The Nebraska Department of Water, Energy, and Environment’s Streamgaging Program, created by the Nebraska Legislature, tracks and records water flowing in streams, rivers, and canals across the state, as well as the water stored in reservoirs.

This important data is used by the agency and stakeholders, including Natural Resource Districts, and state and local emergency managers, to aid in making decisions for tasks, such as:

• Administering water rights
• Issuing permits and tracking water rights and the acres where the water is applied
• Studying surface water/groundwater interactions to maintain stream flows where possible
• Monitoring, warning, and assisting with response to floods
• Quantifying water supplies and uses, including determination of excess water available for recharge of groundwater
• Calibrating groundwater models
• Complying with interstate compacts
• Planning for future water demands

The program has 25 staff members working throughout five field offices, located in Bridgeport, Cambridge, Ord, Norfolk, and Lincoln who are responsible for streamgaging activities.

The DWEE streamgaging program operates approximately 130 streamgages and a similar number of gages on canals and reservoirs, in addition to the many gages run by the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Gages measure water levels every 15 minutes, sending the information via cellular towers or satellites typically every hour. The information is used to calculate the quantity of water flows at various locations. The team also visits most gauges monthly to collect data, helping to link water levels to flow rates. 

The data gathered illustrates a more comprehensive picture of water quantity in the state and puts the range of its uses into perspective - from its value as a public water supply to irrigation and agricultural production.

Links to Nebraska streamgaging data can be found on DWEE’s Streamgaging page, including current streamflow conditions.