Nibi Metrics - live water levels, flow, and forecasts for lakes and rivers across Canada and the US
Real-time water levels, forecasts, and alerts for lakes and rivers across Canada and the US. Built on official government data.
Nibi Metrics tracks more than 13,000 gauged lakes and rivers across Canada and the United States, reading directly from official federal monitoring networks: the Water Survey of Canada, the United States Geological Survey, and Quebec's provincial hydrometric network. Every number on the platform is measured, not modelled - taken from a government gauge on the water itself and compared against that location's own historical record for this exact date.
What you can see for any monitored lake or river
The level right now, in feet or metres, updated as the source agency publishes new readings - for many stations that is every five to fifteen minutes. How today compares to typical: every location carries its own typical-for-this-date band built from its historical record, so a reading is never just a number - it is above, below, or near what this water usually does on this calendar day. Which way it is moving: a measured RISING, FALLING, or STEADY verdict computed from the gauge's own recent readings, with the rate of change - the difference between a flood ending and one beginning. What comes next: level forecasts up to 72 hours ahead, driven by the gauge's recent behaviour, upstream water, and quantitative precipitation forecasts, alongside live radar, lightning, and weather for the surrounding region.
Alerts that watch the water for you
Set a threshold on any location - a level, a distance above typical, or a rate of climb - and Nibi emails or notifies you the moment the gauge crosses it. Cottagers use it for spring freshet, anglers for river conditions, marinas and municipalities for operations. The scanning runs around the clock against the same measured data shown on every page.
Where Nibi comes from
Nibi means water in Anishinaabemowin. The platform began at a family cottage on Lake Muskoka, Ontario, where the spring melt floods the shoreline most years and the only forecast was standing on the dock, looking, and guessing. It grew into an independent, member-funded platform run by Muskoka Research Inc. - no investors, no data resale, and a privacy policy shorter than most cookie banners. The core data is free for everyone, forever; paid plans add automation like multi-location alerts, deep history, and reports.
Coverage
Nibi spans the continent: every Canadian province and territory with active federal gauges - from Vancouver Island rivers to the Muskoka lakes, prairie reservoirs, and Quebec's hydrometric network - and the United States from Maine to the Texas Hill Country, the Ohio Valley, and the Pacific Northwest. Coverage grows where the water news is: when a basin floods, its gauges join the platform with their full historical records attached. Many stations report every five to fifteen minutes; most report at least hourly; every page states exactly when its gauge last spoke.
Free forever, funded by members
The core promise is simple: the water data is free, for everyone, forever. Live levels, maps, radar, and recent history never sit behind a paywall. Paid plans fund the platform by adding automation - multi-location alerts, decades of history, longer forecasts, and PDF reports - so the people who need more carry the cost for everyone who just needs to check the lake before driving up. There are no investors and no advertising deals shaping what the data says.
Water Stories
Field notes and explainers from the Nibi desk - how to read a staff gauge, what a 100-year flood actually means, how snowpack becomes summer water.
For five years, spring 2019 was the mark every Lake Muskoka decision answered to. In April 2026 the lake went two centimeters higher - and the official books have not caught up yet.
Inside the freshet cycle that puts Manitoba shorelines at risk each year - and why 2026 broke the script.
The science of snow water equivalent and why it drives the season ahead.
What the numbers on the measuring stick actually tell you.
Why Central and South Texas rivers go from gravel beds to fifty-year records in an afternoon - including July 2026 on the Nueces.
One percent, every year, forever - unwrapping hydrology's most misunderstood phrase, and how it differs from our own percentiles.
How every number is computed - About the platform
Whitefish River at Nolalu Water Level
Live river level, flow, historical records and forecast for Whitefish River at Nolalu in ON, Canada, built from official government gauge data.
- Location ON, Canada
- Watershed dog
- Primary gauge 02AB017 (Water Survey of Canada)
About Whitefish River at Nolalu
Whitefish River - A dynamic waterway fed by seasonal melt.
The Whitefish River flows with vitality at Nolalu, traversing a landscape rich with ecological diversity. This river, part of the larger Dog watershed, benefits from a catchment that drains roughly 226 square kilometres upstream of the station. As a tributary, it plays a vital role in connecting to its peers like the Neebing River near Thunder Bay, enhancing the hydrological network of the region.
The watershed context
This watercourse is characterized by a snowmelt-driven seasonal hydrology. As winter fades, the spring freshet typically peaks in late April and May, bringing with it the rushing flow of melted snow and rain. During the warmer months, from July to September, the river experiences a natural drawdown, a result of both evaporation and reduced inflow. As winter approaches, flow levels decline again with the onset of ice formation. This consistent rhythm underscores the river's ability to adapt to seasonal changes, shaping its ecological environment.
Why the data matters here
Today’s reading for the Whitefish River at Nolalu is crucial, providing insights into the river's health and flow conditions across seasons. The water level is evaluated against the median for this calendar day from over 46 years of historical data, supplied by Water Survey of Canada. Understanding how today’s measurement compares enhances our comprehension of trends and anomalies, offering a clearer picture than raw elevation alone. This nuanced information is essential for local cottagers, anglers, farmers, and flood-watchers as they make decisions informed by the river’s current state.
How this page is built
Readings come from official government gauges and are rolled into daily records: the daily mean, high and low for every day on record. Each calendar day gets its own baseline from the full history, so the level you see is compared against what this specific date usually looks like rather than an annual average.
How Nibi Metrics works · Water stories
