Little Blue R. at Lees Summit Rd in Independence water level

Name: Little Blue R. at Lees Summit Rd in Independence 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, Little Blue R., Missouri, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

4.22ft Down 0.15 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 12:15 PM CDT (40 min ago)

Flow: 44.6 cfs
Water temperature: 58 °F

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The gauge at Little Blue R. at Lees Summit Rd in Independence reads 4.22 ft, a normal level.

It is 16.78 ft below the flood stage of 21.00 ft.

The level is falling, down 0.15 ft over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 4.22 ft and 5.37 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns. The water temperature at the gauge is 58 °F.

Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels

Key numbers

Highest on record: 27.82 ftAugust 22, 2017

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 21.00 ft, still 16.78 ft away.

What happens at each level

31.00 ft: Water covers Lee's Summit Road near the river gauge.
28.00 ft: High water approaches houses south of Yuma Court near 51st Street.
24.00 ft: High water approaches residential yards south of Yuma Court near 51st Street.
22.00 ft: Little Blue Trace Trailhead parking lot near Phelps Road begins to flood.
21.00 ft: Low-lying areas adjacent to the river begin to flood including portions of the Little Blue Trace Trail.
4.22 ft: Right now

Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	27.82 ft	August 22, 2017
2	24.91 ft	May 28, 2020
3	23.82 ft	July 4, 2024
4	23.64 ft	July 27, 2017
5	22.48 ft	July 1, 2024
6	22.34 ft	October 2, 2018
7	21.60 ft	May 21, 2019

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:32 AM Sunset 06:35 PM Daylight 11 hr, 3 min First quarter 61%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Adair Creek at IndependenceRiver gauge, Adair Creek	0.5 cfs	Low	−0.1 cfs	1.9 mi
Spring Branch Creek at Holke Rd in IndependenceRiver gauge, Spring Branch Creek	1.1 cfs	Normal	±0	5.3 mi
Blue River at Stadium Drive in Kansas CityRiver gauge, Blue River	5.92 ft	Below flood stage	−0.08 ft	7 mi
Little Blue River near Lake CityRiver gauge, Little Blue River	4.72 ft	Below flood stage	−0.08 ft	7 mi
Blue River at 12th Street in Kansas CityRiver gauge, Blue River	2.82 ft	Below flood stage	−0.17 ft	8 mi
Blue River at Kansas CityRiver gauge, Blue River	4.66 ft	Below flood stage	−0.07 ft	10 mi
Brush Creek at Ward Parkway in Kansas CityRiver gauge, Brush Creek	35.79 ft	Below flood stage	+0.04 ft	12 mi
Missouri River at Kansas CityRiver gauge, Missouri River	13.28 ft	Below flood stage	+0.04 ft	13 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Little Blue R. at Lees Summit Rd in Independence?

The official flood stage is 21.00 ft. The level is currently 16.78 ft below it.

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 Little Blue R. at Lees Summit Rd in Independence today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 12:15 PM CDT, the water level was 4.22 ft. Down 0.15 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Little Blue R. at Lees Summit Rd in Independence rising or falling?

Down 0.15 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Little Blue R. at Lees Summit Rd in Independence normal?

Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Little Blue R. at Lees Summit Rd in Independence?

The highest level on record is 27.82 ft on August 22, 2017.

How often is this data updated?

The U.S. Geological Survey publishes a new reading every 15 minutes. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:06893820 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 39.01736, -94.38728 (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	4.22 ft	2026-10-19 17:15	Provisional
Flow	44.6 cfs	2026-10-19 17:15	Provisional
Water temperature	58 °F	2026-10-19 17:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Little Blue R. at Lees Summit Rd in Independence (usgs:06893820). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/missouri/little-blue-r-at-lees-summit-rd-in-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