Republican River at Clay Center water level
River gauge, Republican River, Kansas, United States
Right now
Normal for mid-October
Water level
- Flow
- 353 cfs
- Water temperature
- 56 °F
History
20252026
What this means
The gauge at Republican River at Clay Center reads 7.81 ft, a normal level for mid-October.
The median for mid-October is 7.02 ft, based on 38 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.80 ft above typical. It is 7.19 ft below the flood stage of 15.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 6.74 ft, a difference of +1.07 ft.
The water is rising: up 0.05 ft over the past 24 hours. There is still 7.19 ft of room before flood stage.
Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns. The water temperature at the gauge is 56 °F.
Compared with 38 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 7.02 ft0.80 ft above the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 6.25 ft – 9.15 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (38 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 6.74 ft+1.07 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 6.47 ft – 14.58 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 6.31 ft – 14.58 ft
- Highest on record
- 25.74 ftJune 3, 1935
What the stage means on the water
A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.
The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 15.00 ft, still 7.19 ft away.
What happens at each level
- 27.00 ft
- Floodwaters overflow Kansas Highway K-15 bridge.
- 22.50 ft
- Highway 15 floods. A high fill which carries the road bed into Clay Center begins to overflow.
- 21.00 ft
- Highways 24 and 15 flood. A high fill which carries the road bed into Clay Center begins to overflow.
- 17.00 ft
- Flooding occurs between 16th, 17th, and 18th Roads and between Limestone and Osage Roads.
- 15.00 ft
- Lowland agricultural flooding occurs from U.S. Highway 24 to Milford Lake.
- 7.81 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: 17 %.
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 25.74 ft | June 3, 1935 |
| 2 | 23.36 ft | July 24, 1993 |
| 3 | 22.92 ft | June 26, 1947 |
| 4 | 22.75 ft | July 8, 1993 |
| 5 | 22.60 ft | September 5, 1958 |
| 6 | 22.28 ft | July 18, 1993 |
| 7 | 22.20 ft | July 12, 1951 |
| 8 | 22.18 ft | June 2, 2011 |
| 9 | 21.82 ft | July 31, 2020 |
| 10 | 21.47 ft | October 14, 1974 |
Weather at the gauge
The forecast is not available right now.
Map
Other gauges on the Republican River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican River near OrleansRiver gauge, Republican River | 0.82 ft | Normal | ±0 | 137 mi |
| Republican River at Guide RockRiver gauge, Republican River | 4.83 ft | Very high | −0.04 ft | 81 mi |
| Republican River near HardyRiver gauge, Republican River | 2.36 ft | Normal | −0.08 ft | 61 mi |
| Republican River at ScandiaRiver gauge, Republican River | 1.36 ft | Below flood stage | −0.09 ft | 47 mi |
| Republican River at ConcordiaRiver gauge, Republican River | 5.53 ft | Normal | −0.10 ft | 33 mi |
| Republican River at Junction CityRiver gauge, Republican River | 214 cfs | Normal | −597.0 cfs | 27 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milford Lake near Junction CityLake, Milford Lake | 1,145.78 ft | Very high | −0.01 ft | 23 mi |
| Chapman Creek near ChapmanRiver gauge, Chapman Creek | 4.42 ft | Normal | −0.02 ft | 23 mi |
| Wildcat Creek at KeatsRiver gauge, Wildcat Creek | 8.21 ft | High | +0.01 ft | 24 mi |
| Mud Creek near TalmageRiver gauge, Mud Creek | 3.98 ft | Below flood stage | −0.02 ft | 26 mi |
| Kansas River at Fort RileyRiver gauge, Kansas River | 5.81 ft | Normal | −0.27 ft | 28 mi |
| Wildcat Creek at Scenic Drive, ManhattanRiver gauge, Wildcat Creek | 3.03 ft | Below flood stage | +0.01 ft | 28 mi |
| Tuttle C Lake near ManhattanLake, Tuttle C Lake | 1,084.98 ft | Very high | −1.09 ft | 29 mi |
| Wildcat Creek at Seth Childs Road, ManhattanRiver gauge, Wildcat Creek | 2.75 ft | Normal | −0.01 ft | 30 mi |
Questions and answers
Is the Republican River at Clay Center higher than last year?
Yes, it is 1.07 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 6.74 ft.
What is flood stage for the Republican River at Clay Center?
The official flood stage is 15.00 ft. The level is currently 7.19 ft below it.
What is a normal level for the Republican River at Clay Center in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 7.02 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 6.25 ft and 9.15 ft, based on 38 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 Republican River at Clay Center today?
On Oct 19, 2026, 02:30 PM CDT, the water level was 7.81 ft. Up 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is Republican River at Clay Center rising or falling?
Up 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.37 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Republican River at Clay Center normal?
Normal for mid-October. Compared with 38 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:06856600(Agency page)- Coordinates
39.35555, -97.12752(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 | 7.81 ft | 2026-10-19 19:30 | Provisional |
| Flow | 353 cfs | 2026-10-19 19:30 | Provisional |
| Water temperature | 56 °F | 2026-10-19 19:30 | Provisional |
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Republican River at Clay Center (usgs:06856600). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/kansas/republican-river-at-clay-center
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