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Verdigris River at Independence water level

River gauge, Verdigris River, Kansas, United States

Directions

Low for mid-October

Water level

1.74ft Down 0.23 ft over the last 24 hours

Flow
127 cfs
0 25 50 Highest onrecord 52.40 ft Minor floodstage 30.00 ft

History

-0102030ftOct 12Oct 13Oct 15Oct 16Oct 18Minor flood stage-0102030ftOct 12Oct 15Oct 18Minor flood stage
-0102030ftSep 19Sep 26Oct 3Oct 11Oct 18Minor flood stage-0102030ftSep 19Oct 3Oct 18Minor flood stage
-0102030ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage-0102030ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage
-0102030ftJanMarMayJulSepNov2026-0102030ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

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

What this means

The Verdigris River at Independence is running below normal at 1.74 ft.

That puts it 0.72 ft below the median of 2.46 ft for mid-October, based on 36 years of readings. It is 28.26 ft below the flood stage of 30.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 2.98 ft (−1.24 ft).

It has dropped 0.23 ft over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. In the last month it has stayed between 1.12 ft and 3.85 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.

Compared with 36 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
2.46 ft0.72 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date
1.30 ft – 12.82 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (36 years of records)
Same day last year
2.98 ft−1.24 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
1.12 ft – 3.85 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
1.00 ft – 26.21 ft
Highest on record
52.40 ftJuly 1, 2007

Floating and fishing near Verdigris River at Independence

Low water exposes gravel bars that make good wading access, but some boat ramps may be left high and dry.

Flood stage here is 30.00 ft, 28.26 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

53.00 ft
The leeve becomes breached on the left bank from Railroad Street to Pine Street.
47.60 ft
Extensive flooding will occur with some roads especially on Highway 160, 1/2 mile east of Independence. Water covers the road for about 2 blocks eastward. Also parts of Highway 75 heading north of the city to Highway 400 near Sycamore become flooded and will be closed. Approximately 20 blocks of houses flood along Rock Creek.
47.00 ft
Highway 160 just east of Independence begins to flood.
45.00 ft
Overflows begin on Highway 160 just east of Independence and on Highway 75 north of Independence. The railroad, east towards Parsons floods.
36.00 ft
Some flooding of low lying areas and bottom land can be expected.
1.74 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: 22 %.

RankLevelDate
152.40 ftJuly 1, 2007
247.60 ftMay 19, 1943
347.28 ftApril 17, 1945
447.03 ftMay 6, 1961
547.00 ftSeptember 4, 1986
646.79 ftOctober 4, 1986
746.59 ftJuly 1, 1951
845.35 ftMay 27, 2019
944.80 ftMay 30, 1935
1044.40 ftJuly 13, 1951

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 3.96 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

17 Sat 60° 36° – Wind 6 mph
18 Sun 62° 42° – Wind 15 mph
19 Mon 70° 42° – Wind 13 mph
20 Tue 73° 54° – Wind 12 mph
21 Wed 76° 53° – Wind 13 mph
22 Thu 79° 57° – Wind 11 mph
23 Fri 79° 59° – Wind 16 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:34 AM Sunset 06:43 PM Daylight 11 hr, 9 min First quarter 49%

Map

Other gauges on the Verdigris River

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Verdigris River near VirgilRiver gauge, Verdigris River 75.8 cfs Normal −28.2 cfs 56 mi
Verdigris River near AltoonaRiver gauge, Verdigris River 3.39 ft Normal −0.02 ft 21 mi
Verdigris River at CoffeyvilleRiver gauge, Verdigris River 3.05 ft Normal −0.23 ft 16 mi
Verdigris River near LenapahRiver gauge, Verdigris River 4.31 ft Below flood stage −0.37 ft 26 mi
Verdigris River near ClaremoreRiver gauge, Verdigris River 3.54 ft Below flood stage −0.11 ft 63 mi
Verdigris River near CatoosaRiver gauge, Verdigris River 32.65 ft Low −0.15 ft 70 mi
Verdigris River near WagonerRiver gauge, Verdigris River 12.17 ft Normal −0.19 ft 88 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Elk River below Elk City LakeRiver gauge, Elk River 8.1 cfs Normal −4.6 cfs 5.5 mi
Fall River at FredoniaRiver gauge, Fall River 3.07 ft Normal −0.05 ft 21 mi
Labette Creek near OswegoRiver gauge, Labette Creek 5.92 ft Normal −0.24 ft 27 mi
Elk River at Elk FallsRiver gauge, Elk River 2.11 ft Low −0.04 ft 30 mi
Neosho River near ErieRiver gauge, Neosho River 14.43 ft Below flood stage +1.91 ft 32 mi
Neosho River near ParsonsRiver gauge, Neosho River 8.53 ft Normal −0.07 ft 32 mi
Lightning Creek near McCuneRiver gauge, Lightning Creek 1.42 ft Normal −0.16 ft 36 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Verdigris River at Independence compare with last year?

It is 1.24 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.98 ft.

What is flood stage for the Verdigris River at Independence?

The official flood stage is 30.00 ft. The level is currently 28.26 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Verdigris River at Independence in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 2.46 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.30 ft and 12.82 ft, based on 36 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 Verdigris River at Independence today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 07:00 AM CDT, the water level was 1.74 ft. Down 0.23 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Verdigris River at Independence rising or falling?

Down 0.23 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 2.00 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Verdigris River at Independence normal?

Low for mid-October. Compared with 36 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:07170500 (Agency page)
Coordinates
37.22368, -95.67776 (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

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Water level 1.74 ft 2026-10-18 12:00 Provisional
Flow 127 cfs 2026-10-18 12:00 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Verdigris River at Independence (usgs:07170500). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/kansas/verdigris-river-at-independence

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