Saline River near Wakeeney water level

Name: Saline River near Wakeeney 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

2.11ft Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 01:00 AM CDT (38 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

The gauge at Saline River near Wakeeney reads 2.11 ft, a normal level for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 2.09 ft, based on 32 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.02 ft above typical. It is 10.89 ft below the flood stage of 13.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 2.89 ft, a difference of −0.78 ft.

The level is falling, down 0.05 ft over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 2.07 ft and 2.41 ft.

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

Compared with 32 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 2.09 ft0.02 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 1.54 ft – 3.03 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (32 years of records)
Same day last year: 2.89 ft−0.78 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 2.07 ft – 2.41 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 2.07 ft – 7.59 ft
Highest on record: 23.91 ftMay 29, 2018

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 13.00 ft, still 10.89 ft away.

What happens at each level

32.50 ft: Highway 283 bridge floods.
32.00 ft: Left band at Hwy 283 bridge overflows.
30.00 ft: Right bank at Hwy 283 bridge overflows.
24.00 ft: Floodwaters will cover many sections along B and C Roads along the Saline River. Expect road closures with some bridges destroyed. These roads will be washed out with tree debris along roads and in adjacent fields. Floodwaters may rise as high as 3 to 4 feet on roads and higher in fields. The river may expand to 100 to 400 feet wide in some locations.
19.00 ft: Prepare for near-record flooding of 6 feet or more along the Saline River lowlands in northern Trego and Ellis Counties as the river moves well out of its channel onto the floodplain.
17.00 ft: Expect major flooding of 4 feet or more along the Saline River lowlands in northern Trego and Ellis Counties. Some roads along the Saline River will be impassable. Basement flooding may occur in some houses along the Saline River in these counties.
15.00 ft: Expect moderate lowland flooding along the Saline River throughout northern Trego and Ellis Counties. Flood depths may reach 2 feet or more as the river nears its crest. Some roads and bridge approaches near the river will be impassable.
13.00 ft: Expect minor flooding of farmland and pastureland adjacent to the saline river in northern Trego and Ellis Counties.
2.11 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	23.91 ft	May 29, 2018
2	19.40 ft	June 17, 1957
3	18.95 ft	July 2, 1962
4	17.72 ft	August 18, 1961
5	17.20 ft	May 30, 1956
6	16.72 ft	May 16, 1960
7	16.20 ft	September 18, 1995
8	15.53 ft	May 24, 2016
9	14.81 ft	October 3, 2017
10	13.08 ft	July 9, 1993

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 1.12 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

17 Sat 65° 31° – Wind 18 mph

18 Sun 70° 40° – Wind 19 mph

19 Mon 70° 40° – Wind 14 mph

20 Tue 72° 51° 0.04 in Wind 19 mph

21 Wed 81° 58° – Wind 18 mph

22 Thu 84° 60° – Wind 15 mph

23 Fri 79° 67° – Wind 23 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:54 AM Sunset 06:56 PM Daylight 11 hr, 3 min First quarter 56%

Map

Other gauges on the Saline River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Saline River near RussellRiver gauge, Saline River	4.51 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	55 mi
Saline River at Wilson DamRiver gauge, Saline River	2.87 ft	Normal	±0	75 mi
Saline River at LincolnRiver gauge, Saline River	10.38 ft	Below flood stage	−0.06 ft	92 mi
Saline River at TescottRiver gauge, Saline River	6.68 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	107 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Big Creek near EllisRiver gauge, Big Creek	1.3 cfs	Normal	+0.1 cfs	17 mi
Hackberry Creek near Trego CenterRiver gauge, Hackberry Creek	0.0 cfs	Normal	±0	21 mi
Smoky Hill River near ArnoldRiver gauge, Smoky Hill River	0.23 ft	Low	−0.01 ft	22 mi
Cedar Bluff Re near EllisLake, Cedar Bluff Re	2,118.68 ft	Very low	−0.01 ft	23 mi
Sf Solomon River above Webster ReRiver gauge, Sf Solomon River	1.81 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	24 mi
Webster ReservoirReservoir	1,865.64 ft	Low		31 mi
Big Creek near HaysRiver gauge, Big Creek	4.68 ft	Normal	±0	34 mi
Smoky Hill River near SchoenchenRiver gauge, Smoky Hill River	3.10 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	39 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Saline River near Wakeeney higher than last year?

No, it is 0.78 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.89 ft.

What is flood stage for the Saline River near Wakeeney?

The official flood stage is 13.00 ft. The level is currently 10.89 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Saline River near Wakeeney in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 2.09 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.54 ft and 3.03 ft, based on 32 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 near Wakeeney today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 01:00 AM CDT, the water level was 2.11 ft. Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Saline River near Wakeeney rising or falling?

Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Saline River near Wakeeney normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 32 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:06866900 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 39.10619, -99.86955 (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	2.11 ft	2026-10-19 06:00	Provisional
Flow	0.3 cfs	2026-10-19 06:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Saline River near Wakeeney (usgs:06866900). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/kansas/saline-river-near-wakeeney

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