Kayak Love

Nebraska · river

Elkhorn River at Waterloo, Nebr.

USGS monitoring location. Launch access and paddling suitability have not been verified.

Weather comparison · not a safety rating

83

Mostly favorable

Weather score out of 100

Weather only. This is a monitoring station, not a verified launch. Access, hazards and suitable flow are unknown.

Weather observation: Sun, 08 Nov 2026 15:45:00 GMT.

River observation: Sun, 08 Nov 2026 15:15:00 GMT.

Page checked: Sun, 08 Nov 2026 15:55:19 GMT. Readings older than one hour are not used for the current score.

Photograph taken near Elkhorn River at Waterloo, Nebr.
Nearby on Wikimedia Commons — Elkhorn NE tornado damage.jpg by NWS, Public domain. Taken within 10km of this location — it may not show the launch itself.

Wind

7 mph

gusting to 14 mph

Air temp

49°F

0% chance of rain

River flow

2,240 cfs

very high for this date

Weather outlook

Tuesday · 98

  • Sun

    93

  • Mon

    71

  • Tue

    98

    Best

  • Wed

    50

  • Thu

    22

  • Fri

    73

  • Sat

    77

Compares forecast wind, air temperature and rain. Does not assess river flow, swell, currents, water temperature or launch access. All times are local to this location.

Wind, next 12 hours

mph
Hourly wind forecast
HourWind (mph)Gusts (mph)
9a716
10a714
11a915
12p712
1p610
2p512
3p410
4p36
5p12
6p11
7p23
8p56

Is this flow normal for November 8?

Today's 2,240 cfs is 241% above the median for this date — which counts as very high water here.

The median flow on this date is 656 cfs, across 125 years of USGS record at this gauge. Whether that is runnable depends on the stretch — this is context, not a recommendation.

Why this score

  • Wind — 7 mph — light wind at the forecast location±0
  • Cold — 49°F air temperature — cool weather; water temperature is not measured-17

We don't have launch notes for this one

This page is built from the USGS gauge at this location, and uses available public readings. We haven't verified where to put in, what the hazards are, or whether this stretch is legal or sensible to paddle. We'd rather say that than invent it. The links below are where to find out.

We also don't have a verified safe-flow range here, so the Paddle Score reflects weather only. Judge the flow number against local knowledge, not against our score.

Do your own homework

We show you live conditions. For local knowledge — where to put in, what the hazards are, whether it's worth the drive — here's where paddlers actually talk about this water. We don't vet these sources; check the dates and judge for yourself.

Nearby water

All paddling spots in Nebraska →