Cottonwood River near Plymouth, KS
River level and flood forecast · Chase County
Normal3.9 ftas of Mon 3 PM
The river is 28.1 ft below flood stage (32 ft).
Flow: 325 cubic feet per second (USGS).
The last 7 days and the forecast
NWS forecast issued Sun, Dec 31, 6 PM. Forecasts change as rain falls and as upstream water arrives.
Flood stages
| Major flood stage | 37 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 34 ft |
| Flood stage | 32 ft |
| Action stage | 30 ft |
| Record crest (July 11, 1951) | 37.8 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 37 ftMajor flooding can be expected. Water levels may reach to 4 feet above the ground floors of structures 2.25 miles west of the gage site from Road A. At half a mile north of gage, water levels may reach as high as 1/2 the distance to the electric meters on utility poles.
- 34 ftRoad A becomes completely inundated near the river gage site, south of Hwy 50. Expect flooding of crops and fields.
- 33 ftMore sections along Road A floods especially at the low water crossings.
- 32 ftMinor flooding occurs along both banks. Road A near the gage site becomes flooded especially south of the river.
Highest crests on record
- 37.8 ft — July 11, 1951
- 36.78 ft — November 2, 1998
- 35.70000076294 ft — June 10, 1965
- 35.70000076294 ft — June 5, 1965
- 35.45 ft — October 10, 1985
Recent crests: 29.47 ft (June 26, 2026) · 30.02 ft (February 15, 2026) · 30.31 ft (September 2, 2025) · 25.54 ft (June 18, 2025) · 27.82 ft (June 7, 2025)
Up and down the river, and nearby
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (PLYK1); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.