Whitewater River (KS) near Towanda, KS
River level and flood forecast · Butler County
Normal1.6 ftas of Mon 2:30 PM
The river is 20.4 ft below flood stage (22 ft).
Flow: 14 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 | 28 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 25 ft |
| Flood stage | 22 ft |
| Action stage | 20 ft |
| Record crest (November 1, 1998) | 30.54 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 28 ftWater level reaches about 2 ft on property 1 mile upstream, on east side of the river around River Valley Road. More extensive flooding of cropland can be expected. Many county roads in low areas will be inundated near the vicinity of the river.
- 25 ftFlooding over cropland becomes more widespread. County roads flood at Southwest 40th Street on low spots near the river about 2 miles downstream of gage and along Southwest 60th Street just west of Fulton Road near the river located 4 miles south of Towanda. Further downstream, 5 miles south of Towanda, expect flooding across Southwest 70th Street near the river.
- 22 ftThe river will be out of its banks on both sides. West bank overflows impact cropland mainly in low lying areas.
Highest crests on record
- 30.54 ft — November 1, 1998
- 29.73 ft — June 8, 1979
- 28.8 ft — June 4, 2025
- 28.5 ft — October 11, 1985
- 28.21 ft — October 10, 1985
Recent crests: 19.01 ft (June 26, 2026) · 15.03 ft (June 18, 2025) · 18.69 ft (June 8, 2025) · 28.8 ft (June 4, 2025) · 20.09 ft (November 3, 2024)
Up and down the river, and nearby
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (TOWK1); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.