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SwedenLake Blue River near Barnes water level
River gauge, Lake Blue River, Kansas, United States
Right now
High for mid-October
Water level
- Flow
- 537 cfs
History
20252026
What this means
High water at Lake Blue River near Barnes: the latest reading is 5.37 ft, above normal for mid-October.
The median for mid-October is 3.82 ft, based on 35 years of readings, so the river stage is 1.55 ft above typical. It is 10.63 ft below the flood stage of 16.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 3.89 ft, a difference of +1.48 ft.
It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 4.07 ft – 16.92 ft.
That stands out in fall, when many rivers are usually near their lowest.
Compared with 35 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 3.82 ft1.55 ft above the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 2.74 ft – 5.69 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (35 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 3.89 ft+1.48 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 4.07 ft – 16.92 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 3.74 ft – 16.92 ft
- Highest on record
- 28.02 ftMay 8, 2015
Paddling and fishing conditions
Above-normal flows push fish to the edges and make wading risky. Wait for the river to drop and clear.
For reference, flood stage is 16.00 ft.
What happens at each level
- 39.00 ft
- The intersection of highway 148 and 15th Road in Washington county floods.
- 37.00 ft
- Kansas Highway 148 bridge deck floods, 4.5 miles north of Barnes.
- 36.00 ft
- Top rail of the Sunflower Road Bridge is inundated by flood waters in Marshall county.
- 32.00 ft
- Sunflower Road bridge deck floods over the Little Blue River. Flood waters reach the low steel of the Kansas Highway 148 bridge, 4.5 miles north of Barnes.
- 23.00 ft
- Sunflower Road floods about 250 feet east of the Little Blue River in Marshall county. Farm field, 4.5 miles north of Barnes, floods north of the river and west of Highway 148 in Washington county.
- 21.00 ft
- Minor flooding of farm fields along the Little Blue River...south of the Sunflower Road Bridge in Marshall county.
- 19.00 ft
- Farm field, 4.5 miles north of Barnes, south of the river and east of Highway 148 floods.
- 17.00 ft
- Farm field, 4.5 miles north of Barnes, on the west side of Highway 148 floods north of the river.
- 16.00 ft
- Lowland agricultural flooding occurs from 15th Road and Zenith Road in Washington County to Waterville in Marshall County.
- 5.37 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 | 28.02 ft | May 8, 2015 |
| 2 | 21.11 ft | March 15, 2019 |
| 3 | 20.75 ft | September 5, 2018 |
| 4 | 19.50 ft | May 21, 2017 |
| 5 | 19.46 ft | May 31, 2019 |
| 6 | 19.16 ft | May 7, 2007 |
| 7 | 18.20 ft | October 3, 2019 |
| 8 | 18.08 ft | July 29, 2020 |
| 9 | 17.30 ft | July 28, 2020 |
| 10 | 17.05 ft | May 25, 2019 |
Weather at the gauge
The forecast is not available right now.
Map
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Blue River at Blue RapidsRiver gauge, Big Blue River | 18.09 ft | High | +0.22 ft | 9 mi |
| Big Blue River at MarysvilleRiver gauge, Big Blue River | 15.14 ft | Very high | +0.03 ft | 11 mi |
| Mill Creek at WashingtonRiver gauge, Mill Creek | 1.98 ft | Normal | −0.08 ft | 14 mi |
| Black Vermillion River near FrankfortRiver gauge, Black Vermillion River | 3.22 ft | Low | +0.01 ft | 19 mi |
| Little Blue River at HollenbergRiver gauge, Little Blue River | 2.60 ft | Normal | −0.25 ft | 21 mi |
| Big Blue River at BarnestonRiver gauge, Big Blue River | 4.96 ft | High | −0.27 ft | 25 mi |
| Republican River at Clay CenterRiver gauge, Republican River | 7.81 ft | Normal | +0.05 ft | 31 mi |
| Tuttle C Lake near ManhattanLake, Tuttle C Lake | 1,084.93 ft | Very high | −1.09 ft | 34 mi |
Questions and answers
Is the Lake Blue River near Barnes higher than last year?
Yes, it is 1.48 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3.89 ft.
What is flood stage for the Lake Blue River near Barnes?
The official flood stage is 16.00 ft. The level is currently 10.63 ft below it.
What is a normal level for the Lake Blue River near Barnes in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 3.82 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.74 ft and 5.69 ft, based on 35 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 Blue River near Barnes today?
On Oct 19, 2026, 03:30 PM CDT, the water level was 5.37 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is Lake Blue River near Barnes rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.23 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Lake Blue River near Barnes normal?
High for mid-October. Compared with 35 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:06884400(Agency page)- Coordinates
39.72584, -96.80474(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 | 5.37 ft | 2026-10-19 20:30 | Provisional |
| Flow | 537 cfs | 2026-10-19 20:30 | Provisional |
Download
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Lake Blue River near Barnes (usgs:06884400). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/kansas/lake-blue-river-near-barnes
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