Prairie Dog Creek above Keith Sebelius Lake water level

Name: Prairie Dog Creek above Keith Sebelius Lake 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, Prairie Dog Creek, Kansas, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

3.31ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 07:45 PM CDT (43 min ago)

Flow: 0.3 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 Prairie Dog Creek above Keith Sebelius Lake, where the gauge shows 3.31 ft.

That puts it 0.12 ft below the median of 3.43 ft for mid-October, based on 34 years of readings. It is 7.69 ft below the flood stage of 11.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 3.31 ft as well.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 2.70 ft – 3.65 ft.

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

Compared with 34 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 3.43 ft0.12 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 2.61 ft – 3.72 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (34 years of records)
Same day last year: 3.31 ft0.00 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 2.70 ft – 3.65 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 2.70 ft – 4.89 ft
Highest on record: 16.81 ftSeptember 6, 1972

Paddling and fishing conditions

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

For reference, flood stage is 11.00 ft.

What happens at each level

12.00 ft: STEADY FLOW OF WATER OVER THE IMMEDIATE ROADWAY WITH FLOODWATERS POSSIBLY REACHING A WIDTH OF 100 FEET 1/4 MILE SOUTH OF THE GAGE.
11.50 ft: WATER WILL BEGIN TO FLOW OVER THE IMMEDIATE COUNTY ROAD WITH FLOODWATERS POSSIBLY REACHING A WIDTH OF 600 FEET.
11.00 ft: CREEK WILL FLOOD FARMLAND.
3.31 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 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	16.81 ft	September 6, 1972
2	14.49 ft	September 4, 2016
3	14.30 ft	May 24, 2008
4	13.90 ft	June 23, 1996
5	13.15 ft	August 24, 1977
6	13.04 ft	June 12, 2010
7	12.66 ft	May 27, 2019
8	12.60 ft	August 7, 1992
9	12.34 ft	May 8, 1986
10	12.34 ft	March 8, 1993

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 73° 41° – Wind 16 mph

21 Wed 75° 49° – Wind 7 mph

22 Thu 79° 49° 0.04 in Wind 16 mph

23 Fri 78° 63° – Wind 25 mph

24 Sat 74° 55° 0.37 in, 52% Wind 23 mph

25 Sun 58° 44° 0.46 in, 52% Wind 21 mph

26 Mon 43° 38° 0.35 in, 51% Wind 19 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:58 AM Sunset 06:54 PM Daylight 10 hr, 56 min Waxing gibbous 73%

Map

Other gauges on Prairie Dog Creek

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Prairie Dog Creek near WoodruffRiver gauge, Prairie Dog Creek	1.53 ft	Normal	±0	36 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Keith Sebelius Lake and NortonReservoir	2,288.88 ft	Low		9 mi
Sappa Creek near LyleRiver gauge, Sappa Creek	4.92 ft	Normal	+0.02 ft	17 mi
Beaver Creek near Beaver CityRiver gauge, Beaver Creek	3.06 ft	Normal	+0.01 ft	27 mi
Beaver Creek at Cedar BluffsRiver gauge, Beaver Creek	2.98 ft	High	±0	29 mi
Red Willow Creek near Red WillowRiver gauge, Red Willow Creek	4.57 ft	Low	±0	38 mi
Sf Solomon River above Webster ReRiver gauge, Sf Solomon River	1.81 ft	Normal	±0	39 mi
Sappa Creek near StamfordRiver gauge, Sappa Creek	5.98 ft	Normal	±0	39 mi
Republican River at McCookRiver gauge, Republican River	2.73 ft	Low	+0.02 ft	40 mi

Questions and answers

How does Prairie Dog Creek above Keith Sebelius Lake compare with last year?

It is about the same as on this day last year, when the reading was 3.31 ft.

What is flood stage for Prairie Dog Creek above Keith Sebelius Lake?

The official flood stage is 11.00 ft. The level is currently 7.69 ft below it.

What is a normal level for Prairie Dog Creek above Keith Sebelius Lake in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 3.43 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.61 ft and 3.72 ft, based on 34 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 Prairie Dog Creek above Keith Sebelius Lake today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 07:45 PM CDT, the water level was 3.31 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Prairie Dog Creek above Keith Sebelius Lake rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Up 0.07 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Prairie Dog Creek above Keith Sebelius Lake normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 34 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:06847900 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 39.76973, -100.10069 (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	3.31 ft	2026-10-21 00:45	Provisional
Flow	0.3 cfs	2026-10-21 00:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Prairie Dog Creek above Keith Sebelius Lake (usgs:06847900). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/kansas/prairie-dog-creek-above-keith-sebelius-lake

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