Little Platte River at Smithville water level

Name: Little Platte River at Smithville 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, Little Platte River, Missouri, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

12.27ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 01:30 PM CDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 16.1 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The Little Platte River at Smithville is at 12.27 ft, in the normal range.

It is 14.73 ft below the flood stage of 27.00 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 12.27 ft and 12.33 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.

Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels

Key numbers

Highest on record: 46.49 ftJuly 20, 1965

Floating and fishing near Little Platte River at Smithville

Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.

Flood stage here is 27.00 ft, 14.73 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

38.00 ft: Some homes on Bridge Street experience several feet of water on their first floor.
35.00 ft: Flood water threatens apartments near the river. Evacuation of residents may be necessary.
34.00 ft: Businesses on Bridge Street begin to flood.
30.50 ft: Bridge Street, Main Street, State Route DD, and State Route F begin to flood.
12.27 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	46.49 ft	July 20, 1965
2	39.72 ft	May 18, 1974
3	37.38 ft	June 1, 1947
4	36.44 ft	August 13, 1982
5	36.39 ft	October 11, 1973
6	34.87 ft	July 27, 1981
7	34.12 ft	April 24, 1975
8	34.06 ft	August 22, 2017
9	33.74 ft	September 13, 1977
10	33.73 ft	May 26, 2016

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.61 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

18 Sun 67° 40° – Wind 13 mph

19 Mon 67° 43° – Wind 8 mph

20 Tue 72° 44° – Wind 8 mph

21 Wed 73° 54° – Wind 8 mph

22 Thu 76° 56° 0.01 in Wind 8 mph

23 Fri 77° 57° – Wind 14 mph

24 Sat 77° 54° 0.05 in Wind 15 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:33 AM Sunset 06:35 PM Daylight 11 hr, 2 min First quarter 62%

Map

Other gauges on the Little Platte River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Little Platte River near PlattsburgRiver gauge, Little Platte River	0.0 cfs	Low	±0	15 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Platte River at Sharps StationRiver gauge, Platte River	5.17 ft	Below flood stage	−0.09 ft	8 mi
Fishing River above MosbyRiver gauge, Fishing River	15.1 cfs	Normal	−1.5 cfs	13 mi
Missouri River above ParkvilleRiver gauge, Missouri River	10.76 ft	Below flood stage	+0.08 ft	17 mi
Missouri River at LeavenworthRiver gauge, Missouri River	5.33 ft	Below flood stage	+0.02 ft	18 mi
Missouri River at Kansas CityRiver gauge, Missouri River	13.27 ft	Below flood stage	+0.02 ft	19 mi
Kansas River at Kansas CityRiver gauge, Kansas River	15.39 ft	Normal	±0	21 mi
Blue River at 12th Street in Kansas CityRiver gauge, Blue River	2.81 ft	Below flood stage	−0.15 ft	21 mi
Platte River near AgencyRiver gauge, Platte River	7.40 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	22 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Little Platte River at Smithville?

The official flood stage is 27.00 ft. The level is currently 14.73 ft below it.

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 Little Platte River at Smithville today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 01:30 PM CDT, the water level was 12.27 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Little Platte River at Smithville rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Little Platte River at Smithville normal?

Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Little Platte River at Smithville?

The highest level on record is 46.49 ft on July 20, 1965.

How often is this data updated?

The U.S. Geological Survey publishes a new reading every 15 minutes. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:06821150 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 39.38806, -94.57912 (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	12.27 ft	2026-10-19 18:30	Provisional
Flow	16.1 cfs	2026-10-19 18:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Little Platte River at Smithville (usgs:06821150). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/missouri/little-platte-river-at-smithville

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