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Pawnee River near Burdett water level

River gauge, Pawnee River, Kansas, United States

Directions

Right now

Low for mid-October

Water level

2.26ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Flow
0.0 cfs
0 10 20 30 Minor floodstage 30.00 ft Highest onrecord 27.38 ft

History

History
2.53.0ftOct 13Oct 14Oct 16Oct 17Oct 192.53.0ftOct 13Oct 16Oct 19
34ftSep 20Sep 27Oct 4Oct 12Oct 1934ftSep 20Oct 4Oct 19
-0102030ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage-0102030ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage
51015ftJanMarMayJulSepNov202651015ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

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

What this means

Low water at Pawnee River near Burdett: the gauge reads 2.26 ft, below normal for mid-October.

That puts it 0.16 ft below the median of 2.42 ft for mid-October, based on 30 years of readings. It is 27.74 ft below the flood stage of 30.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 2.29 ft (−0.03 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. The 30-day range is 2.26 ft – 3.72 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.

Compared with 30 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
2.42 ft0.16 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date
2.20 ft – 3.17 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (30 years of records)
Same day last year
2.29 ft−0.03 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
2.26 ft – 3.72 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
2.26 ft – 18.06 ft
Highest on record
27.38 ftJuly 21, 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 30.00 ft.

What happens at each level

34.00 ft
Flood waters of two feet or more will inundate agricultural land up to a distance of 1/4 mile from the main river channel near the vicinity of the river gage.
32.00 ft
Prepare for floodwaters to move onto agricultural land adjacent to Pawnee Creek throughout most of eastern Hodgeman County.
30.00 ft
Expect minor overflows of Pawnee Creek to occur on the first terrace immediately adjacent to the main river channel.
27.00 ft
Expect low water road crossings along Pawnee Creek to become impassable. Do not attempt to cross flooded roadways...Turn around, don't drown!
2.26 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 %.

RankLevelDate
127.38 ftJuly 21, 1993
226.21 ftJuly 2, 2004
321.72 ftJuly 3, 2016
421.28 ftMay 30, 2015
520.96 ftOctober 5, 2017
619.68 ftJune 27, 26
719.11 ftSeptember 18, 2001
817.70 ftMay 24, 2019
914.81 ftJuly 28, 2002
1014.01 ftMay 8, 2019

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:52 AM Sunset 06:57 PM Daylight 11 hr, 5 min First quarter 58%

Map

Other gauges on the Pawnee River

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Pawnee River at RozelRiver gauge, Pawnee River 7.21 ft Normal −0.02 ft 13 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Buckner Creek at HanstonRiver gauge, Buckner Creek 0.2 cfs Normal +0.2 cfs 7 mi
Buckner Creek near JetmoreRiver gauge, Buckner Creek 1.4 cfs Normal +0.2 cfs 17 mi
Walnut Creek at NekomaRiver gauge, Walnut Creek 6.62 ft Normal ±0 22 mi
Buckner Creek below Horsethief Re near JetmoreRiver gauge, Buckner Creek 1.9 cfs Normal −0.1 cfs 24 mi
Horsethief Re near JetmoreLake, Horsethief Re 2,419.83 ft Normal −0.03 ft 24 mi
Buckner Creek above Horsethief Re near JetmoreRiver gauge, Buckner Creek 1.4 cfs Normal ±0 26 mi
Arkansas River near LarnedRiver gauge, Arkansas River 3.98 ft Normal −0.04 ft 35 mi
Arkansas River at Dodge CityRiver gauge, Arkansas River 6.73 ft High ±0 38 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Pawnee River near Burdett compare with last year?

It is 0.03 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.29 ft.

What is flood stage for the Pawnee River near Burdett?

The official flood stage is 30.00 ft. The level is currently 27.74 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Pawnee River near Burdett in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 2.42 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.20 ft and 3.17 ft, based on 30 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 near Burdett today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 04:00 AM CDT, the water level was 2.26 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Pawnee River near Burdett rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Pawnee River near Burdett normal?

Low for mid-October. Compared with 30 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:07140850 (Agency page)
Coordinates
38.20668, -99.64345 (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

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Water level 2.26 ft 2026-10-19 09:00 Provisional
Flow 0.0 cfs 2026-10-19 09:00 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Pawnee River near Burdett (usgs:07140850). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/kansas/pawnee-river-near-burdett

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.