Arkansas River at Dodge City water level

Name: Arkansas River at Dodge 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, Arkansas River, Kansas, United States

Directions

High for mid-October

Water level

6.73ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 05:00 AM CDT (46 min ago)

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

The Arkansas River at Dodge City is above normal at 6.73 ft.

That puts it 0.73 ft above the median of 6.00 ft for mid-October, based on 30 years of readings. It is 4.27 ft below the flood stage of 11.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 7.23 ft (−0.50 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 6.73 ft and 7.06 ft.

That stands out in fall, when many rivers are usually near their lowest.

Compared with 30 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 6.00 ft0.73 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 5.88 ft – 7.23 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (30 years of records)
Same day last year: 7.23 ft−0.50 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 6.73 ft – 7.06 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 6.73 ft – 7.24 ft
Highest on record: 9.79 ftJune 16, 1999

Floating and fishing near Arkansas River at Dodge City

Experienced paddlers may enjoy higher water, but many outfitters stop rentals once a river runs this high.

Flood stage here is 11.00 ft, 4.27 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

23.00 ft: Floodwaters will overtop the levee in dodge city downstream of the 14th street bridge... And the resulting flooding will inundate the southern part of dodge city south of the atsf railroad tracks. Flooding will expand south to beeson st and along the dcf&b railroad tracks in the southeast part of town. Floodwaters will be up to 6 feet deep in this area.
18.00 ft: Floodwaters will begin to spread into low-lying farm land upstream and downstream of the levee project in dodge city. Floodwaters to a depth of 4 feet or more will be common.
14.00 ft: Some roads and farmlands adjacent to the arkansas river from cimarron to just upstream of dodge city... And downstream of dodge city will be flooded. Dodge city's levees are not in any danger of overtopping at this stage.
6.73 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: < 5 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	9.79 ft	June 16, 1999
2	8.99 ft	August 29, 2003
3	8.51 ft	April 8, 1998
4	8.28 ft	June 29, 1987
5	8.25 ft	August 19, 1997
6	8.04 ft	May 31, 1987
7	7.71 ft	March 24, 2000
8	7.67 ft	June 1, 2001
9	7.65 ft	August 3, 1995
10	7.50 ft	July 13, 1989

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

19 Mon 75° 46° – Wind 15 mph

20 Tue 75° 52° – Wind 17 mph

21 Wed 73° 51° – Wind 8 mph

22 Thu 82° 61° – Wind 18 mph

23 Fri 79° 63° 0.00 in Wind 26 mph

24 Sat 67° 58° 0.32 in, 45% Wind 23 mph

25 Sun 61° 58° 0.39 in, 45% Wind 11 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:54 AM Sunset 06:57 PM Daylight 11 hr, 3 min First quarter 67%

Map

Other gauges on the Arkansas River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Arkansas River at LamarRiver gauge, Arkansas River	5.82 ft	Below flood stage	+0.08 ft	143 mi
Arkansas River near GranadaRiver gauge, Arkansas River	75.6 cfs	Normal	−2.2 cfs	126 mi
Arkansas River at HollyRiver gauge, Arkansas River	94.0 cfs	Normal	−4.6 cfs	116 mi
Arkansas River near CoolidgeRiver gauge, Arkansas River	2.86 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	110 mi
Arkansas River at SyracuseRiver gauge, Arkansas River	4.63 ft	High	−0.04 ft	95 mi
Arkansas River at KendallRiver gauge, Arkansas River	6.48 ft	Very high	−0.04 ft	84 mi
Arkansas River at DeerfieldRiver gauge, Arkansas River	5.95 ft	Normal	±0	62 mi
Arkansas River at Garden CityRiver gauge, Arkansas River	5.18 ft	Normal	±0	48 mi
Arkansas River near LarnedRiver gauge, Arkansas River	3.94 ft	Normal	−0.04 ft	65 mi
Arkansas River at Great BendRiver gauge, Arkansas River	0.65 ft	Low	−0.01 ft	81 mi
Arkansas River near NickersonRiver gauge, Arkansas River	8.97 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	108 mi
Arkansas River near HutchinsonRiver gauge, Arkansas River	2.07 ft	Low	±0	124 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Buckner Creek above Horsethief Re near JetmoreRiver gauge, Buckner Creek	1.4 cfs	Normal	±0	21 mi
Horsethief Re near JetmoreLake, Horsethief Re	2,419.82 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	22 mi
Buckner Creek below Horsethief Re near JetmoreRiver gauge, Buckner Creek	1.9 cfs	Normal	±0	22 mi
Buckner Creek near JetmoreRiver gauge, Buckner Creek	1.6 cfs	Normal	+0.2 cfs	24 mi
Buckner Creek at HanstonRiver gauge, Buckner Creek	0.2 cfs	Normal	±0	31 mi
Pawnee River near BurdettRiver gauge, Pawnee River	2.26 ft	Low	±0	38 mi
Pawnee River at RozelRiver gauge, Pawnee River	7.19 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	47 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Arkansas River at Dodge City compare with last year?

It is 0.50 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 7.23 ft.

What is flood stage for the Arkansas River at Dodge City?

The official flood stage is 11.00 ft. The level is currently 4.27 ft below it.

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

The median for mid-October is 6.00 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 5.88 ft and 7.23 ft, based on 30 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 Arkansas River at Dodge City today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 05:00 AM CDT, the water level was 6.73 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Arkansas River at Dodge City rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Arkansas River at Dodge City normal?

High for mid-October. Compared with 30 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:07139500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 37.74474, -100.03291 (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	6.73 ft	2026-10-20 10:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Arkansas River at Dodge City (usgs:07139500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/kansas/arkansas-river-at-dodge-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