Wakarusa River near Lawrence water level
River gauge, Wakarusa River, Kansas, United States
Right now
Normal for mid-October
Water level
- Flow
- 10.4 cfs
History
20252026
What this means
The gauge at Wakarusa River near Lawrence reads 4.25 ft, a normal level for mid-October.
That puts it 0.05 ft below the median of 4.30 ft for mid-October, based on 37 years of readings. It is 18.75 ft below the flood stage of 23.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 4.17 ft (+0.08 ft).
The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 4.22 ft and 5.78 ft.
Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.
Compared with 37 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 4.30 ft0.05 ft below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 4.17 ft – 6.70 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (37 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 4.17 ft+0.08 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 4.22 ft – 5.78 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 4.07 ft – 16.28 ft
- Highest on record
- 31.59 ftJuly 12, 1951
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 23.00 ft, still 18.75 ft away.
What happens at each level
- 31.00 ft
- River reaches a width of a half mile and continues to spread over cultivated fields.
- 25.00 ft
- Road 1150 East floods.
- 23.00 ft
- Minor low land flooding begins.
- 4.25 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 | 31.59 ft | July 12, 1951 |
| 2 | 31.01 ft | October 11, 1973 |
| 3 | 30.86 ft | June 21, 1967 |
| 4 | 30.82 ft | September 28, 1973 |
| 5 | 30.65 ft | December 4, 1973 |
| 6 | 30.50 ft | July 20, 1973 |
| 7 | 30.26 ft | August 10, 1968 |
| 8 | 30.12 ft | July 19, 1973 |
| 9 | 29.87 ft | June 27, 1968 |
| 10 | 29.31 ft | May 7, 1973 |
Weather at the gauge
Rain in the last 3 days: 0.19 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Other gauges on the Wakarusa River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wakarusa River at WakarusaRiver gauge, Wakarusa River | 2.94 ft | Below flood stage | −0.02 ft | 24 mi |
| Wakarusa River near RichlandRiver gauge, Wakarusa River | 22.7 cfs | High | −3.3 cfs | 18 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clinton Lake near LawrenceLake, Clinton Lake | 876.78 ft | Normal | −0.02 ft | 4.1 mi |
| Kansas River at LawrenceRiver gauge, Kansas River | −5.60 ft | Very low | −0.31 ft | 4.6 mi |
| Kansas River at LecomptonRiver gauge, Kansas River | 7.72 ft | Very high | −0.27 ft | 12 mi |
| Kill Creek at 95th St near DesotoRiver gauge, Kill Creek | 15.3 cfs | High | −1.1 cfs | 16 mi |
| Perry Lake near PerryLake, Perry Lake | 894.02 ft | Very high | −0.08 ft | 17 mi |
| Kansas River at DesotoRiver gauge, Kansas River | 9.73 ft | Very high | −0.09 ft | 17 mi |
| Cedar Creek near DesotoRiver gauge, Cedar Creek | 15.2 cfs | Normal | −6.3 cfs | 19 mi |
| Big Bull Creek near EdgertonRiver gauge, Big Bull Creek | 1.89 ft | Normal | −0.05 ft | 19 mi |
Questions and answers
How does the Wakarusa River near Lawrence compare with last year?
It is 0.08 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 4.17 ft.
What is flood stage for the Wakarusa River near Lawrence?
The official flood stage is 23.00 ft. The level is currently 18.75 ft below it.
What is a normal level for the Wakarusa River near Lawrence in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 4.30 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 4.17 ft and 6.70 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 Wakarusa River near Lawrence today?
On Oct 19, 2026, 04:30 PM CDT, the water level was 4.25 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is Wakarusa River near Lawrence rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Wakarusa River near Lawrence normal?
Normal 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:06891500(Agency page)- Coordinates
38.91139, -95.26108(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 | 4.25 ft | 2026-10-19 21:30 | Provisional |
| Flow | 10.4 cfs | 2026-10-19 21:30 | Provisional |
Download
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Wakarusa River near Lawrence (usgs:06891500). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/kansas/wakarusa-river-near-lawrence
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