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Smoky Hill River below Schoenchen, KS

River level and flood forecast · Ellis County

Normal3.0 ftas of Mon 2 PM

The river is 8.0 ft below flood stage (11 ft).

Flow: 8 cubic feet per second (USGS).

The last 7 days and the forecast

05101520TueWedThuFriSatSunMonAction 10 ftFlood 11 ftModerate 14 ftMajor 17 ftNowObserved (ft)NWS forecast

NWS forecast issued Sun, Dec 31, 6 PM. Forecasts change as rain falls and as upstream water arrives.

Flood stages

Major flood stage17 ft
Moderate flood stage14 ft
Flood stage11 ft
Action stage10 ft
Record crest (July 21, 1993)17.6 ft

What floods at each level

From the National Weather Service, highest first.

  • 17 ftPrepare for major flooding along the Smoky Hill River from Schoenchen throughout southeastern Ellis County. Extensive flooding of lowlands will occur, with floodwaters of six feet or more possible near the main river channel.
  • 14 ftExpect moderate flooding of three feet or more along the Smoky Hill River from Schoenchen through the southeastern portion of Ellis County. Some county roads adjacent to the river will be impassable due to rising waters.
  • 13 ftExpect minor flooding of two feet or more along the Smoky Hill River from Schoenchen through the southeastern portions of Ellis County, as the river moves further out onto the floodplain. Some county roads in close proximity to the river may become impassible as rising waters cover the roads.
  • 11 ftExpect minor overflows along the Smoky Hill River in the vicinity of Schoenchen, as lowland flooding of pasturelands initiates immediately adjacent to the river.

Highest crests on record

  1. 17.6 ft — July 21, 1993
  2. 13.57 ft — April 14, 1987
  3. 12.42 ft — June 1, 2007
  4. 12.22 ft — May 22, 2019
  5. 11.42 ft — October 10, 2018

Recent crests: 10.59 ft (August 25, 2019) · 12.22 ft (May 22, 2019) · 11.42 ft (October 10, 2018) · 10.45 ft (April 17, 2016) · 9.7 ft (July 10, 2014)

Up and down the river, and nearby

See it on the live map →Radar & warnings for Ellis CountyNWS gauge pageUSGS gauge 06862850

Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (SCSK1); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.