Wakarusa River at Wakarusa water level

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

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

2.94ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 05:15 PM CDT (47 min ago)

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The gauge at Wakarusa River at Wakarusa reads 2.94 ft, a normal level.

It is 12.06 ft below the flood stage of 15.00 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 2.92 ft and 3.09 ft.

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

Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels

Key numbers

Highest on record: 28.60 ftMay 8, 2007

What the stage means on the water

A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 15.00 ft, still 12.06 ft away.

What happens at each level

24.00 ft: Major flooding occurs with most homes and businesses in Wakarusa affected by flood waters. Farm field on the downstream north bank floods. Jordan Road north of the gage begins to flood.
23.00 ft: Buildings north of the river begin to flood on the first floor. Flood waters reach the southwest corner of the parking lot near the chiropratic office.
22.50 ft: Flood waters begin moving north in a low depression area toward homes.
15.00 ft: Minor flooding occurs along the Wakarusa River.
2.94 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: 6 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	28.60 ft	May 8, 2007
2	22.14 ft	August 30, 2019
3	19.88 ft	April 27, 2016
4	19.80 ft	June 5, 2015
5	18.56 ft	May 24, 2015
6	18.27 ft	May 27, 2016
7	17.54 ft	July 1, 2024
8	17.17 ft	August 22, 2017
9	17.02 ft	May 8, 2019
10	16.77 ft	June 23, 2019

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

19 Mon 67° 41° – Wind 10 mph

20 Tue 71° 43° – Wind 10 mph

21 Wed 73° 55° – Wind 12 mph

22 Thu 77° 58° – Wind 11 mph

23 Fri 78° 59° – Wind 16 mph

24 Sat 76° 58° – Wind 18 mph

25 Sun 67° 60° – Wind 10 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:37 AM Sunset 06:40 PM Daylight 11 hr, 3 min First quarter 63%

Map

Other gauges on the Wakarusa River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Wakarusa River near RichlandRiver gauge, Wakarusa River	22.7 cfs	High	−2.6 cfs	5.6 mi
Wakarusa River near LawrenceRiver gauge, Wakarusa River	4.25 ft	Normal	±0	24 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Shunganunga Creek at Gage Blvd, TopekaRiver gauge, Shunganunga Creek	4.83 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	10 mi
Shunganunga Creek at TopekaRiver gauge, Shunganunga Creek	4.27 ft	Low	−0.01 ft	10 mi
Kansas River at TopekaRiver gauge, Kansas River	12.08 ft	Very high	−0.11 ft	13 mi
Kansas River above Topeka Weir at TopekaRiver gauge, Kansas River	14,300 cfs	High	−300.0 cfs	13 mi
Dragoon Creek near BurlingameRiver gauge, Dragoon Creek	8.07 ft	High	−0.01 ft	14 mi
Soldier Creek near TopekaRiver gauge, Soldier Creek	0.30 ft	Normal	±0	15 mi
Pomona Lake near QuenemoLake, Pomona Lake	974.53 ft	Normal	+0.01 ft	18 mi
Hundred and Ten Mile Creek near QuenemoRiver gauge, Hundred and Ten Mile Creek	2.58 ft	Very low	+0.01 ft	18 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Wakarusa River at Wakarusa?

The official flood stage is 15.00 ft. The level is currently 12.06 ft below it.

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 Wakarusa River at Wakarusa today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 05:15 PM CDT, the water level was 2.94 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Wakarusa River at Wakarusa rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Wakarusa River at Wakarusa normal?

Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Wakarusa River at Wakarusa?

The highest level on record is 28.60 ft on May 8, 2007.

How often is this data updated?

The U.S. Geological Survey publishes a new reading every 15 minutes. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:06891200 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 38.88167, -95.69694 (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	2.94 ft	2026-10-19 22:15	Provisional

Download

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Wakarusa River at Wakarusa (usgs:06891200). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/kansas/wakarusa-river-at-wakarusa

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