Whitewater River at Augusta water level

Name: Whitewater River at Augusta 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, Whitewater River, Kansas, United States

Directions

Low for mid-October

Water level

3.71ft Down 0.08 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 09:15 PM CDT (1 hour ago)

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

The Whitewater River at Augusta is running below normal at 3.71 ft.

The median for mid-October is 4.01 ft, based on 22 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.30 ft below typical. It is 17.29 ft below the flood stage of 21.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 3.80 ft, a difference of −0.09 ft.

It has dropped 0.08 ft over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. In the last month it has stayed between 3.48 ft and 5.37 ft.

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

Compared with 22 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 4.01 ft0.30 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 3.46 ft – 5.23 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (22 years of records)
Same day last year: 3.80 ft−0.09 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 3.48 ft – 5.37 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 3.46 ft – 16.87 ft
Highest on record: 34.95 ftNovember 1, 1998

Floating and fishing near Whitewater River at Augusta

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

Flood stage here is 21.00 ft, 17.29 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

35.00 ft: There may be a great possibility that downtown Augusta will be under 5 to 7 feet of water.
32.00 ft: Major flooding can be expected as flood waters could spill over the levee on the west side of Augusta. The northwest portion of Augusta is isolated at this level with several homes in this area taking in abundant water.
30.00 ft: Widespread flooding of agricultural and low-lying areas can be anticipated. Several roads are inundated with flood waters especially on the west side of town.
24.00 ft: Flood waters begin to flow over Southwest 70th Street just east of the river bridge located 3 miles northwest of Augusta and flows across Southwest 60th Street near the river bridge located about 4 miles northwest of town.
21.00 ft: Flooding of low lying areas can be expected, especially rural roads west of town approximately 1 mile.
3.71 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	34.95 ft	November 1, 1998
2	32.70 ft	June 8, 1979
3	31.00 ft	October 11, 1985
4	30.41 ft	April 27, 2009
5	30.08 ft	June 4, 2025
6	29.40 ft	May 9, 1993
7	29.23 ft	May 9, 2019
8	27.83 ft	May 25, 2019
9	27.51 ft	May 22, 2019
10	27.18 ft	August 27, 2005

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:41 AM Sunset 06:47 PM Daylight 11 hr, 6 min First quarter 55%

Map

Other gauges on the Whitewater River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Whitewater River at TowandaRiver gauge, Whitewater River	1.74 ft	Normal	−0.06 ft	8 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Wb Walnut River near El DoradoRiver gauge, Wb Walnut River	5.66 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	13 mi
Arkansas River at DerbyRiver gauge, Arkansas River	0.81 ft	Very low	−0.04 ft	18 mi
Arkansas River at WichitaRiver gauge, Arkansas River	2.72 ft	Low	−0.02 ft	19 mi
Arkansas River at MulvaneRiver gauge, Arkansas River	5.62 ft	Below flood stage	−0.06 ft	20 mi
Arkansas River near MaizeRiver gauge, Arkansas River	4.63 ft	Low	−0.01 ft	23 mi
Lake Arkansas River at Valley CenterRiver gauge, Lake Arkansas River	1.21 ft	Normal	−0.04 ft	24 mi
Cowskin Creek at Kellogg St, WichitaRiver gauge, Cowskin Creek	4.0 cfs	Normal	−1.2 cfs	25 mi
Calfskin Creek at 119th St, WichitaRiver gauge, Calfskin Creek	0.4 cfs	Normal	−0.1 cfs	26 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Whitewater River at Augusta higher than last year?

No, it is 0.09 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3.80 ft.

What is flood stage for the Whitewater River at Augusta?

The official flood stage is 21.00 ft. The level is currently 17.29 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Whitewater River at Augusta in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 4.01 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 3.46 ft and 5.23 ft, based on 22 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 Whitewater River at Augusta today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 09:15 PM CDT, the water level was 3.71 ft. Down 0.08 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Whitewater River at Augusta rising or falling?

Down 0.08 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 0.19 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Whitewater River at Augusta normal?

Low for mid-October. Compared with 22 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:07147190 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 37.67972, -96.99639 (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	3.71 ft	2026-10-19 02:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Whitewater River at Augusta (usgs:07147190). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/kansas/whitewater-river-at-augusta

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