Spring River near Baxter Springs water level

Name: Spring River near Baxter Springs 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, Spring River, Kansas, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

2.97ft Down 0.08 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 08:30 PM CDT (45 min ago)

Flow: 293 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The Spring River near Baxter Springs is at 2.97 ft, in the normal range.

It is 11.03 ft below the flood stage of 14.00 ft.

It has dropped 0.08 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 2.97 ft and 3.21 ft.

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

Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels

Key numbers

Highest on record: 31.80 ftDecember 28, 2015

Floating and fishing near Spring River near Baxter Springs

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

Flood stage here is 14.00 ft, 11.03 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

30.00 ft: Major Flood Stage. Water flows over Highway 44 north of Baxter Springs and over Highway 166 at the gage site.
22.00 ft: Moderate Flood Stage. Flood waters are one foot in depth across the Baxter Springs High School Track and Field Area.
21.50 ft: Flood waters begin to cover Old Highway 66 at 1st Bridge or south of Rainbow Bridge.
21.00 ft: Flood waters begin to impact Baxter Springs High School Track and Field Area.
20.00 ft: Water level reaches the bottom of Rainbow Bridge Crossing.
16.00 ft: The south end of Kiwanis Park floods. Water crosses Mickey Mantle Blvd in the park. Water level rises to the flag pole on the north side of the park.
14.50 ft: The north end of Kiwanis Park floods.
2.97 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: 19 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	31.80 ft	December 28, 2015
2	27.69 ft	April 30, 2017
3	27.00 ft	May 23, 2019
4	25.72 ft	May 6, 2022
5	18.40 ft	April 26, 2011
6	18.09 ft	May 1, 2019
7	16.70 ft	June 25, 2019
8	16.01 ft	June 1, 2013
9	15.67 ft	March 20, 2020
10	15.37 ft	February 25, 2018

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:31 AM Sunset 06:38 PM Daylight 11 hr, 7 min First quarter 55%

Map

Other gauges on the Spring River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Spring River at La RussellRiver gauge, Spring River	1.16 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	37 mi
Spring River at CarthageRiver gauge, Spring River	2.70 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	25 mi
Spring River near WacoRiver gauge, Spring River	1.15 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	18 mi
Spring River near QuapawRiver gauge, Spring River	5.29 ft	Below flood stage	−0.17 ft	6 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Beaver Creek near QuapawRiver gauge, Beaver Creek	1.0 cfs	Normal	±0	6 mi
Tar Creek near CommerceRiver gauge, Tar Creek	0.0 cfs	Very low	±0	9 mi
Shoal Creek above JoplinRiver gauge, Shoal Creek	1.87 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	11 mi
Tar Creek at 22nd Street Bridge at MiamiRiver gauge, Tar Creek	1.3 cfs	Low	−0.7 cfs	12 mi
Neosho River at MiamiRiver gauge, Neosho River	743.05 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	14 mi
Neosho River near CommerceRiver gauge, Neosho River	3.39 ft	Below flood stage	−0.24 ft	15 mi
North Fork Spring River near PurcellRiver gauge, North Fork Spring River	2.30 ft	Below flood stage	+0.03 ft	23 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Spring River near Baxter Springs?

The official flood stage is 14.00 ft. The level is currently 11.03 ft below it.

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 Spring River near Baxter Springs today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 08:30 PM CDT, the water level was 2.97 ft. Down 0.08 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Spring River near Baxter Springs rising or falling?

Down 0.08 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Spring River near Baxter Springs normal?

Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Spring River near Baxter Springs?

The highest level on record is 31.80 ft on December 28, 2015.

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.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:07187600 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 37.02368, -94.72106 (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	2.97 ft	2026-10-19 01:30	Provisional
Flow	293 cfs	2026-10-19 01:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Spring River near Baxter Springs (usgs:07187600). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/kansas/spring-river-near-baxter-springs

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