Lake Arkansas River at Highway 50 near Halstead water level

Name: Lake Arkansas River at Highway 50 near Halstead 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, Lake Arkansas River, Kansas, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

5.65ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 05:30 PM CDT (28 min ago)

Flow: 9.0 cfs
Water temperature: 62 °F

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 Lake Arkansas River at Highway 50 near Halstead, where the gauge shows 5.65 ft.

That puts it 0.21 ft below the median of 5.86 ft for mid-October, based on 31 years of readings. It is 19.35 ft below the flood stage of 25.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 6.04 ft (−0.39 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 5.39 ft – 13.16 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns. The sensor also reports a water temperature of 62 °F.

Compared with 31 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 5.86 ft0.21 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 5.29 ft – 8.99 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (31 years of records)
Same day last year: 6.04 ft−0.39 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 5.39 ft – 13.16 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 4.92 ft – 13.16 ft
Highest on record: 27.22 ftMay 25, 2007

Paddling and fishing conditions

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

For reference, flood stage is 25.00 ft.

What happens at each level

27.00 ft: Flood water covers the westbound lane of Highway 50 at mile marker 262. Flooding inundates Halstead Road on the north end of city and on K89 or Hertzler Road leading into Halstead from the north. Flood gates on west end of Halstead will be closed. The second flood gate by the railroad on the east side of Halstead closes around 27.2 feet.
26.80 ft: Flood waters cover K89 to an expansion of 1500 ft. The depth of water is about 2 to 3 inches. There is a considerable amount of cropland flooding. Water is over Halstead Road near an automotive business which is located 1/2 mile north of city. Flood waters flow across the road at about 3 inches in depth and expands across the road about 10 ft across. The Little Arkansas River will be about 1 1/2 feet below the bridge grider on Halstead Road.
26.00 ft: Riverside Park floods north of the river. Flood waters may begin to encroach on K89 just north of the river bridge along with a trailer park and a few residences north of Halstead. Expect field flooding on both sides of Halstead Road north of the flood gates. More field flooding occurs north of Highway 50 on the east bank of the river. Just southeast of the city, SW 48th St becomes impassable from Hertzler Rd to Essex Heights.
25.00 ft: Expect cropland and field flooding near the river.
5.65 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: 23 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	27.22 ft	May 25, 2007
2	27.13 ft	November 2, 1998
3	27.12 ft	May 9, 2019
4	27.09 ft	May 23, 2019
5	26.95 ft	August 8, 2013
6	26.72 ft	July 5, 2016
7	26.68 ft	May 30, 1995
8	26.40 ft	March 26, 2000
9	26.29 ft	October 10, 2018
10	26.28 ft	June 26, 2019

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:44 AM Sunset 06:47 PM Daylight 11 hr, 3 min Waxing gibbous 72%

Map

Other gauges on the Lake Arkansas River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Lake Arkansas River at Alta MillsRiver gauge, Lake Arkansas River	−0.68 ft	Very low	±0	6 mi
Lake Arkansas River near SedgwickRiver gauge, Lake Arkansas River	1.83 ft	Very low	−0.04 ft	12 mi
Lake Arkansas River at Valley CenterRiver gauge, Lake Arkansas River	1.14 ft	Normal	−0.04 ft	16 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Emma Creek at SedgwickRiver gauge, Emma Creek	−1.93 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	6.0 mi
Arkansas River near HutchinsonRiver gauge, Arkansas River	1.98 ft	Low	−0.08 ft	14 mi
Arkansas River near MaizeRiver gauge, Arkansas River	4.60 ft	Low	±0	19 mi
Cowskin Creek at 119th St at WichitaRiver gauge, Cowskin Creek	6.68 ft	Low	−0.02 ft	23 mi
Calfskin Creek at 119th St, WichitaRiver gauge, Calfskin Creek	0.1 cfs	Normal	−0.1 cfs	25 mi
Cheney Re near CheneyLake, Cheney Re	1,420.17 ft	Normal	+0.01 ft	25 mi
Cheney ReservoirReservoir	1,420.23 ft	Normal		25 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Lake Arkansas River at Highway 50 near Halstead compare with last year?

It is 0.39 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 6.04 ft.

What is flood stage for the Lake Arkansas River at Highway 50 near Halstead?

The official flood stage is 25.00 ft. The level is currently 19.35 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Lake Arkansas River at Highway 50 near Halstead in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 5.86 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 5.29 ft and 8.99 ft, based on 31 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 Lake Arkansas River at Highway 50 near Halstead today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 05:30 PM CDT, the water level was 5.65 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Lake Arkansas River at Highway 50 near Halstead rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.10 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Lake Arkansas River at Highway 50 near Halstead normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 31 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:07143672 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 38.02853, -97.54054 (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	5.65 ft	2026-10-20 22:30	Provisional
Flow	9.0 cfs	2026-10-20 22:30	Provisional
Water temperature	62 °F	2026-10-20 22:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Lake Arkansas River at Highway 50 near Halstead (usgs:07143672). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/kansas/lake-arkansas-river-at-highway-50-near-halstead

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