Canada
United States
Belgium
France
Ireland
Netherlands
United Kingdom
Austria
Czechia
Germany
Poland
Slovenia
Switzerland
Italy
Spain
Türkiye
Denmark
Finland
Norway
SwedenShunganunga Creek at Topeka water level
River gauge, Shunganunga Creek, Kansas, United States
Right now
Low for mid-October
Water level
- Flow
- 7.6 cfs
History
20252026
What this means
Low water at Shunganunga Creek at Topeka: the gauge reads 4.28 ft, below normal for mid-October.
That puts it 0.15 ft below the median of 4.44 ft for mid-October, based on 16 years of readings. It is 11.72 ft below the flood stage of 16.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 4.40 ft (−0.12 ft).
The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. The 30-day range is 4.11 ft – 6.36 ft.
Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.
Compared with 16 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 4.44 ft0.15 ft below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 4.23 ft – 4.93 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (16 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 4.40 ft−0.12 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 4.11 ft – 6.36 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 4.01 ft – 12.08 ft
- Highest on record
- 23.28 ftMay 7, 2007
Paddling and fishing conditions
At low levels, plan for shorter paddling trips and expect to walk your boat through a few shoals.
For reference, flood stage is 16.00 ft.
What happens at each level
- 28.70 ft
- Harley Davidson parking lot near 21st and Topeka Boulevard floods.
- 28.43 ft
- 21st Street bridge over the Shunganunga Creek floods.
- 26.92 ft
- Flood waters reach the bottom of the 21st Street bridge over the Shunganunga Creek.
- 26.20 ft
- The east bank of the 21st Street bridge floods.
- 24.00 ft
- Water flows over the west bank north of the 21st Street bridge.
- 22.00 ft
- Water may affect homes between Shunga Drive and 23rd Street.
- 21.90 ft
- The soccer field south of the 21st Street bridge floods.
- 17.00 ft
- Shunga Drive near College Avenue floods.
- 16.00 ft
- Walkway along the Shunganunga Creek near the 21st Street bridge floods.
- 4.28 ft
- Right now
Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 23.28 ft | May 7, 2007 |
| 2 | 19.29 ft | July 30, 2020 |
| 3 | 16.92 ft | October 1, 2005 |
| 4 | 15.88 ft | August 23, 2004 |
| 5 | 15.38 ft | May 13, 2010 |
| 6 | 15.10 ft | June 5, 2015 |
| 7 | 15.10 ft | August 17, 2019 |
| 8 | 14.51 ft | May 2, 2016 |
| 9 | 13.81 ft | April 26, 2009 |
| 10 | 13.58 ft | June 12, 2008 |
Weather at the gauge
The forecast is not available right now.
Map
Other gauges on Shunganunga Creek
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shunganunga Creek at Gage Blvd, TopekaRiver gauge, Shunganunga Creek | 4.86 ft | Below flood stage | −0.01 ft | 2.3 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas River at TopekaRiver gauge, Kansas River | 12.14 ft | Very high | −0.11 ft | 3.2 mi |
| Kansas River above Topeka Weir at TopekaRiver gauge, Kansas River | 14,600 cfs | High | −100.0 cfs | 3.3 mi |
| Soldier Creek near TopekaRiver gauge, Soldier Creek | 0.30 ft | Normal | ±0 | 5.3 mi |
| Wakarusa River at WakarusaRiver gauge, Wakarusa River | 2.95 ft | Below flood stage | −0.06 ft | 10 mi |
| Wakarusa River near RichlandRiver gauge, Wakarusa River | 24.7 cfs | High | −4.9 cfs | 11 mi |
| Perry Lake near PerryLake, Perry Lake | 894.09 ft | Very high | −0.13 ft | 15 mi |
| Kansas River at LecomptonRiver gauge, Kansas River | 7.99 ft | Very high | −0.05 ft | 16 mi |
| Cross Creek at RossvilleRiver gauge, Cross Creek | 7.66 ft | Below flood stage | −0.01 ft | 16 mi |
Questions and answers
How does Shunganunga Creek at Topeka compare with last year?
It is 0.12 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 4.40 ft.
What is flood stage for Shunganunga Creek at Topeka?
The official flood stage is 16.00 ft. The level is currently 11.72 ft below it.
What is a normal level for Shunganunga Creek at Topeka in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 4.44 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 4.23 ft and 4.93 ft, based on 16 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 Shunganunga Creek at Topeka today?
On Oct 19, 2026, 12:15 AM CDT, the water level was 4.28 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is Shunganunga Creek at Topeka rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours. Up 0.08 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Shunganunga Creek at Topeka normal?
Low for mid-October. Compared with 16 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:06889630(Agency page)- Coordinates
39.02972, -95.68582(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 | 4.28 ft | 2026-10-19 05:15 | Provisional |
| Flow | 7.6 cfs | 2026-10-19 05:15 | Provisional |
Download
Embed this gauge
Add a live card for this gauge to your website. It updates on its own and links back here.
How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Shunganunga Creek at Topeka (usgs:06889630). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/kansas/shunganunga-creek-at-topeka
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