Sf Solomon River at Osborne water level

Name: Sf Solomon River at Osborne 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, Sf Solomon River, Kansas, United States

Directions

Low for mid-October

Water level

3.16ft Down 0.18 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 07:30 AM CDT (60 min ago)

Flow: 8.1 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

The Sf Solomon River at Osborne is running below normal at 3.16 ft.

That puts it 0.49 ft below the median of 3.65 ft for mid-October, based on 38 years of readings. It is 10.84 ft below the flood stage of 14.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 2.99 ft (+0.17 ft).

It has dropped 0.18 ft over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. In the last month it has stayed between 2.75 ft and 6.99 ft.

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

Compared with 38 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 3.65 ft0.49 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 2.73 ft – 4.87 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (38 years of records)
Same day last year: 2.99 ft+0.17 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 2.75 ft – 6.99 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 2.67 ft – 12.74 ft
Highest on record: 28.33 ftJuly 21, 1993

Floating and fishing near Sf Solomon River at Osborne

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

Flood stage here is 14.00 ft, 10.84 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

27.00 ft: Sandbagging of homes north of the river becomes necessary. The record flood occurred in July of 1993 when the river reached 28.33 feet. Water reached the bottom of the bridge on Highway 281, but the city of Osborne was not threatened by flooding. However, most rural county roads that crossed the river were flooded.
20.00 ft: Significant flooding occurs. Many county roads such as 90th...70th...and 55th Avenue will be under water where they cross the river. There will also be significant flooding in and around the Shady Bend Golf Course.
16.50 ft: The south approach to 90th Avenue bridge will be threatened by flood water. In addition...the river will flood at the 70th and 55th Avenue Bridges.
14.00 ft: The north approach and bridge on 70th Avenue will begin to flood. In addition...Access to Shady Bend Golf Course via the club house will be cut off.
3.16 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: 9 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	28.33 ft	July 21, 1993
2	27.65 ft	July 13, 1951
3	22.88 ft	June 17, 1957
4	21.70 ft	May 22, 1961
5	21.37 ft	August 25, 2019
6	20.98 ft	April 14, 1987
7	20.68 ft	May 29, 1995
8	20.13 ft	August 29, 1950
9	20.02 ft	July 2, 1982
10	20.00 ft	October 9, 1946

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:48 AM Sunset 06:53 PM Daylight 11 hr, 4 min First quarter 50%

Map

Other gauges on the Sf Solomon River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Sf Solomon River above Webster ReRiver gauge, Sf Solomon River	1.82 ft	Normal	+0.01 ft	47 mi
Sf Solomon River at WoodstonRiver gauge, Sf Solomon River	3.84 ft	Low	±0	22 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Nf Solomon River at PortisRiver gauge, Nf Solomon River	3.94 ft	Normal	±0	9 mi
Cawker CityReservoir	1,448.25 ft	Normal		14 mi
Waconda Lake and Glen ElderReservoir	1,456.98 ft	Very high		21 mi
Solomon River near Glen ElderRiver gauge, Solomon River	7.55 ft	Normal	−0.16 ft	22 mi
Paradise Creek near ParadiseRiver gauge, Paradise Creek	8.39 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	27 mi
Kirwin ReservoirReservoir	1,704.24 ft	Very low		28 mi
Solomon River at BeloitRiver gauge, Solomon River	3.02 ft	Below flood stage	+0.21 ft	31 mi
Bow Creek near StocktonRiver gauge, Bow Creek	3.93 ft	High	+0.01 ft	33 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Sf Solomon River at Osborne compare with last year?

It is 0.17 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.99 ft.

What is flood stage for the Sf Solomon River at Osborne?

The official flood stage is 14.00 ft. The level is currently 10.84 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Sf Solomon River at Osborne in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 3.65 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.73 ft and 4.87 ft, based on 38 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 Sf Solomon River at Osborne today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 07:30 AM CDT, the water level was 3.16 ft. Down 0.18 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Sf Solomon River at Osborne rising or falling?

Down 0.18 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 0.14 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Sf Solomon River at Osborne normal?

Low for mid-October. Compared with 38 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:06874000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 39.42779, -98.69424 (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	3.16 ft	2026-10-18 12:30	Provisional
Flow	8.1 cfs	2026-10-18 12:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Sf Solomon River at Osborne (usgs:06874000). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/kansas/sf-solomon-river-at-osborne

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