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West Papillion Creek at Elkhorn

Highest listed crest 13.02 ftFlood stage 9.5 ft16 crests since 2012

The West Papillion Creek at Elkhorn crested at major flood stage 2 times among the 16 crests the National Weather Service lists from 2012 to 2026. The highest, 13.02 ft on October 1, 2026, was major flooding, 3.52 feet above flood stage. 1 other gauge on the West Papillion Creek crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
13.02 ft
October 1, 2026
Flood stage
9.5 ft
Major flooding from 12.5 ft
Crests at major
2
23rd of 187 gauges in Nebraska
Most recent flood crest
October 1, 2026
13.02 ft, major flooding
Location
Douglas County
Near Omaha (10.5 mi), La Vista (12.3 mi), Papillion (13.7 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, West Papillion Creek at Elkhorn
Action stage8.01Oct 5, 2019The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)9.52Aug 31, 2021Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage10.53Jul 31, 2025Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage12.52Oct 1, 2026Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

16 crests from 2012 to 2026. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the West Papillion Creek at Elkhorn, 2012 to 2026 468101214ft Flood stage 9.5 ftMajor 12.5 ft Apr 15, 2012: 5.64 ft, below flood stageJun 8, 2013: 6.05 ft, below flood stageJun 20, 2014: 7.73 ft, below flood stageSep 24, 2015: 7.10 ft, below flood stageMay 11, 2016: 11.12 ft, moderate floodingJun 18, 2016: 10.29 ft, minor floodingMay 20, 2017: 5.55 ft, below flood stageJun 19, 2018: 10.80 ft, moderate floodingOct 5, 2019: 8.49 ft, action stageJun 18, 2020: 5.75 ft, below flood stageAug 31, 2021: 10.01 ft, minor floodingJun 15, 2022: 6.71 ft, below flood stageFeb 27, 2023: 7.04 ft, below flood stageMay 21, 2024: 12.66 ft, major floodingJul 31, 2025: 11.23 ft, moderate floodingOct 1, 2026: 13.02 ft, major flooding Highest, 13.02 ft, Oct 1, 2026 201520202025

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, West Papillion Creek at Elkhorn 2010s: 3 2020s: 4 4 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, West Papillion Creek at Elkhorn
1Oct 1, 202613.02+3.52Major—
2May 21, 202412.66+3.16Major—
3Jul 31, 202511.23+1.73Moderate—
4May 11, 201611.12+1.62Moderate—
5Jun 19, 201810.80+1.30Moderate—
6Jun 18, 201610.29+0.79Minor—
7Aug 31, 202110.01+0.51Minor—
8Oct 5, 20198.49−1.01Action—
9Jun 20, 20147.73−1.77Below flood stage—
10Sep 24, 20157.10−2.40Below flood stage—
11Feb 27, 20237.04−2.46Below flood stage—
12Jun 15, 20226.71−2.79Below flood stage—
13Jun 8, 20136.05−3.45Below flood stage—
14Jun 18, 20205.75−3.75Below flood stage—
15Apr 15, 20125.64−3.86Below flood stage—
16May 20, 20175.55−3.95Below flood stage—

The worst floods along the West Papillion Creek

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

October 1, 2026: 13.02 ft here, major flooding

  • MillardNE · Oct 1, 2026 · 32.56 ft · Moderate · its highest

Gauges on the West Papillion Creek

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

Flood gauges on the West Papillion Creek
Elkhorn this gaugeNE9.513.02 ft, Oct 1, 20262
MillardNE29.032.56 ft, Oct 1, 20260

Other gauges in Douglas County

Flood gauges in Douglas County
Fort Street at Omaha23.526.66 ft, May 21, 20240
Pacific Street at Omaha32.032.10 ft, Oct 1, 20260
Q Street at Omaha36.036.97 ft, Oct 1, 20260
Blondo Street at Omaha21.522.58 ft, Oct 1, 20260
Waterloo14.024.68 ft, Mar 16, 20191
Irvington19.520.74 ft, Oct 1, 20260
Highway 92 at Omaha27.532.90 ft, Jun 29, 20240
Omaha27.036.29 ft, Jul 2, 20110
Leshara8.011.84 ft, Feb 9, 19960
Standing Bear Lake and Dam1,108.91,109.80 ft, Oct 1, 20260
Millard29.032.56 ft, Oct 1, 20260

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge EKWN1, 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.