Sf Ninnescah River near Murdock water level

Name: Sf Ninnescah River near Murdock 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, Sf Ninnescah River, Kansas, United States

Directions

Very low for mid-October

Water level

3.21ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 02:00 AM CDT (60 min ago)

Flow: 116 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

At 3.21 ft, the Sf Ninnescah River near Murdock is far below normal for mid-October.

That puts it 0.96 ft below the median of 4.17 ft for mid-October, based on 38 years of readings. It is 4.79 ft below the flood stage of 8.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 3.57 ft (−0.36 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 2.88 ft and 4.89 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.

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

Key numbers

Median for this date: 4.17 ft0.96 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 3.59 ft – 4.42 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (38 years of records)
Same day last year: 3.57 ft−0.36 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 2.88 ft – 4.89 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 2.76 ft – 9.53 ft
Highest on record: 12.84 ftOctober 31, 1979

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 8.00 ft, still 4.79 ft away.

What happens at each level

12.00 ft: Considerable flooding of pastureland occurs with greatest extent over the pastureland adjacent to left upstream and right downstream banks.
10.00 ft: Considerable flooding occurs along the right upstream bank and left downstream bank. Less overflows occurs along right downstream bank. Expect flooding of pastureland near SE 160th Avenue Bridge.
9.00 ft: Minor overflow occurs along both banks. However, on the south side of the banks near the river bridge on SE 160th Avenue, flooding spreads out into pastureland to the extent of 1000ft.
8.00 ft: Minor flooding occurs along the right upstream bank affecting pastureland and along left downstream bank.
3.21 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: 20 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	12.84 ft	October 31, 1979
2	11.93 ft	October 11, 1973
3	11.87 ft	June 26, 1957
4	11.86 ft	May 16, 1957
5	11.54 ft	June 21, 2026
6	11.51 ft	October 10, 2018
7	11.25 ft	June 11, 1970
8	11.21 ft	October 31, 1998
9	11.05 ft	May 21, 2019
10	10.77 ft	May 9, 2019

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 69° 53° – Wind 13 mph

21 Wed 73° 55° 0.14 in, 22% Wind 10 mph

22 Thu 78° 58° – Wind 15 mph

23 Fri 76° 60° – Wind 18 mph

24 Sat 77° 60° – Wind 17 mph

25 Sun 75° 61° – Wind 15 mph

26 Mon 64° 50° 0.15 in, 22% Wind 16 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:45 AM Sunset 06:49 PM Daylight 11 hr, 4 min First quarter 66%

Map

Other gauges on the Sf Ninnescah River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Sf Ninnescah River near PrattRiver gauge, Sf Ninnescah River	2.73 ft	High	±0	48 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Cheney ReservoirReservoir	1,420.24 ft	Normal		12 mi
Cheney Re near CheneyLake, Cheney Re	1,420.17 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	12 mi
Calfskin Creek at 119th St, WichitaRiver gauge, Calfskin Creek	0.2 cfs	Normal	−0.2 cfs	22 mi
Nf Ninnescah River above Cheney ReRiver gauge, Nf Ninnescah River	5.90 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	23 mi
Cowskin Creek at 119th St at WichitaRiver gauge, Cowskin Creek	6.69 ft	Low	−0.06 ft	23 mi
Cowskin Creek at Kellogg St, WichitaRiver gauge, Cowskin Creek	3.4 cfs	Normal	−0.4 cfs	23 mi
Ninnescah River near PeckRiver gauge, Ninnescah River	2.78 ft	Low	−0.08 ft	25 mi
Arkansas River near HutchinsonRiver gauge, Arkansas River	2.07 ft	Low	±0	27 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Sf Ninnescah River near Murdock compare with last year?

It is 0.36 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3.57 ft.

What is flood stage for the Sf Ninnescah River near Murdock?

The official flood stage is 8.00 ft. The level is currently 4.79 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Sf Ninnescah River near Murdock in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 4.17 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 3.59 ft and 4.42 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 Sf Ninnescah River near Murdock today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 02:00 AM CDT, the water level was 3.21 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Sf Ninnescah River near Murdock rising or falling?

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

Is the level of Sf Ninnescah River near Murdock normal?

Very low 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:07145200 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 37.56168, -97.85311 (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	3.21 ft	2026-10-20 07:00	Provisional
Flow	116 cfs	2026-10-20 07:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Sf Ninnescah River near Murdock (usgs:07145200). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/kansas/sf-ninnescah-river-near-murdock

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