Blue River near Stanley water level

Name: Blue River near Stanley water level (U.S. Geological Survey)
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
License: https://www.usgs.gov/information-policies-and-instructions/copyrights-and-credits

River gauge, Blue River, Kansas, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

4.12ft Down 0.09 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 02:45 PM CDT (37 min ago)

Flow: 16.2 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %) Minor flood stage

What this means

The Blue River near Stanley is at 4.12 ft, in the normal range for mid-October.

That puts it 0.24 ft above the median of 3.88 ft for mid-October, based on 35 years of readings. It is 11.88 ft below the flood stage of 16.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 3.63 ft (+0.49 ft).

It has dropped 0.09 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 3.70 ft and 6.16 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.

Compared with 35 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 3.88 ft0.24 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 3.04 ft – 4.48 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (35 years of records)
Same day last year: 3.63 ft+0.49 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 3.70 ft – 6.16 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 3.37 ft – 9.32 ft
Highest on record: 21.70 ftAugust 22, 2017

Floating and fishing near Blue River near Stanley

Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.

Flood stage here is 16.00 ft, 11.88 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

37.10 ft: Water overtops the U.S. Highway 69 bridge over the Blue River around 3 miles south of Stanley.
32.80 ft: Water reaches the bottom of the U.S. Highway 69 bridge over the Blue River around 3 miles south of Stanley.
18.00 ft: Flood waters enter the yards of a few homes along the river and threaten rural roads.
16.00 ft: Farmland adjacent to the Blue River floods.
4.12 ft: Right now

Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	21.70 ft	August 22, 2017
2	20.51 ft	May 15, 1990
3	20.19 ft	July 27, 2017
4	20.12 ft	May 19, 2004
5	20.10 ft	July 10, 1993
6	19.68 ft	June 4, 2008
7	19.44 ft	March 4, 2004
8	18.98 ft	June 9, 1984
9	18.77 ft	May 17, 1995
10	18.31 ft	May 31, 2013

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

19 Mon 69° 42° – Wind 7 mph

20 Tue 70° 45° – Wind 8 mph

21 Wed 74° 49° – Wind 8 mph

22 Thu 77° 56° – Wind 8 mph

23 Fri 78° 58° – Wind 14 mph

24 Sat 78° 58° – Wind 14 mph

25 Sun 73° 62° 0.00 in Wind 8 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:33 AM Sunset 06:36 PM Daylight 11 hr, 3 min First quarter 62%

Map

Other gauges on the Blue River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Blue River at Kenneth Road, Overland ParkRiver gauge, Blue River	22.8 cfs	Normal	−5.4 cfs	4.0 mi
Blue River at Blue Ridge Blvd Ext in KCRiver gauge, Blue River	25.41 ft	Below flood stage	−0.06 ft	7 mi
Blue River at Kansas CityRiver gauge, Blue River	4.67 ft	Below flood stage	−0.08 ft	12 mi
Blue River at Stadium Drive in Kansas CityRiver gauge, Blue River	5.89 ft	Below flood stage	−0.08 ft	19 mi
Blue River at 12th Street in Kansas CityRiver gauge, Blue River	2.80 ft	Below flood stage	−0.16 ft	22 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Tomahawk Creek near Overland ParkRiver gauge, Tomahawk Creek	2.24 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	7 mi
Indian Creek at Overland ParkRiver gauge, Indian Creek	5.63 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	9 mi
Indian Creek at State Line Road, LeawoodRiver gauge, Indian Creek	10.35 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	9 mi
Lake Bull Creek near Spring HillRiver gauge, Lake Bull Creek	2.74 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	11 mi
Brush Creek at Ward Parkway in Kansas CityRiver gauge, Brush Creek	35.80 ft	Below flood stage	+0.03 ft	16 mi
Hillsdale Lake near HillsdaleLake, Hillsdale Lake	917.08 ft	High	±0	16 mi
Big Bull Creek near HillsdaleRiver gauge, Big Bull Creek	1.82 ft	Very low	−0.02 ft	16 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Blue River near Stanley compare with last year?

It is 0.49 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3.63 ft.

What is flood stage for the Blue River near Stanley?

The official flood stage is 16.00 ft. The level is currently 11.88 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Blue River near Stanley in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 3.88 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 3.04 ft and 4.48 ft, based on 35 years of records.

Is gage height the same as water depth?

No. Gage height is measured from a fixed reference point chosen by the agency, so a reading of 10 ft does not mean the river is 10 ft deep.

What is the water level of Blue River near Stanley today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 02:45 PM CDT, the water level was 4.12 ft. Down 0.09 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Blue River near Stanley rising or falling?

Down 0.09 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 0.42 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Blue River near Stanley normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 35 years of daily readings for this time of year.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:06893080 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 38.81251, -94.67579 (WGS84)
Vertical datum: NAVD88
Update interval: every 15 minutes
Licence: Public domain. Data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), provisional data subject to revision

Published series

Parameter	Last value	Time (UTC)	Quality
Water level	4.12 ft	2026-10-19 19:45	Provisional
Flow	16.2 cfs	2026-10-19 19:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Blue River near Stanley (usgs:06893080). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/kansas/blue-river-near-stanley

How we check values

Each reading is stored as published. We hold back values that jump faster than physically plausible and show the measurement time with every value.

Readings are provisional, can be delayed or wrong and are not a flood warning. Read the disclaimer