Marais Des Cygnes River at Ottawa, KS
River level and flood forecast · Franklin County
Normal8.0 ftas of Mon 2:30 PM
The river is 22.0 ft below flood stage (30 ft).
Flow: 1,150 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 | 45 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 33 ft |
| Flood stage | 30 ft |
| Action stage | 25 ft |
| Record crest (July 11, 1951) | 42.97 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 37 ftFlood barriers are closed on Main Street in north Ottawa. Also flooding occurs in parts of east and west Ottawa due to backwater from the river along creeks. Homes are threatened by flood waters in parts of west and east Ottawa.
- 31 ftLowland areas near the river continue to flood.
- 30 ftNeosho Road east of Ottawa floods.
Highest crests on record
- 42.97 ft — July 11, 1951
- 41 ft — July 1, 2007
- 38.92 ft — November 2, 1998
- 34.95 ft — September 14, 1961
- 34.58 ft — June 27, 1969
Recent crests: 31.47 ft (June 4, 2025) · 27.19 ft (April 28, 2024) · 29.14 ft (June 1, 2023) · 19.33 ft (May 26, 2022) · 31.74 ft (May 21, 2021)
Up and down the river, and nearby
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (OTWK1); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.