Kansas River at Kansas City water level

Name: Kansas River at Kansas City 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, Kansas River, Kansas, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

14.90ft Down 0.47 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 02:45 PM CDT (1 hour ago)

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

The Kansas River at Kansas City is at 14.90 ft, in the normal range for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 12.47 ft, based on 25 years of readings, so the river stage is 2.43 ft above typical. It is 18.10 ft below the flood stage of 33.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 10.00 ft, a difference of +4.90 ft.

It has dropped 0.47 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 11.26 ft and 30.22 ft.

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

Compared with 25 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 12.47 ft2.43 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 10.31 ft – 21.08 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (25 years of records)
Same day last year: 10.00 ft+4.90 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 11.26 ft – 30.22 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 5.58 ft – 30.22 ft
Highest on record: 61.30 ftJuly 14, 1951

Floating and fishing near Kansas River at Kansas City

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

Flood stage here is 33.00 ft, 18.10 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

55.00 ft: The river threatens to overtop levees or floodwalls near the mouth of the Kansas river near James Street. Additional height must be added to the levees or floodwalls to prevent overtopping. Overtopping of the levees and floodwalls would result in serious flooding of the Central Industrial District and other areas adjacent to the river. This would include the arenas located in the West Bottoms.
33.00 ft: Undeveloped woodland along the river and outside of levee protection is flooded. No flooding of areas behind the levees is expected.
14.90 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Chance of at least minor flooding in October to December: 14 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	61.30 ft	July 14, 1951
2	54.80 ft	July 28, 1993
3	54.60 ft	June 1, 1903
4	47.20 ft	June 1, 1908
5	45.30 ft	July 11, 1993
6	43.00 ft	June 18, 1943
7	42.60 ft	October 13, 1973
8	40.96 ft	May 8, 2007
9	40.50 ft	June 7, 1935
10	39.64 ft	June 2, 2019

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

19 Mon 66° 43° – Wind 7 mph

20 Tue 70° 46° – Wind 8 mph

21 Wed 72° 53° – Wind 4 mph

22 Thu 78° 61° – Wind 7 mph

23 Fri 79° 61° – Wind 11 mph

24 Sat 79° 62° – Wind 12 mph

25 Sun 73° 63° 0.02 in Wind 5 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:34 AM Sunset 06:34 PM Daylight 11 hr Waxing gibbous 71%

Map

Other gauges on the Kansas River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Kansas River at Fort RileyRiver gauge, Kansas River	5.51 ft	Normal	−0.23 ft	116 mi
Kansas River at ManhattanRiver gauge, Kansas River	7.31 ft	Normal	−0.27 ft	104 mi
Kansas River at WamegoRiver gauge, Kansas River	9.08 ft	Very high	−0.16 ft	91 mi
Kansas River near BelvueRiver gauge, Kansas River	15.45 ft	Very high	−0.13 ft	83 mi
Kansas River above Topeka Weir at TopekaRiver gauge, Kansas River	14,100 cfs	High	−200.0 cfs	59 mi
Kansas River at TopekaRiver gauge, Kansas River	11.98 ft	Very high	−0.10 ft	56 mi
Kansas River at LecomptonRiver gauge, Kansas River	7.66 ft	Very high	−0.03 ft	42 mi
Kansas River at LawrenceRiver gauge, Kansas River	13.32 ft	Very low	−0.23 ft	34 mi
Kansas River at DesotoRiver gauge, Kansas River	9.48 ft	Very high	−0.27 ft	20 mi
Kansas River near Lake QuiviraRiver gauge, Kansas River	12.34 ft	Below flood stage	−0.08 ft	10 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Missouri River at Kansas CityRiver gauge, Missouri River	12.84 ft	Below flood stage	−0.41 ft	1.9 mi
Brush Creek at Ward Parkway in Kansas CityRiver gauge, Brush Creek	35.79 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	3.9 mi
Blue River at Stadium Drive in Kansas CityRiver gauge, Blue River	5.80 ft	Below flood stage	−0.07 ft	5.7 mi
Blue River at 12th Street in Kansas CityRiver gauge, Blue River	2.60 ft	Below flood stage	−0.17 ft	6 mi
Blue River at Kansas CityRiver gauge, Blue River	4.63 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	10 mi
Indian Creek at State Line Road, LeawoodRiver gauge, Indian Creek	10.32 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	10 mi
Indian Creek at Overland ParkRiver gauge, Indian Creek	5.52 ft	Normal	−0.11 ft	11 mi
Missouri River above ParkvilleRiver gauge, Missouri River	10.28 ft	Below flood stage	−0.41 ft	11 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Kansas River at Kansas City higher than last year?

Yes, it is 4.90 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 10.00 ft.

What is flood stage for the Kansas River at Kansas City?

The official flood stage is 33.00 ft. The level is currently 18.10 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Kansas River at Kansas City in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 12.47 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 10.31 ft and 21.08 ft, based on 25 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 Kansas River at Kansas City today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 02:45 PM CDT, the water level was 14.90 ft. Down 0.47 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Kansas River at Kansas City rising or falling?

Down 0.47 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 1.85 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Kansas River at Kansas City normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 25 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:06892950 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 39.09000, -94.60912 (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	14.90 ft	2026-10-20 19:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Kansas River at Kansas City (usgs:06892950). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/kansas/kansas-river-at-kansas-city

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