Rattlesnake Creek near Zenith water level

Name: Rattlesnake Creek near Zenith 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, Rattlesnake Creek, Kansas, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

11.74ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 12:45 AM CDT (46 min ago)

Flow: 2.7 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

Rattlesnake Creek near Zenith is at 11.74 ft, in the normal range for mid-October.

That puts it 0.16 ft below the median of 11.90 ft for mid-October, based on 35 years of readings. It is 5.26 ft below the flood stage of 17.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 12.28 ft (−0.54 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 11.70 ft and 11.82 ft.

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

Compared with 35 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 11.90 ft0.16 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 4.06 ft – 12.47 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (35 years of records)
Same day last year: 12.28 ft−0.54 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 11.70 ft – 11.82 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 11.62 ft – 14.86 ft
Highest on record: 19.90 ftJuly 18, 1993

Floating and fishing near Rattlesnake Creek near Zenith

Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.

Flood stage here is 17.00 ft, 5.26 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

20.00 ft: Rising water will overtop bridge.
18.00 ft: Water is near the bottom of bridge. Road south of bridge is overtopped by rising waters.
17.00 ft: Road south of bridge is threatened by inundation.
16.00 ft: Low lying areas near gage begin to flood. There are no communities affected by the flooding. However, flooding does have an effect on the Quivira Wildlife Refuge. Most of the roads in the area are low lying dirt roads that would be affected by flooding. Some livestock are pastured on the floodplain.
11.74 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	19.90 ft	July 18, 1993
2	17.24 ft	May 29, 2019
3	17.18 ft	July 2, 1999
4	16.56 ft	March 25, 2000
5	16.44 ft	July 16, 2020
6	16.39 ft	June 25, 2019
7	16.15 ft	June 9, 2001
8	15.98 ft	October 10, 2018
9	15.44 ft	May 29, 2015
10	15.13 ft	March 31, 1998

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:48 AM Sunset 06:51 PM Daylight 11 hr, 3 min First quarter 66%

Map

Other gauges on Rattlesnake Creek

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Rattlesnake Creek near MacksvilleRiver gauge, Rattlesnake Creek	2.79 ft	Normal	±0	24 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Arkansas River at Great BendRiver gauge, Arkansas River	0.65 ft	Low	−0.01 ft	21 mi
Arkansas River near NickersonRiver gauge, Arkansas River	8.97 ft	Normal	±0	24 mi
Cow Creek near LyonsRiver gauge, Cow Creek	3.58 ft	Very low	−0.01 ft	24 mi
Arkansas River near LarnedRiver gauge, Arkansas River	3.94 ft	Normal	−0.04 ft	26 mi
Cheyenne Bottoms Dv near Great BendRiver gauge, Cheyenne Bottoms Dv	1.3 cfs	Normal	−0.8 cfs	27 mi
Cow Creek near HutchinsonRiver gauge, Cow Creek	1.49 ft	Normal	±0	29 mi
Sf Ninnescah River near PrattRiver gauge, Sf Ninnescah River	2.73 ft	High	−0.01 ft	33 mi
Nf Ninnescah River above Cheney ReRiver gauge, Nf Ninnescah River	5.90 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	33 mi

Questions and answers

How does Rattlesnake Creek near Zenith compare with last year?

It is 0.54 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 12.28 ft.

What is flood stage for Rattlesnake Creek near Zenith?

The official flood stage is 17.00 ft. The level is currently 5.26 ft below it.

What is a normal level for Rattlesnake Creek near Zenith in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 11.90 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 4.06 ft and 12.47 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 Rattlesnake Creek near Zenith today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 12:45 AM CDT, the water level was 11.74 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Rattlesnake Creek near Zenith rising or falling?

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

Is the level of Rattlesnake Creek near Zenith normal?

Normal 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:07142575 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 38.09363, -98.54614 (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	11.74 ft	2026-10-20 05:45	Provisional
Flow	2.7 cfs	2026-10-20 05:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Rattlesnake Creek near Zenith (usgs:07142575). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/kansas/rattlesnake-creek-near-zenith

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