Arkansas River at Garden City water level
River gauge, Arkansas River, Kansas, United States
Right now
Normal for mid-October
Water level
- Flow
- 0.0 cfs
History
20252026
What this means
Water levels are unremarkable at Arkansas River at Garden City, where the gauge shows 5.18 ft.
The median for mid-October is 5.19 ft, based on 26 years of readings, and the gauge is right on it. It is 4.82 ft below the flood stage of 10.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 5.14 ft (+0.04 ft).
The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 5.17 ft – 5.31 ft.
Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.
Compared with 26 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 5.19 ft0.00 ft below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 4.77 ft – 5.90 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (26 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 5.14 ft+0.04 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 5.17 ft – 5.31 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 5.13 ft – 5.37 ft
- Highest on record
- 22.30 ftJune 19, 1965
Paddling and fishing conditions
Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.
For reference, flood stage is 10.00 ft.
What happens at each level
- 22.50 ft
- Water surface elevation will reach low bridge steel of U.S. highway 83 - business district.
- 19.00 ft
- Floodwaters will extend to Maple Street in southern Garden City... And some houses will be partly submerged with 2 to 3 feet of water. Bridge approaches adjacent to the Arkansas River will be flooded with 1 to 2 feet of water. Residences along Burnside Drive will be flooded. Flooding will also reach into southern parts of Holcomb, south of the railroad tracks.
- 17.00 ft
- The Fairgrounds, Finnup park and Lee Richardson Zoo will be inundated with 1 to 2 feet of water. Roads along the Arkansas River up and downstream from Lakin to Cimarron will be flooded in many areas.
- 16.00 ft
- Floodwaters will rise into Finnup Park, Lee Richardson Zoo, and the Finney County Fairgrounds. Some street flooding and yard flooding will occur along Burnside Drive. South of the Arkansas River and east of Highway 83, the lowest portions of south River Road will be overtopped by rapidly moving water, as will other low-lying portions of roads along the Arkansas River between Lakin and Cimarron.
- 15.00 ft
- In Garden City, the blacktop road south of the Arkansas River will be close to overflowing. Expect inundations of 5 feet or more along unleveed portions of the Arkansas River outside of Garden City. Move livestock well away from river.
- 14.00 ft
- Expect inundations up to four feet or more along unleveed portions of the Arkansas River as the river moves out of the main channel farther out onto the adjacent floodplain. Irrigation systems near the river may be threatened by floating debris or the washing out of sandy soil. In Garden City, inundation of the lowest portions of south River Road west of Hwy 283, as well as Burnside Drive will initiate if the river stage rises between 15 to 16 feet.
- 13.00 ft
- Expect inundations of one foot or more along either side of the Arkansas River upstream and downstream of Garden City as the river begins to move out of its main channel onto its first terrace. Cattle or livestock grazing in the immediate vicinity of the river may be endangered by the swiftly flowing waters.
- 11.50 ft
- At 11.5 feet, the Arkansas River is at bankfull stage in Garden City.
- 10.00 ft
- The Arkansas River is mostly at bankfull stage between Lakin and Cimarron. Irrigation systems near the river bank are threatened.
- 9.00 ft
- Expect near bankfull conditions along the lowest-lying areas of the Arkansas River outside of Garden City. In the city of Cimarron, the Arkansas River will begin to enter the southern part of the city park.
- 5.18 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 | 22.30 ft | June 19, 1965 |
| 2 | 18.57 ft | May 16, 1951 |
| 3 | 17.42 ft | June 7, 1949 |
| 4 | 16.74 ft | August 9, 1929 |
| 5 | 9.01 ft | May 29, 1996 |
| 6 | 8.86 ft | May 24, 1999 |
| 7 | 8.64 ft | May 30, 2001 |
| 8 | 7.68 ft | August 6, 1995 |
| 9 | 7.55 ft | August 17, 1997 |
| 10 | 7.46 ft | April 6, 1998 |
Weather at the gauge
The forecast is not available right now.
Map
Other gauges on the Arkansas River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas River at Las AnimasRiver gauge, Arkansas River | 4.7 cfs | Very low | −0.3 cfs | 128 mi |
| Arkansas River below John Martin ReservoirRiver gauge, Arkansas River | 23.9 cfs | Low | −54.4 cfs | 112 mi |
| Arkansas River at LamarRiver gauge, Arkansas River | 5.86 ft | Below flood stage | +0.12 ft | 95 mi |
| Arkansas River near GranadaRiver gauge, Arkansas River | 75.6 cfs | Normal | −2.2 cfs | 79 mi |
| Arkansas River at HollyRiver gauge, Arkansas River | 95.5 cfs | Normal | −1.5 cfs | 68 mi |
| Arkansas River near CoolidgeRiver gauge, Arkansas River | 2.86 ft | Normal | −0.03 ft | 62 mi |
| Arkansas River at SyracuseRiver gauge, Arkansas River | 4.64 ft | High | −0.03 ft | 48 mi |
| Arkansas River at KendallRiver gauge, Arkansas River | 6.47 ft | Very high | −0.04 ft | 37 mi |
| Arkansas River at DeerfieldRiver gauge, Arkansas River | 5.95 ft | Normal | ±0 | 14 mi |
| Arkansas River at Dodge CityRiver gauge, Arkansas River | 6.73 ft | High | ±0 | 48 mi |
| Arkansas River near LarnedRiver gauge, Arkansas River | 3.93 ft | Normal | −0.04 ft | 103 mi |
| Arkansas River at Great BendRiver gauge, Arkansas River | 0.64 ft | Low | −0.01 ft | 118 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Farmers Ditch near DeerfieldCanal gauge, Farmers Ditch | 1.69 ft | No reference yet | +0.40 ft | 10 mi |
| Southside Ditch Return near DeerfieldCanal gauge, Southside Ditch Return | 0.0 cfs | Normal | ±0 | 13 mi |
| Southside Ditch near LakinCanal gauge, Southside Ditch | 1.25 ft | No reference yet | ±0 | 27 mi |
| Amazon Great Eastern Ditch near LakinCanal gauge, Amazon Great Eastern Ditch | 4.51 ft | No reference yet | −0.02 ft | 31 mi |
Questions and answers
How does the Arkansas River at Garden City compare with last year?
It is 0.04 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 5.14 ft.
What is flood stage for the Arkansas River at Garden City?
The official flood stage is 10.00 ft. The level is currently 4.82 ft below it.
What is a normal level for the Arkansas River at Garden City in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 5.19 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 4.77 ft and 5.90 ft, based on 26 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 Garden City today?
On Oct 20, 2026, 06:30 AM CDT, the water level was 5.18 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is Arkansas River at Garden City rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Arkansas River at Garden City normal?
Normal for mid-October. Compared with 26 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:07139000(Agency page)- Coordinates
37.95586, -100.87738(WGS84)- Vertical datum
- NGVD29
- 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 | 5.18 ft | 2026-10-20 11:30 | Provisional |
| Flow | 0.0 cfs | 2026-10-20 11:30 | Provisional |
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Arkansas River at Garden City (usgs:07139000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/kansas/arkansas-river-at-garden-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