Big Blue River near Manhattan water level
River gauge, Big Blue River, Kansas, United States
Right now
Very high for mid-October
Water level
- Flow
- 11,500 cfs
- Water temperature
- 65 °F
History
20252026
What this means
The gauge at Big Blue River near Manhattan shows 11.30 ft, well above normal for mid-October.
The median for mid-October is 1.64 ft, based on 32 years of readings, so the river stage is 9.66 ft above typical. It is 7.70 ft below the flood stage of 19.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 1.19 ft, a difference of +10.11 ft.
The level is falling, down 0.11 ft over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 1.42 ft and 11.69 ft.
That stands out in fall, when many rivers are usually near their lowest. The water temperature at the gauge is 65 °F.
Compared with 32 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 1.64 ft9.66 ft above the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 0.40 ft – 4.43 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (32 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 1.19 ft+10.11 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 1.42 ft – 11.69 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- −0.15 ft – 11.69 ft
- Highest on record
- 36.04 ftJuly 12, 1951
High water at Big Blue River near Manhattan
The National Weather Service splits flooding into minor, moderate and major flood stage, each tied to what starts to go under water at this particular gauge. Minor flooding usually means low roads, parks and farmland; major flooding reaches homes and businesses.
Keep children and dogs well back from the edge, and stay off flooded footpaths and towpaths.
What happens at each level
- 37.00 ft
- Levee along the Big Blue River is overtopped.
- 30.00 ft
- Structures along and north of Prospect Street and along Messenger Road flood.
- 27.00 ft
- Structures along Harwood Road flood.
- 19.00 ft
- Minor low land flooding begins along the river.
- 11.30 ft
- Right now
Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 36.04 ft | July 12, 1951 |
| 2 | 32.71 ft | July 23, 1993 |
| 3 | 22.41 ft | June 1, 2019 |
| 4 | 19.76 ft | July 19, 2019 |
| 5 | 19.28 ft | August 7, 1992 |
| 6 | 18.07 ft | June 13, 1995 |
| 7 | 17.85 ft | June 30, 2015 |
| 8 | 17.73 ft | May 24, 2007 |
| 9 | 17.56 ft | March 22, 2001 |
| 10 | 16.87 ft | June 19, 2008 |
Weather at the gauge
Rain in the last 3 days: 0.31 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 Big Blue River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Blue River near CreteRiver gauge, Big Blue River | 9.84 ft | Very high | −0.26 ft | 96 mi |
| Big Blue River at BarnestonRiver gauge, Big Blue River | 5.02 ft | High | −0.20 ft | 56 mi |
| Big Blue River at MarysvilleRiver gauge, Big Blue River | 15.22 ft | Very high | +0.18 ft | 42 mi |
| Big Blue River at Blue RapidsRiver gauge, Big Blue River | 18.13 ft | High | +0.36 ft | 31 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuttle C Lake near ManhattanLake, Tuttle C Lake | 1,085.08 ft | Very high | −1.09 ft | 2.0 mi |
| Wildcat Creek at Seth Childs Road, ManhattanRiver gauge, Wildcat Creek | 2.75 ft | Normal | −0.01 ft | 4.2 mi |
| Kansas River at ManhattanRiver gauge, Kansas River | 7.58 ft | Normal | −0.08 ft | 4.4 mi |
| Wildcat Creek at Scenic Drive, ManhattanRiver gauge, Wildcat Creek | 3.02 ft | Below flood stage | −0.01 ft | 5.1 mi |
| Wildcat Creek at KeatsRiver gauge, Wildcat Creek | 8.22 ft | High | +0.02 ft | 8 mi |
| Kings Creek near ManhattanRiver gauge, Kings Creek | 3.0 cfs | Very high | −0.2 cfs | 9 mi |
| Kansas River at WamegoRiver gauge, Kansas River | 9.26 ft | Very high | −0.09 ft | 14 mi |
| Kansas River at Fort RileyRiver gauge, Kansas River | 5.98 ft | Normal | −0.11 ft | 16 mi |
Questions and answers
Is the Big Blue River near Manhattan higher than last year?
Yes, it is 10.11 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.19 ft.
What is flood stage for the Big Blue River near Manhattan?
The official flood stage is 19.00 ft. The level is currently 7.70 ft below it.
What is a normal level for the Big Blue River near Manhattan in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 1.64 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 0.40 ft and 4.43 ft, based on 32 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 Big Blue River near Manhattan today?
On Oct 19, 2026, 12:00 PM CDT, the water level was 11.30 ft. Down 0.11 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is Big Blue River near Manhattan rising or falling?
Down 0.11 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 0.25 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Big Blue River near Manhattan normal?
Very high for mid-October. Compared with 32 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:06887000(Agency page)- Coordinates
39.23722, -96.57139(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 | 11.30 ft | 2026-10-19 17:00 | Provisional |
| Flow | 11,500 cfs | 2026-10-19 17:00 | Provisional |
| Water temperature | 65 °F | 2026-10-19 17:00 | Provisional |
Download
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Big Blue River near Manhattan (usgs:06887000). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/kansas/big-blue-river-near-manhattan
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