Pawnee River at Rozel water level

Name: Pawnee River at Rozel 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, Pawnee River, Kansas, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

7.24ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 17, 2026, 11:30 PM CDT (44 min ago)

Flow: 2.5 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 Pawnee River at Rozel, where the gauge shows 7.24 ft.

The median for mid-October is 6.24 ft, based on 36 years of readings, so the river stage is 1.01 ft above typical. It is 23.76 ft below the flood stage of 31.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 7.66 ft, a difference of −0.42 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 6.29 ft – 12.32 ft.

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

Compared with 36 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 6.24 ft1.01 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 5.48 ft – 8.89 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (36 years of records)
Same day last year: 7.66 ft−0.42 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 6.29 ft – 12.32 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 6.28 ft – 25.56 ft
Highest on record: 34.53 ftMay 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 31.00 ft.

What happens at each level

35.00 ft: County roads and some homes along the Pawnee river will be flooded. Floodwaters will flow through gaps in the levee on the north side of the Pawnee river... resulting in flooding of residential areas in the southeast part of Larned. Floodwaters will be 3 to 4 feet deep in some of these areas.
33.00 ft: Flooding of roads can be expected. The entrance to Ft. Larned National Historical Site will be flooded.
31.00 ft: Minor low land flooding of adjacent farmland and pastureland will occur along the river.
7.24 ft: Right now

Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	34.53 ft	May 25, 2019
2	33.75 ft	July 22, 1993
3	27.05 ft	November 17, 1996
4	26.00 ft	September 19, 2001
5	25.68 ft	July 3, 2004
6	25.66 ft	June 28, 26
7	23.37 ft	May 26, 1933
8	22.87 ft	August 13, 1992
9	21.66 ft	May 24, 1995
10	21.26 ft	August 9, 1997

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:50 AM Sunset 06:57 PM Daylight 11 hr, 7 min First quarter 46%

Map

Other gauges on the Pawnee River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Pawnee River near BurdettRiver gauge, Pawnee River	2.26 ft	Low	±0	13 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Buckner Creek at HanstonRiver gauge, Buckner Creek	0.0 cfs	Normal	±0	18 mi
Walnut Creek at NekomaRiver gauge, Walnut Creek	6.61 ft	Normal	−0.04 ft	19 mi
Arkansas River near LarnedRiver gauge, Arkansas River	4.03 ft	Normal	−0.03 ft	22 mi
Walnut Creek at AlbertRiver gauge, Walnut Creek	2.69 ft	Low	−0.09 ft	28 mi
Buckner Creek near JetmoreRiver gauge, Buckner Creek	1.3 cfs	Normal	+0.1 cfs	29 mi
Smoky Hill River near SchoenchenRiver gauge, Smoky Hill River	3.13 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	35 mi
Smoky Hill River below SchoenchenRiver gauge, Smoky Hill River	2.89 ft	Very high	±0	35 mi
Buckner Creek below Horsethief Re near JetmoreRiver gauge, Buckner Creek	2.0 cfs	Normal	±0	36 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Pawnee River at Rozel higher than last year?

No, it is 0.42 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 7.66 ft.

What is flood stage for the Pawnee River at Rozel?

The official flood stage is 31.00 ft. The level is currently 23.76 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Pawnee River at Rozel in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 6.24 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 5.48 ft and 8.89 ft, based on 36 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 Pawnee River at Rozel today?

On Oct 17, 2026, 11:30 PM CDT, the water level was 7.24 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Pawnee River at Rozel rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.18 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Pawnee River at Rozel normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 36 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:07141200 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 38.20759, -99.40578 (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	7.24 ft	2026-10-18 04:30	Provisional
Flow	2.5 cfs	2026-10-18 04:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Pawnee River at Rozel (usgs:07141200). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/kansas/pawnee-river-at-rozel

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