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SwedenBlack Vermillion River near Frankfort water level
River gauge, Black Vermillion River, Kansas, United States
Right now
Low for mid-October
Water level
- Flow
- 76.3 cfs
History
20252026
What this means
At 3.20 ft, the Black Vermillion River near Frankfort is below normal for mid-October.
That puts it 0.51 ft below the median of 3.71 ft for mid-October, based on 37 years of readings. It is 15.80 ft below the flood stage of 19.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 2.67 ft (+0.53 ft).
The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 3.16 ft and 25.38 ft.
Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.
Compared with 37 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 3.71 ft0.51 ft below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 2.84 ft – 6.46 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (37 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 2.67 ft+0.53 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 3.16 ft – 25.38 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 2.66 ft – 25.38 ft
- Highest on record
- 32.72 ftJune 29, 2019
What the stage means on the water
Low water means more dragging on shallow riffles and slower floats. Fish crowd into the deeper runs, and warm, low water stresses them, so play and release them quickly.
The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 19.00 ft, still 15.80 ft away.
What happens at each level
- 27.50 ft
- Area in the vicinity of 19th Terrace and Vista Roads floods.
- 26.00 ft
- The west bank of the river floods.
- 19.00 ft
- Minor flooding of lowland areas occurs along the river from Vermillion to the mouth of the Black Vermillion River.
- 3.20 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: 42 %.
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 32.72 ft | June 29, 2019 |
| 2 | 32.28 ft | July 22, 1993 |
| 3 | 30.28 ft | July 5, 1993 |
| 4 | 30.20 ft | August 3, 1948 |
| 5 | 30.06 ft | October 11, 1973 |
| 6 | 29.58 ft | July 25, 1992 |
| 7 | 29.57 ft | July 1, 1993 |
| 8 | 29.50 ft | July 14, 1982 |
| 9 | 29.40 ft | May 30, 1959 |
| 10 | 29.21 ft | May 31, 2019 |
Weather at the gauge
No rain in the last 3 days.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Blue River at Blue RapidsRiver gauge, Big Blue River | 17.78 ft | High | −0.33 ft | 10 mi |
| Big Blue River at MarysvilleRiver gauge, Big Blue River | 14.89 ft | Very high | −0.30 ft | 16 mi |
| Lake Blue River near BarnesRiver gauge, Lake Blue River | 5.19 ft | High | −0.21 ft | 19 mi |
| Soldier Creek near CorningRiver gauge, Soldier Creek | 6.23 ft | Low | −0.01 ft | 25 mi |
| Turkey Creek near SenecaRiver gauge, Turkey Creek | 1.15 ft | Low | −0.01 ft | 26 mi |
| Vermillion Creek near WamegoRiver gauge, Vermillion Creek | 3.28 ft | Low | −0.03 ft | 26 mi |
| Big Blue River at BarnestonRiver gauge, Big Blue River | 4.79 ft | High | −0.19 ft | 26 mi |
| Tuttle C Lake near ManhattanLake, Tuttle C Lake | 1,083.79 ft | Very high | −1.19 ft | 31 mi |
Questions and answers
How does the Black Vermillion River near Frankfort compare with last year?
It is 0.53 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.67 ft.
What is flood stage for the Black Vermillion River near Frankfort?
The official flood stage is 19.00 ft. The level is currently 15.80 ft below it.
What is a normal level for the Black Vermillion River near Frankfort in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 3.71 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.84 ft and 6.46 ft, based on 37 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 Black Vermillion River near Frankfort today?
On Oct 20, 2026, 02:30 PM CDT, the water level was 3.20 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is Black Vermillion River near Frankfort rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.20 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Black Vermillion River near Frankfort normal?
Low for mid-October. Compared with 37 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:06885500(Agency page)- Coordinates
39.68194, -96.44279(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 | 3.20 ft | 2026-10-20 19:30 | Provisional |
| Flow | 76.3 cfs | 2026-10-20 19:30 | Provisional |
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Black Vermillion River near Frankfort (usgs:06885500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/kansas/black-vermillion-river-near-frankfort
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