Whitewater River at Towanda water level

Name: Whitewater River at Towanda 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, Whitewater River, Kansas, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

1.73ft Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 08:30 AM CDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 24.3 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

The gauge at Whitewater River at Towanda reads 1.73 ft, a normal level for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 1.86 ft, based on 38 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.13 ft below typical. It is 20.27 ft below the flood stage of 22.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 1.84 ft, a difference of −0.11 ft.

The level is falling, down 0.04 ft over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 1.56 ft and 4.92 ft.

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

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

Key numbers

Median for this date: 1.86 ft0.13 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 1.43 ft – 3.17 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (38 years of records)
Same day last year: 1.84 ft−0.11 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 1.56 ft – 4.92 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 1.55 ft – 17.33 ft
Highest on record: 30.54 ftNovember 1, 1998

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 22.00 ft, still 20.27 ft away.

What happens at each level

28.00 ft: Water level reaches about 2 ft on property 1 mile upstream, on east side of the river around River Valley Road. More extensive flooding of cropland can be expected. Many county roads in low areas will be inundated near the vicinity of the river.
25.00 ft: Flooding over cropland becomes more widespread. County roads flood at Southwest 40th Street on low spots near the river about 2 miles downstream of gage and along Southwest 60th Street just west of Fulton Road near the river located 4 miles south of Towanda. Further downstream, 5 miles south of Towanda, expect flooding across Southwest 70th Street near the river.
22.00 ft: The river will be out of its banks on both sides. West bank overflows impact cropland mainly in low lying areas.
1.73 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: 24 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	30.54 ft	November 1, 1998
2	29.73 ft	June 8, 1979
3	28.80 ft	June 4, 2025
4	28.50 ft	October 11, 1985
5	28.21 ft	October 10, 1985
6	28.04 ft	April 27, 2009
7	28.03 ft	May 8, 2019
8	28.02 ft	June 5, 1965
9	27.65 ft	June 9, 1995
10	26.86 ft	May 25, 2019

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

19 Mon 68° 47° – Wind 14 mph

20 Tue 70° 49° – Wind 12 mph

21 Wed 75° 54° 0.01 in Wind 15 mph

22 Thu 79° 58° – Wind 16 mph

23 Fri 78° 59° – Wind 19 mph

24 Sat 76° 61° – Wind 19 mph

25 Sun 71° 62° 0.01 in Wind 10 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:41 AM Sunset 06:46 PM Daylight 11 hr, 6 min First quarter 60%

Map

Other gauges on the Whitewater River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Whitewater River at AugustaRiver gauge, Whitewater River	3.68 ft	Low	−0.06 ft	8 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Wb Walnut River near El DoradoRiver gauge, Wb Walnut River	5.65 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	9 mi
Arkansas River at WichitaRiver gauge, Arkansas River	2.72 ft	Low	−0.06 ft	20 mi
Arkansas River near MaizeRiver gauge, Arkansas River	4.60 ft	Low	−0.01 ft	21 mi
Lake Arkansas River at Valley CenterRiver gauge, Lake Arkansas River	1.17 ft	Normal	−0.06 ft	21 mi
Arkansas River at DerbyRiver gauge, Arkansas River	0.76 ft	Very low	−0.01 ft	23 mi
Lake Arkansas River near SedgwickRiver gauge, Lake Arkansas River	1.89 ft	Very low	−0.06 ft	23 mi
Cowskin Creek at Kellogg St, WichitaRiver gauge, Cowskin Creek	3.6 cfs	Normal	−0.9 cfs	26 mi
Arkansas River at MulvaneRiver gauge, Arkansas River	5.61 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	26 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Whitewater River at Towanda higher than last year?

No, it is 0.11 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.84 ft.

What is flood stage for the Whitewater River at Towanda?

The official flood stage is 22.00 ft. The level is currently 20.27 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Whitewater River at Towanda in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 1.86 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.43 ft and 3.17 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 Whitewater River at Towanda today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 08:30 AM CDT, the water level was 1.73 ft. Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Whitewater River at Towanda rising or falling?

Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 0.11 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Whitewater River at Towanda 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:07147070 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 37.79603, -97.01432 (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	1.73 ft	2026-10-19 13:30	Provisional
Flow	24.3 cfs	2026-10-19 13:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Whitewater River at Towanda (usgs:07147070). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/kansas/whitewater-river-at-towanda

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