Smoky Hill River at Enterprise water level

Name: Smoky Hill River at Enterprise 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, Smoky Hill River, Kansas, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

7.37ft Down 0.08 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 09:45 AM CDT (13 min ago)

Flow: 454 cfs
Water temperature: 57 °F

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

The Smoky Hill River at Enterprise is at 7.37 ft, in the normal range for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 6.98 ft, based on 38 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.39 ft above typical. It is 18.63 ft below the flood stage of 26.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 6.70 ft, a difference of +0.67 ft.

It has dropped 0.08 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 6.84 ft and 17.99 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns. The water temperature at the gauge is 57 °F.

Compared with 38 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 6.98 ft0.39 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 3.35 ft – 13.01 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (38 years of records)
Same day last year: 6.70 ft+0.67 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 6.84 ft – 17.99 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 5.80 ft – 27.49 ft
Highest on record: 33.95 ftJuly 22, 1993

Floating and fishing near Smoky Hill River at Enterprise

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

Flood stage here is 26.00 ft, 18.63 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

33.50 ft: Flood waters reach the base of the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railroad bridge about one quarter mile downstream of Kansas Highway 43.
30.00 ft: Kansas Highway 43 just north of the river floods.
27.00 ft: Railroad tracks near Enterprise flood.
26.00 ft: Valley north of the Kansas Highway 43 bridge on the north side of Enterprise floods.
21.00 ft: Low land agricultural flooding occurs from near Enterprise to near Junction City.
7.37 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	33.95 ft	July 22, 1993
2	32.62 ft	July 16, 1993
3	32.00 ft	May 1, 1903
4	30.98 ft	July 6, 2019
5	30.52 ft	May 25, 2019
6	30.36 ft	May 30, 1995
7	30.12 ft	June 24, 1993
8	30.02 ft	May 12, 1993
9	29.91 ft	May 26, 2007
10	29.89 ft	May 14, 1993

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 72° 50° – Wind 14 mph

21 Wed 76° 54° – Wind 11 mph

22 Thu 79° 60° – Wind 15 mph

23 Fri 78° 62° – Wind 20 mph

24 Sat 79° 65° – Wind 20 mph

25 Sun 76° 62° – Wind 17 mph

26 Mon 67° 49° 0.28 in, 22% Wind 16 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:43 AM Sunset 06:44 PM Daylight 11 hr, 1 min First quarter 69%

Map

Other gauges on the Smoky Hill River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Smoky Hill River near SchoenchenRiver gauge, Smoky Hill River	3.07 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	121 mi
Smoky Hill River below SchoenchenRiver gauge, Smoky Hill River	2.86 ft	Very high	−0.01 ft	118 mi
Smoky Hill River at PfeiferRiver gauge, Smoky Hill River	9.5 cfs	Normal	−0.5 cfs	110 mi
Smoky Hill River near RussellRiver gauge, Smoky Hill River	4.17 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	94 mi
Smoky Hill River at EllsworthRiver gauge, Smoky Hill River	1.73 ft	Normal	−0.05 ft	61 mi
Smoky Hill River near LangleyRiver gauge, Smoky Hill River	3.67 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	49 mi
Smoky Hill River at LindsborgRiver gauge, Smoky Hill River	7.31 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	38 mi
Smoky Hill River near MentorRiver gauge, Smoky Hill River	4.40 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	28 mi
Smoky Hill River at New CambriaRiver gauge, Smoky Hill River	5.94 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	20 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Chapman Creek near ChapmanRiver gauge, Chapman Creek	4.40 ft	Normal	−0.05 ft	10 mi
Mud Creek near TalmageRiver gauge, Mud Creek	3.98 ft	Below flood stage	±0	10 mi
Milford Lake near Junction CityLake, Milford Lake	1,145.81 ft	Very high	+0.03 ft	17 mi
Republican River at Junction CityRiver gauge, Republican River	162 cfs	Normal	−400.0 cfs	18 mi
Solomon River at NilesRiver gauge, Solomon River	4.48 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	20 mi
Kansas River at Fort RileyRiver gauge, Kansas River	5.54 ft	Normal	−0.50 ft	22 mi
Gypsum Creek near GypsumRiver gauge, Gypsum Creek	10.2 cfs	High	−0.5 cfs	26 mi
Neosho River near ParkervilleRiver gauge, Neosho River	2.7 cfs	Normal	−0.2 cfs	27 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Smoky Hill River at Enterprise higher than last year?

Yes, it is 0.67 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 6.70 ft.

What is flood stage for the Smoky Hill River at Enterprise?

The official flood stage is 26.00 ft. The level is currently 18.63 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Smoky Hill River at Enterprise in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 6.98 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 3.35 ft and 13.01 ft, based on 38 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 Smoky Hill River at Enterprise today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 09:45 AM CDT, the water level was 7.37 ft. Down 0.08 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Smoky Hill River at Enterprise rising or falling?

Down 0.08 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.33 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Smoky Hill River at Enterprise normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 38 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:06877600 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 38.90639, -97.11780 (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	7.37 ft	2026-10-20 14:45	Provisional
Flow	454 cfs	2026-10-20 14:45	Provisional
Water temperature	57 °F	2026-10-20 14:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Smoky Hill River at Enterprise (usgs:06877600). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/kansas/smoky-hill-river-at-enterprise

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