Milford Lake near Junction City water level
Lake, Milford Lake, Kansas, United States
Right now
Very high for mid-October
Surface elevation
- Water stored
- 397,400 acre‑ft
History
202120222023202420252026
What this means
At 1,145.82 ft, Milford Lake near Junction City is holding more water than usual for mid-October.
That puts it 1.13 ft above the median of 1,144.69 ft for mid-October, based on 7 years of readings. A year ago it stood at 1,144.76 ft (+1.06 ft). The record high is 1,189.90 ft, set on July 25, 1993.
It is on the way up, by 0.04 ft over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 1,145.76 ft – 1,147.64 ft.
Lakes and reservoirs often sit lower in fall after a summer of evaporation and use, and recover with winter rain and spring snowmelt.
Compared with 7 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 1,144.69 ft1.13 ft above the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 1,141.11 ft – 1,145.57 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (7 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 1,144.76 ft+1.06 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 1,145.76 ft – 1,147.64 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 1,141.95 ft – 1,148.53 ft
- Highest on record
- 1,189.90 ftJuly 25, 1993
Boating and fishing at Milford Lake near Junction City
When a lake runs high, docks and swimming areas may close for a while and floating logs become a real hazard for boats.
Conditions at the shore change with the level, so check with the agency that runs the lake before a trip.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican River at Junction CityRiver gauge, Republican River | 157 cfs | Normal | −37.0 cfs | 4.4 mi |
| Kansas River at Fort RileyRiver gauge, Kansas River | 5.51 ft | Normal | −0.23 ft | 7 mi |
| Chapman Creek near ChapmanRiver gauge, Chapman Creek | 4.43 ft | Normal | ±0 | 8 mi |
| Wildcat Creek at KeatsRiver gauge, Wildcat Creek | 8.19 ft | High | −0.02 ft | 14 mi |
| Wildcat Creek at Scenic Drive, ManhattanRiver gauge, Wildcat Creek | 3.01 ft | Below flood stage | −0.02 ft | 16 mi |
| Kings Creek near ManhattanRiver gauge, Kings Creek | 2.8 cfs | Very high | ±0 | 16 mi |
| Smoky Hill River at EnterpriseRiver gauge, Smoky Hill River | 7.37 ft | Normal | −0.06 ft | 17 mi |
| Wildcat Creek at Seth Childs Road, ManhattanRiver gauge, Wildcat Creek | 2.73 ft | Normal | −0.02 ft | 17 mi |
Questions and answers
How does Milford Lake near Junction City compare with last year?
It is 1.06 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1,144.76 ft.
What is a normal level for Milford Lake near Junction City in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 1,144.69 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1,141.11 ft and 1,145.57 ft, based on 7 years of records.
Is Milford Lake near Junction City really 1,145.82 ft deep?
No. 1,145.82 ft is the height of the water surface above sea level (or the agency's vertical datum), not the depth of the water.
What is the water level of Milford Lake near Junction City today?
On Oct 20, 2026, 03:30 PM CDT, the surface elevation was 1,145.82 ft. Up 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is Milford Lake near Junction City rising or falling?
Up 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.30 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Milford Lake near Junction City normal?
Very high for mid-October. Compared with 7 years of daily readings for this time of year.
What is the highest water level ever recorded at Milford Lake near Junction City?
The highest level on record is 1,189.90 ft on July 25, 1993.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- U.S. Geological Survey
- Station code
usgs:06857050(Agency page)- Coordinates
39.07611, -96.89973(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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surface elevation | 1,145.82 ft | 2026-10-20 20:30 | Provisional |
| Water stored | 397,400 acre‑ft | 2026-10-20 20:30 | Provisional |
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Milford Lake near Junction City (usgs:06857050). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/kansas/milford-lake-near-junction-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