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Niobrara River near Butte

Highest listed crest 19.41 ftFlood stage 5.5 ft9 crests since 2016

The Niobrara River near Butte crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 9 crests the National Weather Service lists from 2016 to 2025. The highest, 19.41 ft on March 14, 2019, was major flooding, 13.91 feet above flood stage. 3 other gauges on the Niobrara River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 3 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
19.41 ft
March 14, 2019; 38,200 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
5.5 ft
Major flooding from 7.5 ft
Crests at major
1
38th of 187 gauges in Nebraska
Most recent flood crest
March 14, 2019
19.41 ft, major flooding
Location
Holt County
Nebraska

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Niobrara River near Butte
Action stage5.00—The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)5.50—Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage6.50—Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage7.51Mar 14, 2019Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

9 crests from 2016 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Niobrara River near Butte, 2016 to 2025 05101520ft Flood stage 5.5 ftMajor 7.5 ft May 1, 2016: 4.10 ft, below flood stage; 7,460 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 2018: 3.49 ft, below flood stage; 5,020 cubic feet per secondMar 14, 2019: 19.41 ft, major flooding; 38,200 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 2020: 4.51 ft, below flood stage; 10,600 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 2021: 3.39 ft, below flood stage; 5,920 cubic feet per secondApr 30, 2022: 3.39 ft, below flood stage; 4,150 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 2023: 3.31 ft, below flood stage; 3,900 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 2024: 3.11 ft, below flood stage; 13,100 cubic feet per secondMar 1, 2025: 2.17 ft, below flood stage; 4,290 cubic feet per second Highest, 19.41 ft, Mar 14, 2019 20202025

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Niobrara River near Butte 2010s: 1 1 2020s: 0 2010s2020s
  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, Niobrara River near Butte
1Mar 14, 201919.41+13.91Major38,200
2Jun 9, 20204.51−0.99Below flood stage10,600
3May 1, 20164.10−1.40Below flood stage7,460
4Apr 18, 20183.49−2.01Below flood stage5,020
5Mar 15, 20213.39−2.11Below flood stage5,920
6Apr 30, 20223.39−2.11Below flood stage4,150
7Jun 24, 20233.31−2.19Below flood stage3,900
8Apr 17, 20243.11−2.39Below flood stage13,100
9Mar 1, 20252.17−3.33Below flood stage4,290

The worst floods along the Niobrara River

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

March 14, 2019: 19.41 ft here, major flooding

  • NiobraraNE · Mar 14, 2019 · 41.64 ft · Major · its highest
  • VerdelNE · Mar 14, 2019 · 19.38 ft · Major · its highest
  • MariavilleNE · Mar 14, 2019 · 7.72 ft · Moderate · its highest

Gauges on the Niobrara River

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

Flood gauges on the Niobrara River
SparksNE6.012.17 ft, Feb 5, 20140
MariavilleNE6.07.72 ft, Mar 14, 20190
Butte this gaugeNE5.519.41 ft, Mar 14, 20191
VerdelNE8.019.38 ft, Mar 14, 20191
NiobraraNE37.041.64 ft, Mar 14, 20191

Other gauges in Holt County

Flood gauges in Holt County
Ewing9.013.26 ft, Jun 14, 20101
Atkinson7.510.27 ft, Jun 14, 20101

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge NIBN1, 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.