Lake Arkansas River near Sedgwick water level

Name: Lake Arkansas River near Sedgwick 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

Very low for mid-October

Water level

1.84ft Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 11:15 AM CDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 12.8 cfs
Water temperature: 60 °F

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

Low water at Lake Arkansas River near Sedgwick: the gauge reads 1.84 ft, far below normal for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 3.25 ft, based on 32 years of readings, so the river stage is 1.41 ft below typical. It is 20.16 ft below the flood stage of 22.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 2.78 ft, a difference of −0.94 ft.

It is still going down, by 0.05 ft over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly.

The water temperature at the gauge is 60 °F.

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

Key numbers

Median for this date: 3.25 ft1.41 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 2.02 ft – 5.81 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (32 years of records)
Same day last year: 2.78 ft−0.94 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 1.58 ft – 8.64 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 1.51 ft – 11.69 ft
Highest on record: 26.28 ftJuly 17, 1993

Paddling and fishing conditions

At low levels, plan for shorter paddling trips and expect to walk your boat through a few shoals.

For reference, flood stage is 22.00 ft.

What happens at each level

30.00 ft: Significant flooding may occur in the city of Sedgwick with the possibility of water rescues being conducted. Significant flooding occurs across the roads near the gage site around Ridge Road and 109th Street.
26.00 ft: Roads flood around Ridge Road and 109th Street near the gaging site. This area will be inaccessible. Agricultural field flooding will be more widespread. Water covered roads will impact the south and west parts of the city of Sedgwick especially around 4th St and Madison, Ridge Rd. The north entrance to the city may be cut-off if Emma Creek and Sand Creek flows are high. The city may only be accessible from the east.
24.00 ft: Expect SW 96th St and Emma Creek Rd to be down to one lane due to the flood waters spreading out over parts of the road. 109th Street west of Ridge Road will begin to take on water. On the west side of Sedgwick, expect 4th St to be closed between Emma Creek Rd to Madison Rd. Some streets close to 4th St and Madison, Ridge Rd area will experience water over the street curbs. Flood waters will cover parts of Ridge Rd from around 4th St southward to 1st St.
23.00 ft: Agricultural fields flood more so on the east bank and overflows begin to cross 109th Street just 2 tenths of a mile east of Ridge Road. A section of Ridge Road floods at about one half mile north of 109th where it crosses the river. Steet Water covers 4th Street for about half a mile east of Madison Road in the town of Sedgwick.
22.00 ft: Expect flooding along the banks and many low agricultural areas.
1.84 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: 22 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	26.28 ft	July 17, 1993
2	25.82 ft	November 2, 1998
3	25.72 ft	May 22, 2019
4	25.31 ft	May 9, 2019
5	25.14 ft	June 24, 2019
6	25.10 ft	October 10, 2018
7	25.07 ft	July 31, 2013
8	24.55 ft	March 5, 2004
9	24.34 ft	May 27, 2019
10	24.29 ft	October 10, 2003

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 69° 51° – Wind 13 mph

21 Wed 70° 52° 0.07 in Wind 10 mph

22 Thu 78° 59° – Wind 15 mph

23 Fri 77° 62° – Wind 19 mph

24 Sat 78° 62° – Wind 18 mph

25 Sun 75° 63° – Wind 17 mph

26 Mon 65° 49° 0.22 in, 21% Wind 16 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:44 AM Sunset 06:47 PM Daylight 11 hr, 3 min Waxing gibbous 70%

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	−0.69 ft	Very low	±0	18 mi
Lake Arkansas River at Highway 50 near HalsteadRiver gauge, Lake Arkansas River	5.66 ft	Normal	+0.01 ft	12 mi
Lake Arkansas River at Valley CenterRiver gauge, Lake Arkansas River	1.13 ft	Normal	−0.04 ft	4.0 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Emma Creek at SedgwickRiver gauge, Emma Creek	−1.92 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	7 mi
Arkansas River near MaizeRiver gauge, Arkansas River	4.59 ft	Low	±0	7 mi
Cowskin Creek at 119th St at WichitaRiver gauge, Cowskin Creek	6.67 ft	Low	−0.04 ft	13 mi
Calfskin Creek at 119th St, WichitaRiver gauge, Calfskin Creek	0.1 cfs	Normal	±0	15 mi
Cowskin Creek at Kellogg St, WichitaRiver gauge, Cowskin Creek	3.0 cfs	Normal	−0.6 cfs	15 mi
Arkansas River at WichitaRiver gauge, Arkansas River	2.70 ft	Low	+0.04 ft	17 mi
Arkansas River near HutchinsonRiver gauge, Arkansas River	2.09 ft	Low	+0.02 ft	20 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Lake Arkansas River near Sedgwick higher than last year?

No, it is 0.94 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.78 ft.

What is flood stage for the Lake Arkansas River near Sedgwick?

The official flood stage is 22.00 ft. The level is currently 20.16 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Lake Arkansas River near Sedgwick in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 3.25 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.02 ft and 5.81 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 Lake Arkansas River near Sedgwick today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 11:15 AM CDT, the water level was 1.84 ft. Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Lake Arkansas River near Sedgwick rising or falling?

Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.17 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Lake Arkansas River near Sedgwick normal?

Very low 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:07144100 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 37.88307, -97.42449 (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	1.84 ft	2026-10-20 16:15	Provisional
Flow	12.8 cfs	2026-10-20 16:15	Provisional
Water temperature	60 °F	2026-10-20 16:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Lake Arkansas River near Sedgwick (usgs:07144100). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/kansas/lake-arkansas-river-near-sedgwick

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