Walnut Creek at Nekoma water level

Name: Walnut Creek at Nekoma 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, Walnut Creek, Kansas, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

6.60ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 12:15 PM CDT (35 min ago)

Flow: 2.3 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

Walnut Creek at Nekoma is at 6.60 ft, in the normal range for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 6.87 ft, based on 33 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.27 ft below typical. It is 22.40 ft below the flood stage of 29.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 6.79 ft, a difference of −0.19 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 6.17 ft and 10.08 ft.

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

Compared with 33 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 6.87 ft0.27 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 5.59 ft – 8.38 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (33 years of records)
Same day last year: 6.79 ft−0.19 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 6.17 ft – 10.08 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 6.14 ft – 14.72 ft
Highest on record: 34.00 ftJuly 21, 1993

Floating and fishing near Walnut Creek at Nekoma

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

Flood stage here is 29.00 ft, 22.40 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

34.00 ft: Expect near record to record flooding of five or more feet along Walnut Creek in Rush County from Nekoma, Kansas eastward to the Barton County line, as the creek moves several hundred feet out onto the floodplain. At 34.0 feet, the creek stage will equal the record set on 07/21/1993, when Walnut Creek rose to 34.0 feet. Overflow north of the Nekoma Bridge will be about 700 feet wide at a stage of 34 feet.
33.00 ft: Expect major flooding of four or more feet along Walnut Creek in Rush County from Nekoma, Kansas eastward to the Barton County line, as the creek moves further out onto the floodplain.
32.00 ft: Expect moderate flooding of three or more feet along the floodplain adjacent to Walnut Creek in Rush County from Nekoma, Kansas eastward to the Barton County line.
31.00 ft: Expect moderate flooding of two or more feet along the floodplain immediately adjacent to Walnut Creek in Rush County from Nekoma, Kansas eastward to the Barton County line.
30.00 ft: Many locations along Walnut Creek will be up to one foot over flood stage as the creek approaches 30 feet.
29.00 ft: Expect minor flooding along Walnut Creek throughout Rush County. Bar ditches on the north-south road near the river gage will contain three or more feet of water as Walnut Creek rises above 29 feet.
28.00 ft: Bar ditches on the north-south road near the river gage will contain two or more feet of water as Walnut Creek rises above 28 feet.
27.00 ft: Bar ditches on the north-south road near the river gage will contain one or more feet of water as Walnut Creek rises above 27 feet.
26.00 ft: Bar ditches on the north-south road near the river gage will begin to fill with water as Walnut Creek rises above 26 feet.
6.60 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: 11 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	34.00 ft	July 21, 1993
2	28.59 ft	May 24, 2019
3	27.59 ft	June 9, 2001
4	25.46 ft	June 1, 1996
5	24.71 ft	August 19, 2006
6	23.08 ft	August 22, 2006
7	22.75 ft	May 17, 2021
8	21.55 ft	August 4, 1999
9	21.12 ft	July 31, 1998
10	20.40 ft	November 17, 1996

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:51 AM Sunset 06:55 PM Daylight 11 hr, 4 min First quarter 61%

Map

Other gauges on Walnut Creek

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Walnut Creek at AlbertRiver gauge, Walnut Creek	2.61 ft	Low	±0	23 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Smoky Hill River near SchoenchenRiver gauge, Smoky Hill River	3.09 ft	Normal	−0.03 ft	17 mi
Smoky Hill River below SchoenchenRiver gauge, Smoky Hill River	2.88 ft	Very high	−0.02 ft	18 mi
Pawnee River at RozelRiver gauge, Pawnee River	7.20 ft	Normal	−0.03 ft	19 mi
Pawnee River near BurdettRiver gauge, Pawnee River	2.26 ft	Low	±0	22 mi
Smoky Hill River at PfeiferRiver gauge, Smoky Hill River	9.7 cfs	Normal	−0.5 cfs	22 mi
Cedar Bluff Re near EllisLake, Cedar Bluff Re	2,118.68 ft	Very low	−0.01 ft	26 mi
Big Creek near HaysRiver gauge, Big Creek	4.68 ft	Normal	±0	27 mi
Buckner Creek at HanstonRiver gauge, Buckner Creek	0.2 cfs	Normal	+0.2 cfs	29 mi

Questions and answers

Is Walnut Creek at Nekoma higher than last year?

No, it is 0.19 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 6.79 ft.

What is flood stage for Walnut Creek at Nekoma?

The official flood stage is 29.00 ft. The level is currently 22.40 ft below it.

What is a normal level for Walnut Creek at Nekoma in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 6.87 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 5.59 ft and 8.38 ft, based on 33 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 Walnut Creek at Nekoma today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 12:15 PM CDT, the water level was 6.60 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Walnut Creek at Nekoma rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.11 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Walnut Creek at Nekoma normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 33 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:07141780 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 38.47721, -99.43755 (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	6.60 ft	2026-10-19 17:15	Provisional
Flow	2.3 cfs	2026-10-19 17:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Walnut Creek at Nekoma (usgs:07141780). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/kansas/walnut-creek-at-nekoma

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