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Wakarusa River near Lawrence water level

River gauge, Wakarusa River, Kansas, United States

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Right now

Normal for mid-October

Water level

4.25ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Flow
10.4 cfs
10 20 30 Highest onrecord 31.59 ft Minor floodstage 23.00 ft

History

History
456ftOct 13Oct 14Oct 16Oct 17Oct 19456ftOct 13Oct 16Oct 19
468ftSep 20Sep 27Oct 4Oct 11Oct 19468ftSep 20Oct 4Oct 19
-01020ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage-01020ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage
-051015ftJanMarMayJulSepNov2026-051015ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

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

What this means

The gauge at Wakarusa River near Lawrence reads 4.25 ft, a normal level for mid-October.

That puts it 0.05 ft below the median of 4.30 ft for mid-October, based on 37 years of readings. It is 18.75 ft below the flood stage of 23.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 4.17 ft (+0.08 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 4.22 ft and 5.78 ft.

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

Compared with 37 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
4.30 ft0.05 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date
4.17 ft – 6.70 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (37 years of records)
Same day last year
4.17 ft+0.08 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
4.22 ft – 5.78 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
4.07 ft – 16.28 ft
Highest on record
31.59 ftJuly 12, 1951

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 23.00 ft, still 18.75 ft away.

What happens at each level

31.00 ft
River reaches a width of a half mile and continues to spread over cultivated fields.
25.00 ft
Road 1150 East floods.
23.00 ft
Minor low land flooding begins.
4.25 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 %.

RankLevelDate
131.59 ftJuly 12, 1951
231.01 ftOctober 11, 1973
330.86 ftJune 21, 1967
430.82 ftSeptember 28, 1973
530.65 ftDecember 4, 1973
630.50 ftJuly 20, 1973
730.26 ftAugust 10, 1968
830.12 ftJuly 19, 1973
929.87 ftJune 27, 1968
1029.31 ftMay 7, 1973

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:35 AM Sunset 06:38 PM Daylight 11 hr, 3 min First quarter 55%

Map

Other gauges on the Wakarusa River

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Wakarusa River at WakarusaRiver gauge, Wakarusa River 2.96 ft Below flood stage −0.05 ft 24 mi
Wakarusa River near RichlandRiver gauge, Wakarusa River 24.7 cfs High −4.9 cfs 18 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Clinton Lake near LawrenceLake, Clinton Lake 876.79 ft Normal −0.02 ft 4.1 mi
Kansas River at LawrenceRiver gauge, Kansas River 13.71 ft Normal −0.05 ft 4.6 mi
Kansas River at LecomptonRiver gauge, Kansas River 8.00 ft Very high −0.04 ft 12 mi
Kill Creek at 95th St near DesotoRiver gauge, Kill Creek 14.7 cfs High −2.9 cfs 16 mi
Perry Lake near PerryLake, Perry Lake 894.08 ft Very high −0.16 ft 17 mi
Kansas River at DesotoRiver gauge, Kansas River 9.79 ft Very high −0.06 ft 17 mi
Cedar Creek near DesotoRiver gauge, Cedar Creek 24.2 cfs Normal −5.9 cfs 19 mi
Big Bull Creek near EdgertonRiver gauge, Big Bull Creek 1.94 ft Normal −0.08 ft 19 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Wakarusa River near Lawrence compare with last year?

It is 0.08 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 4.17 ft.

What is flood stage for the Wakarusa River near Lawrence?

The official flood stage is 23.00 ft. The level is currently 18.75 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Wakarusa River near Lawrence in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 4.30 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 4.17 ft and 6.70 ft, based on 37 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 Wakarusa River near Lawrence today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 10:30 PM CDT, the water level was 4.25 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Wakarusa River near Lawrence rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Wakarusa River near Lawrence normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 37 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:06891500 (Agency page)
Coordinates
38.91139, -95.26108 (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 4.25 ft 2026-10-19 03:30 Provisional
Flow 10.4 cfs 2026-10-19 03:30 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Wakarusa River near Lawrence (usgs:06891500). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/kansas/wakarusa-river-near-lawrence

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.