Canada
United States
Belgium
France
Ireland
Netherlands
United Kingdom
Austria
Czechia
Germany
Poland
Slovenia
Switzerland
Italy
Spain
Türkiye
Denmark
Finland
Norway
SwedenSoldier Creek near Topeka water level
River gauge, Soldier Creek, Kansas, United States
Right now
Normal for mid-October
Water level
- Flow
- 41.2 cfs
History
20252026
The forecast expects the river to fall to 0.20 ft by Thursday, October 22 at 07:00 AM. Issued Tuesday, October 20 at 11:53 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.
What this means
Water levels are unremarkable at Soldier Creek near Topeka, where the gauge shows 0.26 ft.
That puts it 0.30 ft below the median of 0.56 ft for mid-October, based on 35 years of readings. It is 28.74 ft below the flood stage of 29.00 ft. A year ago it stood at −0.08 ft (+0.34 ft).
It is still going down, by 0.04 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 0.20 ft by Thursday, October 22 at 07:00 AM. The 30-day range is 0.15 ft – 11.90 ft.
Compared with 35 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 0.56 ft0.30 ft below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- −0.30 ft – 1.57 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (35 years of records)
- Same day last year
- −0.08 ft+0.34 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 0.15 ft – 11.90 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- −0.20 ft – 12.04 ft
- Highest on record
- 34.67 ftOctober 2, 2005
- Forecast peak
- 0.30 ftTuesday, October 20 at 01:00 PM
Paddling and fishing conditions
Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.
For reference, flood stage is 29.00 ft.
What happens at each level
- 39.47 ft
- Brickyard Road bridge over the Soldier Creek floods.
- 34.50 ft
- Widespread flooding occurs and affects first floors of home and business along the creek.
- 29.00 ft
- Low land flooding from Grove to the Kansas River.
- 0.26 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: < 5 %.
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 34.67 ft | October 2, 2005 |
| 2 | 33.06 ft | June 22, 1951 |
| 3 | 27.75 ft | May 7, 2007 |
| 4 | 27.44 ft | June 9, 1982 |
| 5 | 25.90 ft | July 27, 1981 |
| 6 | 25.24 ft | June 28, 1999 |
| 7 | 23.91 ft | October 11, 1973 |
| 8 | 23.58 ft | June 5, 2015 |
| 9 | 23.42 ft | July 10, 1993 |
| 10 | 22.48 ft | May 27, 2016 |
Weather at the gauge
No rain in the last 3 days.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Other gauges on Soldier Creek
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soldier Creek near CorningRiver gauge, Soldier Creek | 6.23 ft | Low | −0.01 ft | 38 mi |
| Soldier Creek near DeliaRiver gauge, Soldier Creek | 5.62 ft | Normal | −0.01 ft | 13 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas River above Topeka Weir at TopekaRiver gauge, Kansas River | 14,100 cfs | High | −200.0 cfs | 2.0 mi |
| Kansas River at TopekaRiver gauge, Kansas River | 11.98 ft | Very high | −0.10 ft | 4.6 mi |
| Shunganunga Creek at TopekaRiver gauge, Shunganunga Creek | 4.24 ft | Low | −0.02 ft | 5.3 mi |
| Shunganunga Creek at Gage Blvd, TopekaRiver gauge, Shunganunga Creek | 4.80 ft | Below flood stage | −0.02 ft | 5.7 mi |
| Cross Creek at RossvilleRiver gauge, Cross Creek | 7.62 ft | Below flood stage | −0.01 ft | 13 mi |
| Wakarusa River at WakarusaRiver gauge, Wakarusa River | 2.93 ft | Below flood stage | −0.01 ft | 15 mi |
| Wakarusa River near RichlandRiver gauge, Wakarusa River | 20.9 cfs | High | −1.8 cfs | 16 mi |
| Perry Lake near PerryLake, Perry Lake | 894.02 ft | Very high | ±0 | 16 mi |
Questions and answers
How does Soldier Creek near Topeka compare with last year?
It is 0.34 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was −0.08 ft.
What is flood stage for Soldier Creek near Topeka?
The official flood stage is 29.00 ft. The level is currently 28.74 ft below it.
What is a normal level for Soldier Creek near Topeka in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 0.56 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between −0.30 ft and 1.57 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 Soldier Creek near Topeka today?
On Oct 20, 2026, 05:45 PM CDT, the water level was 0.26 ft. Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is Soldier Creek near Topeka rising or falling?
Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.15 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Soldier Creek near Topeka 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:06889500(Agency page)- Coordinates
39.09944, -95.72498(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 | 0.26 ft | 2026-10-20 22:45 | Provisional |
| Flow | 41.2 cfs | 2026-10-20 22:45 | Provisional |
Download
Embed this gauge
Add a live card for this gauge to your website. It updates on its own and links back here.
How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Soldier Creek near Topeka (usgs:06889500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/kansas/soldier-creek-near-topeka
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