Big Creek near Hays water level

Name: Big Creek near Hays 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, Big Creek, Kansas, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

4.67ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 05:30 PM CDT (55 min ago)

Flow: 6.3 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Big Creek near Hays, where the gauge shows 4.67 ft.

The median for mid-October is 4.57 ft, based on 32 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.10 ft above typical. It is 21.33 ft below the flood stage of 26.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 4.49 ft, a difference of +0.18 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 4.26 ft – 9.15 ft.

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

Compared with 32 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 4.57 ft0.10 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 3.61 ft – 5.92 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (32 years of records)
Same day last year: 4.49 ft+0.18 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 4.26 ft – 9.15 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 4.24 ft – 11.91 ft
Highest on record: 21.93 ftAugust 25, 2019

Paddling and fishing conditions

Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.

For reference, flood stage is 26.00 ft.

What happens at each level

32.00 ft: Prepare for major right bank (south side) flooding of 6 feet or more along Big Creek from Hays to Munjor.
29.00 ft: Prepare for moderate right bank (south side) flooding of three feet or more along Big Creek from Hays to Munjor. Move livestock away from Big Creek to higher ground. At a stage of 29 feet, the city of Hays is not directly threatened by flooding from Big Creek.
27.00 ft: Prepare for minor right bank (south side) overflows of 1 foot or more along Big Creek from Hays to Munjor. For safety, move livestock away from the main creek channel. At a stage of 27 feet, the city of Hays is not directly threatened by flooding from Big Creek.
26.00 ft: Prepare for minor right bank (south side) overflows along Big Creek from Hays to Munjor. For safety, move livestock away from the main creek channel. At a stage of 26 feet, the city of Hays is not directly threatened by flooding from Big Creek.
4.67 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	21.93 ft	August 25, 2019
2	21.59 ft	May 31, 2018
3	21.31 ft	September 5, 2016
4	19.67 ft	August 3, 1999
5	19.11 ft	July 6, 2018
6	18.90 ft	September 11, 2003
7	18.03 ft	May 26, 2021
8	15.31 ft	September 19, 2001
9	9.13 ft	July 21, 2000
10	8.93 ft	August 13, 2002

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:51 AM Sunset 06:55 PM Daylight 11 hr, 3 min First quarter 63%

Map

Other gauges on Big Creek

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Big Creek near EllisRiver gauge, Big Creek	1.6 cfs	Normal	+0.2 cfs	19 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Smoky Hill River below SchoenchenRiver gauge, Smoky Hill River	2.85 ft	Very high	−0.03 ft	10 mi
Smoky Hill River near SchoenchenRiver gauge, Smoky Hill River	3.10 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	10 mi
Smoky Hill River at PfeiferRiver gauge, Smoky Hill River	9.5 cfs	Normal	−0.5 cfs	13 mi
Cedar Bluff Re near EllisLake, Cedar Bluff Re	2,118.67 ft	Very low	±0	22 mi
Smoky Hill River near RussellRiver gauge, Smoky Hill River	4.20 ft	Below flood stage	−0.07 ft	25 mi
Saline River near RussellRiver gauge, Saline River	4.50 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	26 mi
Walnut Creek at NekomaRiver gauge, Walnut Creek	6.60 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	27 mi
Paradise Creek near ParadiseRiver gauge, Paradise Creek	8.39 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	29 mi

Questions and answers

Is Big Creek near Hays higher than last year?

Yes, it is 0.18 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 4.49 ft.

What is flood stage for Big Creek near Hays?

The official flood stage is 26.00 ft. The level is currently 21.33 ft below it.

What is a normal level for Big Creek near Hays in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 4.57 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 3.61 ft and 5.92 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 Creek near Hays today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 05:30 PM CDT, the water level was 4.67 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Big Creek near Hays rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.06 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Big Creek near Hays normal?

Normal 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:06863500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 38.85223, -99.31816 (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	4.67 ft	2026-10-19 22:30	Provisional
Flow	6.3 cfs	2026-10-19 22:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Big Creek near Hays (usgs:06863500). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/kansas/big-creek-near-hays

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