ft, minor floodingMar 25, 1987: 20.97 ft, minor flooding; 146,000 cubic feet per secondMay 28, 1987: 22.93 ft, moderate floodingMay 24, 1988: 12.02 ft, below flood stage; 52,000 cubic feet per secondSep 9, 1989: 20.94 ft, minor flooding; 118,000 cubic feet per secondJun 20, 1990: 20.35 ft, minor flooding; 120,000 cubic feet per secondJun 15, 1991: 18.83 ft, minor flooding; 99,300 cubic feet per secondJul 30, 1992: 20.51 ft, minor floodingJul 24, 1993: 25.37 ft, moderate flooding; 307,000 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 1994: 16.77 ft, action stage; 92,500 cubic feet per secondMay 13, 1995: 22.41 ft, moderate flooding; 127,000 cubic feet per secondJun 25, 1996: 23.62 ft, moderate floodingJun 26, 1997: 20.95 ft, minor floodingJun 16, 1998: 22.27 ft, moderate flooding; 133,000 cubic feet per secondJun 29, 1999: 21.63 ft, moderate flooding; 125,000 cubic feet per secondJun 26, 2000: 15.63 ft, below flood stage; 72,100 cubic feet per secondMay 6, 2001: 21.44 ft, moderate flooding; 108,000 cubic feet per secondAug 24, 2002: 13.71 ft, below flood stage; 59,500 cubic feet per secondJun 13, 2003: 16.57 ft, action stage; 77,700 cubic feet per secondMay 30, 2004: 19.42 ft, minor flooding; 109,000 cubic feet per secondMay 13, 2005: 17.19 ft, minor flooding; 85,900 cubic feet per secondSep 19, 2006: 11.23 ft, below flood stage; 49,200 cubic feet per secondMay 7, 2007: 25.09 ft, moderate flooding; 245,000 cubic feet per secondJun 14, 2008: 24.98 ft, moderate flooding; 167,000 cubic feet per secondJun 21, 2009: 14.77 ft, below flood stage; 71,700 cubic feet per secondJun 23, 2010: 26.63 ft, major flooding; 216,000 cubic feet per secondJun 27, 2011: 27.26 ft, major flooding; 328,000 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 2012: 17.06 ft, minor flooding; 84,000 cubic feet per secondMay 30, 2013: 23.48 ft, moderate floodingJun 25, 2014: 21.76 ft, moderate floodingJun 12, 2015: 21.47 ft, moderate floodingMay 12, 2016: 21.00 ft, moderate floodingMay 21, 2017: 20.87 ft, minor flooding; 117,000 cubic feet per secondOct 10, 2018: 23.35 ft, moderate flooding; 130,000 cubic feet per secondMar 20, 2019: 28.13 ft, major flooding; 338,000 cubic feet per secondMay 29, 2019: 24.86 ft, moderate flooding; 193,000 cubic feet per secondOct 6, 2019: 23.18 ft, moderate flooding; 161,000 cubic feet per secondMay 26, 2020: 18.88 ft, minor flooding; 103,000 cubic feet per secondJun 25, 2021: 16.35 ft, action stage; 61,700 cubic feet per secondMay 26, 2022: 13.63 ft, below flood stage; 67,000 cubic feet per secondMar 2, 2023: 10.21 ft, below flood stage; 57,200 cubic feet per secondJul 2, 2024: 24.01 ft, moderate flooding; 160,000 cubic feet per secondJun 28, 2025: 14.95 ft, below flood stage; 75,900 cubic feet per second Highest, 28.13 ft, Mar 20, 2019 19501960197019801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Missouri River at Rulo 1950s: 9 1960s: 9 1970s: 8 1980s: 8 1990s: 9 2000s: 5 2010s: 12 12 2020s: 2 1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 90 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Missouri River at Rulo
1Mar 20, 201928.13+11.13Major338,000
2Jun 27, 201127.26+10.26Major328,000
3Jun 23, 201026.63+9.63Major216,000
4Apr 22, 195225.60+8.60Moderate358,000
5Jul 24, 199325.37+8.37Moderate307,000
6May 7, 200725.09+8.09Moderate245,000
7Jun 14, 200824.98+7.98Moderate167,000
8May 29, 201924.86+7.86Moderate193,000
9Jun 16, 198424.40+7.40Moderate242,000
10Jul 2, 202424.01+7.01Moderate160,000
11Jun 25, 199623.62+6.62Moderate—
12May 30, 201323.48+6.48Moderate—
13Oct 12, 197323.41+6.41Moderate125,000
14Oct 10, 201823.35+6.35Moderate130,000
15Oct 6, 201923.18+6.18Moderate161,000
16May 28, 198722.93+5.93Moderate—
17Jun 18, 196722.41+5.41Moderate151,000
18May 13, 199522.41+5.41Moderate127,000
19Apr 6, 196022.36+5.36Moderate181,000
20Jun 16, 199822.27+5.27Moderate133,000
21Mar 23, 197822.01+5.01Moderate161,100
22Jun 25, 201421.76+4.76Moderate—
23Jun 29, 199921.63+4.63Moderate125,000
24Apr 29, 195021.60+4.60Moderate185,000
25May 10, 195021.50+4.50Moderate170,000
26Jun 12, 201521.47+4.47Moderate—
27May 6, 200121.44+4.44Moderate108,000
28Jul 2, 198321.38+4.38Moderate122,000
29May 12, 201621.00+4.00Moderate—
30Mar 25, 198720.97+3.97Minor146,000
31Jun 26, 199720.95+3.95Minor—
32Sep 9, 198920.94+3.94Minor118,000
33May 2, 195120.90+3.90Minor—
34May 21, 201720.87+3.87Minor117,000
35Dec 29, 197220.74+3.74Minor—
36Feb 26, 196920.55+3.55Minor—
37Jul 30, 199220.51+3.51Minor—
38Jun 20, 199020.35+3.35Minor120,000
39Mar 23, 197920.33+3.33Minor136,100
40Jan 12, 198620.25+3.25Minor—
41Jan 7, 198620.00+3.00Minor113,000
42Jun 16, 198219.73+2.73Minor126,000
43Apr 1, 197319.69+2.69Minor120,000
44Apr 1, 196219.58+2.58Minor142,000
45Jun 30, 196519.52+2.52Minor—
46May 30, 200419.42+2.42Minor109,000
47May 26, 202018.88+1.88Minor103,000
48Jun 15, 199118.83+1.83Minor99,300
49Jun 18, 195718.71+1.71Minor117,000
50Jun 13, 197118.05+1.05Minor—

The worst floods along the Missouri River

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

March 20, 2019: 28.13 ft here, major flooding

  • BrownvilleNE · Mar 16, 2019 · 45.73 ft · Major · its highest
  • PlattsmouthNE · Mar 16, 2019 · 40.62 ft · Major · its highest
  • ParkvilleMO · Mar 23, 2019 · 35.01 ft · Major · its highest
  • St. JosephMO · Mar 22, 2019 · 32.07 ft · Major
  • WaverlyMO · Mar 26, 2019 · 31.61 ft · Major
  • LeavenworthKS · Mar 23, 2019 · 31.31 ft · Major
  • AtchisonKS · Mar 22, 2019 · 31.20 ft · Major
  • Nebraska CityNE · Mar 16, 2019 · 30.12 ft · Major · its highest
  • MiamiMO · Mar 26, 2019 · 29.60 ft · Major
  • VerdelNE · Mar 14, 2019 · 26.82 ft · Major

June 27, 2011: 27.26 ft here, major flooding

  • BrownvilleNE · Jun 23, 2011 · 44.79 ft · Major
  • PlattsmouthNE · Jun 30, 2011 · 36.73 ft · Major
  • La Framboise IslandSD · Jun 22, 2011 · 33.45 ft · Major · its highest
  • AtchisonKS · Jun 29, 2011 · 31.00 ft · Major
  • LeavenworthKS · Jun 30, 2011 · 30.80 ft · Major
  • St. JosephMO · Jun 28, 2011 · 29.97 ft · Major
  • Farm IslandSD · Jun 21, 2011 · 29.52 ft · Major · its highest
  • VerdelNE · Jun 30, 2011 · 29.12 ft · Major · its highest
  • Nebraska CityNE · Jun 28, 2011 · 28.27 ft · Major
  • NiobraraNE · Jun 26, 2011 · 26.76 ft · Major · its highest

June 23, 2010: 26.63 ft here, major flooding

  • GlasgowMO · Jun 19, 2010 · 33.81 ft · Major
  • ChamberlainSD · Jun 23, 2010 · 68.38 ft · Moderate
  • BrownvilleNE · Jun 23, 2010 · 42.89 ft · Moderate
  • BoonvilleMO · Jun 20, 2010 · 30.16 ft · Moderate
  • AtchisonKS · Jun 25, 2010 · 29.83 ft · Moderate
  • Jefferson CityMO · Jun 21, 2010 · 28.96 ft · Moderate
  • MiamiMO · Jun 19, 2010 · 28.50 ft · Moderate
  • HermannMO · Jun 21, 2010 · 27.24 ft · Moderate
  • St. JosephMO · Jun 25, 2010 · 26.17 ft · Moderate
  • LeavenworthKS · Jun 25, 2010 · 25.50 ft · Moderate

Gauges on the Missouri River

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

Flood gauges on the Missouri River
ParkvilleMO25.035.01 ft, Mar 23, 20191
AtchisonKS22.031.63 ft, Jul 26, 19933
BoonvilleMO21.037.10 ft, Jul 29, 19931
BrownvilleNE34.045.73 ft, Mar 16, 20193
ChamberlainSD65.075.08 ft, Jul 8, 20113
DecaturNE35.044.41 ft, Apr 16, 19521
Farm IslandSD26.029.52 ft, Jun 21, 20111
Gavins Point DamNE1,210.01,212.02 ft, Mar 15, 20190
GlasgowMO25.039.50 ft, Jul 29, 199324
HermannMO21.036.97 ft, Jul 31, 19939
Highway 370 at BellevueNE30.033.78 ft, Jun 29, 20240
Highway 92 at OmahaNE27.532.90 ft, Jun 29, 20240
Jefferson CityMO23.038.65 ft, Jul 30, 199310
Kansas CityMO32.048.87 ft, Jul 27, 19930
La Framboise IslandSD29.033.45 ft, Jun 22, 20111
LeavenworthKS20.035.34 ft, Jul 28, 19933
MiamiMO18.032.60 ft, Jul 30, 19935
NapoleonMO17.029.73 ft, Jun 2, 20190
Nebraska CityNE18.030.12 ft, Mar 16, 20193
NiobraraNE21.026.76 ft, Jun 26, 20111
OmahaNE27.036.29 ft, Jul 2, 20110
PierreSD13.025.35 ft, Apr 10, 19525
PlattsmouthNE26.040.62 ft, Mar 16, 20193
Rulo this gaugeNE17.028.13 ft, Mar 20, 20193
Sioux CityNE30.035.25 ft, Jul 21, 20110
SpringfieldSD11.017.73 ft, Mar 14, 20191
St. CharlesMO25.040.11 ft, Jun 24, 18449
St. JosephMO17.032.07 ft, Jul 26, 19934
WashingtonMO20.035.40 ft, Jul 31, 19935
YanktonSD20.050.50 ft, Apr 5, 188138
BlairNE26.533.50 ft, Apr 17, 19521
ChamoisMO17.033.30 ft, Jul 31, 19931
GreenwoodSD30.038.78 ft, Jul 7, 20112
MaskellNE30.031.86 ft, Jun 29, 20110
PoncaNE20.029.15 ft, Jul 20, 20111
VerdelNE24.029.12 ft, Jun 30, 20112
WaverlyMO20.031.92 ft, Jun 1, 20193

Other gauges in Richardson County

Flood gauges in Richardson County
Falls City27.031.59 ft, May 29, 20190
Humboldt28.034.70 ft, Jul 10, 19584

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge RULN1, 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.