Smoky Hill River below Russell, KS
River level and flood forecast · Russell County
Normal4.5 ftas of Mon 2:30 PM
The river is 13.5 ft below flood stage (18 ft).
Flow: 48 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 | 38 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 20 ft |
| Flood stage | 18 ft |
| Action stage | 16 ft |
| Record crest (May 25, 2019) | 20.43 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 38 ftThe north bridge approach on Highway 281 at the gage site begins to flood. Expect widespread flooding of agricultural areas.
- 20 ftFlooding of croplands and fields will occur.
- 18 ftExpect flooding of fields and low lying areas especially on the left bank.
- 10 ftThe left bank overflows at this height.
Highest crests on record
- 20.43 ft — May 25, 2019
- 18.96 ft — October 10, 2018
- 18.61 ft — August 26, 2019
- 15.2 ft — June 22, 2026
- 15.13 ft — May 27, 2021
Recent crests: 15.2 ft (June 22, 2026) · 10.22 ft (July 22, 2025) · 8.19 ft (August 13, 2024) · 8.21 ft (August 14, 2023) · 5 ft (June 8, 2022)
Up and down the river, and nearby
- UpstreamSmoky Hill River near Pfeifer, KS
- DownstreamSmoky Hill River at Ellsworth, KS
- Saline River (KS) near Russell, KS
- Paradise Creek below Paradise, KS
- Walnut Creek (KS) at Albert, KS
- Smoky Hill River below Schoenchen, KS
- Big Creek near Hays, KS
- Smoky Hill River above Schoenchen, KS
- Arkansas River at Great Bend, KS
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (RSLK1); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.