Saline River at Tescott water level

Name: Saline River at Tescott 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, Saline River, Kansas, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

6.68ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 04:30 AM CDT (49 min ago)

Flow: 35.1 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

The Saline River at Tescott is at 6.68 ft, in the normal range for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 5.65 ft, based on 39 years of readings, so the river stage is 1.03 ft above typical. It is 18.32 ft below the flood stage of 25.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 7.21 ft, a difference of −0.53 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 6.43 ft and 16.19 ft.

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

Compared with 39 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 5.65 ft1.03 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 4.40 ft – 10.44 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (39 years of records)
Same day last year: 7.21 ft−0.53 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 6.43 ft – 16.19 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 6.35 ft – 23.21 ft
Highest on record: 30.14 ftJuly 25, 1993

Floating and fishing near Saline River at Tescott

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

Flood stage here is 25.00 ft, 18.32 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

29.00 ft: Southern parts of the city of Tescott are affected by flood waters.
28.50 ft: 30th Road bridge over the Saline River floods.
25.00 ft: Low lying areas near the river flood.
6.68 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: 6 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	30.14 ft	July 25, 1993
2	30.14 ft	July 23, 1993
3	30.08 ft	May 28, 1995
4	30.06 ft	July 13, 1951
5	30.05 ft	June 25, 1993
6	29.82 ft	May 23, 1971
7	29.77 ft	June 9, 1951
8	29.77 ft	April 16, 1987
9	29.68 ft	May 22, 2019
10	29.63 ft	July 9, 1993

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:45 AM Sunset 06:50 PM Daylight 11 hr, 5 min First quarter 48%

Map

Other gauges on the Saline River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Saline River near WakeeneyRiver gauge, Saline River	2.14 ft	Normal	+0.05 ft	107 mi
Saline River near RussellRiver gauge, Saline River	4.52 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	53 mi
Saline River at Wilson DamRiver gauge, Saline River	2.86 ft	Normal	−0.05 ft	33 mi
Saline River at LincolnRiver gauge, Saline River	10.43 ft	Below flood stage	−0.07 ft	15 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Salt Creek near AdaRiver gauge, Salt Creek	4.58 ft	High	−0.02 ft	10 mi
Solomon River near MinneapolisRiver gauge, Solomon River	2.38 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	12 mi
Mulberry Creek near SalinaRiver gauge, Mulberry Creek	3.86 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	16 mi
Solomon River at NilesRiver gauge, Solomon River	4.61 ft	Normal	−0.15 ft	21 mi
Smoky Hill River at New CambriaRiver gauge, Smoky Hill River	6.01 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	23 mi
Smoky Hill River near MentorRiver gauge, Smoky Hill River	4.41 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	26 mi
Smoky Hill River at EllsworthRiver gauge, Smoky Hill River	1.83 ft	Normal	−0.03 ft	27 mi
Smoky Hill River near LangleyRiver gauge, Smoky Hill River	3.72 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	27 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Saline River at Tescott higher than last year?

No, it is 0.53 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 7.21 ft.

What is flood stage for the Saline River at Tescott?

The official flood stage is 25.00 ft. The level is currently 18.32 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Saline River at Tescott in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 5.65 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 4.40 ft and 10.44 ft, based on 39 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 Saline River at Tescott today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 04:30 AM CDT, the water level was 6.68 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Saline River at Tescott rising or falling?

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

Is the level of Saline River at Tescott normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 39 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:06869500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 39.00379, -97.87339 (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	6.68 ft	2026-10-18 09:30	Provisional
Flow	35.1 cfs	2026-10-18 09:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Saline River at Tescott (usgs:06869500). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/kansas/saline-river-at-tescott

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