Smoky Hill River at Pfeifer water level

Name: Smoky Hill River at Pfeifer 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, Smoky Hill River, Kansas, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

1.76ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 10:00 PM CDT (24 min ago)

Flow: 9.5 cfs

History

7 days

Water level

What this means

The gauge at Smoky Hill River at Pfeifer reads 1.76 ft, a normal level for mid-October.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 1.76 ft and 1.85 ft.

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

Compared with 5 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Highest on record: 19.30 ftJune 14, 1970

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.

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	19.30 ft	June 14, 1970
2	13.71 ft	May 24, 2019
3	11.96 ft	March 22, 1979
4	11.73 ft	May 25, 2011
5	11.37 ft	October 10, 2018
6	10.90 ft	March 31, 1973
7	10.49 ft	May 3, 1981
8	9.44 ft	August 25, 2010
9	8.55 ft	July 19, 2021
10	7.00 ft	October 11, 1973

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

19 Mon 72° 47° – Wind 15 mph

20 Tue 73° 50° 0.03 in Wind 15 mph

21 Wed 76° 54° 0.01 in, 32% Wind 11 mph

22 Thu 83° 56° – Wind 16 mph

23 Fri 81° 64° – Wind 24 mph

24 Sat 73° 65° 0.07 in, 36% Wind 22 mph

25 Sun 64° 56° 0.50 in, 29% Wind 13 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:51 AM Sunset 06:53 PM Daylight 11 hr, 1 min First quarter 64%

Map

Other gauges on the Smoky Hill River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Smoky Hill River at ElkaderRiver gauge, Smoky Hill River	4.63 ft	Very high	−0.01 ft	92 mi
Smoky Hill River near ArnoldRiver gauge, Smoky Hill River	0.22 ft	Low	−0.01 ft	47 mi
Smoky Hill River near SchoenchenRiver gauge, Smoky Hill River	3.09 ft	Normal	−0.03 ft	10 mi
Smoky Hill River below SchoenchenRiver gauge, Smoky Hill River	2.86 ft	Very high	−0.02 ft	7 mi
Smoky Hill River near RussellRiver gauge, Smoky Hill River	4.19 ft	Below flood stage	−0.07 ft	17 mi
Smoky Hill River at EllsworthRiver gauge, Smoky Hill River	1.76 ft	Normal	−0.04 ft	50 mi
Smoky Hill River near LangleyRiver gauge, Smoky Hill River	3.68 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	65 mi
Smoky Hill River at LindsborgRiver gauge, Smoky Hill River	7.32 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	81 mi
Smoky Hill River near MentorRiver gauge, Smoky Hill River	4.40 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	85 mi
Smoky Hill River at New CambriaRiver gauge, Smoky Hill River	5.95 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	91 mi
Smoky Hill River at EnterpriseRiver gauge, Smoky Hill River	7.41 ft	Normal	−0.08 ft	110 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Big Creek near HaysRiver gauge, Big Creek	4.67 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	13 mi
Walnut Creek at AlbertRiver gauge, Walnut Creek	2.56 ft	Low	−0.04 ft	19 mi
Walnut Creek at NekomaRiver gauge, Walnut Creek	6.59 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	22 mi
Saline River near RussellRiver gauge, Saline River	4.50 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	24 mi
Cheyenne Bottoms Dv near Great BendRiver gauge, Cheyenne Bottoms Dv	1.3 cfs	Normal	−0.8 cfs	28 mi
Paradise Creek near ParadiseRiver gauge, Paradise Creek	8.39 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	29 mi
Big Creek near EllisRiver gauge, Big Creek	1.7 cfs	Normal	+0.3 cfs	30 mi

Questions and answers

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 Smoky Hill River at Pfeifer today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 10:00 PM CDT, the water level was 1.76 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Smoky Hill River at Pfeifer rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Smoky Hill River at Pfeifer normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 5 years of daily readings for this time of year.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Smoky Hill River at Pfeifer?

The highest level on record is 19.30 ft on June 14, 1970.

How often is this data updated?

The U.S. Geological Survey publishes a new reading every 15 minutes. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.

Where does this data come from?

The values come directly from the U.S. Geological Survey, the official operator of this gauge, and are in the public domain. We do not estimate or model live values.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:06863000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 38.71473, -99.15371 (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	1.76 ft	2026-10-20 03:00	Provisional
Flow	9.5 cfs	2026-10-20 03:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Smoky Hill River at Pfeifer (usgs:06863000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/kansas/smoky-hill-river-at-pfeifer

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