Smoky Hill River at Ellsworth

Last updated: Jul 4, 2025, 5:12 PM UTC

No watches, warnings or advisories are in effect for this area.

Upstream gauge unavailable

Warning: no valid ratings curve available. Transformations to and from FEET/CFS/KCFS will not happen.

US Geological Survey
Observations courtesy of U.S. Geological Survey

Scale to Flood Categories

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Observed (OBS) 07/04/2025 11:30 AM CDT

Record: 30.1 ft

CATEGORY STAGE

Major Flooding 27 ft

Moderate Flooding 24 ft

Minor Flooding 20 ft

Action 18 ft

Reliability of the Forecast: Forecast data shown here are guidance values only. Please refer to your local NWS office.

NOTE: Forecasts are issued as needed during times of high water, but are not routinely available.

River forecasts for this location take into account past and future precipitation. Forecast stages may be different if forecast future rainfall does not occur.
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	CATEGORY	STAGE
	Major Flooding	27 ft
	Moderate Flooding	24 ft
	Minor Flooding	20 ft
	Action	18 ft

Flood Impacts 🅘

27 - Major and widespread flooding is anticipated. The left bank begins to overflow into the city of Ellsworth.
24 - Extensive flooding of low-lying areas and roads around the area will be impacted including Highway 14. The bridge on Highway 14 becomes flooded along with some homes around the area.
23 - The road 100 feet south of the Highway 14 Bridge will become inundated with about 1 ft depth of water.

Gauge Info

Coordinates	38.7267, -98.2333
RFC	MBRFC
State	KS
WFO	ICT
County	Ellsworth
Data Provider(s)
US Geological Survey	USGS--Water Resources of the United States
USGS	06864500

Gauge Location

Recent Crests

1.	11.66 ft	on 06-06-2022
2.	14.68 ft	on 05-27-2021
3.	21.43 ft	on 06-22-2020
4.	20.90 ft	on 05-26-2019
5.	23.04 ft	on 10-10-2018

Historic Crests

1.	30.07 ft	on 07-22-1993
2.	27.20 ft	on 06-01-1938
3.	25.70 ft	on 08-13-1927
4.	25.57 ft	on 07-23-1993
5.	24.85 ft	on 07-26-1990

Vertical Datum Table

type	NAVD88
major Flooding	1536.62 ft
moderate Flooding	1533.62 ft
minor Flooding	1529.62 ft
action	1527.62 ft
Latest Value	1510.70 ft
Gauge Zero	1509.62 ft

Gauge Photos

Photo 1 of 3

Looking upstream, stage 1.38 ft

Probability Information

Photo 1 of 3

Weekly Chance of Exceeding Levels
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Chance of Exceeding Levels During Entire Period
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Short Range Forecast Uncertainty
About this graph | Product Description Document

Unique Local Info

How low could the river get?

Collaborative Agencies

The National Weather Service prepares its forecasts and other services in collaboration with agencies like the US Geological Survey, US Bureau of Reclamation, US Army Corps of Engineers, Natural Resource Conservation Service, National Park Service, ALERT Users Group, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and many state and local emergency managers across the country. For details, please click here.

Resources

Hydrologic Resource Links

Additional Resource Links

WFO Information

Weather Forecast Office

Wichita

2142 South Tyler Road

Wichita, KS 67209

(316) 942-3102

Ask Questions/Webmaster

Official Homepage

1.	11.66 ft	on 06-06-2022
2.	14.68 ft	on 05-27-2021
3.	21.43 ft	on 06-22-2020
4.	20.90 ft	on 05-26-2019
5.	23.04 ft	on 10-10-2018
6.	13.41 ft	on 09-04-2018
7.	16.98 ft	on 05-20-2017
8.	13.65 ft	on 08-31-2016
9.	3.96 ft	on 08-05-2015
10.	8.79 ft	on 06-29-2014
11.	9.10 ft	on 07-26-2013
12.	4.43 ft	on 04-16-2012
13.	13.23 ft	on 05-26-2011
14.	9.96 ft	on 05-27-2010
15.	17.08 ft	on 06-12-2008
16.	22.97 ft	on 08-02-2007
17.	22.67 ft	on 05-06-2007
18.	4.76 ft	on 07-01-2003
19.	18.90 ft	on 06-08-2001
20.	19.10 ft	on 05-24-1995
21.	6.29 ft	on 07-03-1994
22.	25.57 ft	on 07-23-1993
23.	30.07 ft	on 07-22-1993
24.	18.29 ft	on 07-23-1992
25.	14.04 ft	on 05-30-1991
26.	24.85 ft	on 07-26-1990
27.	10.40 ft	on 09-09-1989
28.	3.44 ft	on 07-29-1988
29.	22.35 ft	on 04-16-1987
30.	22.20 ft	on 04-15-1987
31.	21.20 ft	on 03-23-1987
32.	10.35 ft	on 07-06-1986
33.	19.64 ft	on 08-22-1985
34.	8.18 ft	on 04-30-1984
35.	2.85 ft	on 04-01-1983
36.	13.39 ft	on 07-19-1982
37.	13.67 ft	on 05-05-1981
38.	9.24 ft	on 04-01-1980
39.	17.99 ft	on 03-24-1979
40.	4.49 ft	on 05-12-1978
41.	14.22 ft	on 08-06-1977
42.	11.02 ft	on 04-21-1976
43.	16.38 ft	on 08-29-1975
44.	21.71 ft	on 10-11-1973
45.	20.67 ft	on 03-31-1973
46.	13.65 ft	on 11-17-1971
47.	19.48 ft	on 06-11-1971
48.	23.13 ft	on 06-16-1970
49.	19.84 ft	on 06-22-1969
50.	13.44 ft	on 09-23-1968
51.	21.00 ft	on 09-19-1967
52.	14.15 ft	on 07-27-1966
53.	18.13 ft	on 07-06-1965
54.	11.12 ft	on 09-01-1964
55.	10.00 ft	on 09-02-1963
56.	20.12 ft	on 07-09-1962
57.	21.47 ft	on 09-13-1961
58.	21.28 ft	on 08-29-1960
59.	17.25 ft	on 03-30-1958
60.	19.89 ft	on 07-02-1957
61.	10.32 ft	on 06-01-1956
62.	18.05 ft	on 07-01-1955
63.	9.28 ft	on 06-15-1954
64.	8.85 ft	on 08-04-1953
65.	18.28 ft	on 05-24-1952
66.	22.16 ft	on 06-24-1951
67.	21.08 ft	on 06-21-1951
68.	20.70 ft	on 06-08-1951
69.	22.50 ft	on 06-07-1951
70.	24.12 ft	on 05-23-1951
71.	19.35 ft	on 07-19-1950
72.	18.44 ft	on 06-09-1949
73.	10.09 ft	on 07-17-1948
74.	18.00 ft	on 10-10-1946
75.	18.71 ft	on 05-21-1945
76.	18.57 ft	on 05-04-1944
77.	9.67 ft	on 06-16-1943
78.	20.65 ft	on 06-19-1942
79.	21.35 ft	on 09-21-1941
80.	21.14 ft	on 09-02-1941
81.	11.17 ft	on 07-04-1940
82.	16.00 ft	on 06-16-1939
83.	27.20 ft	on 06-01-1938
84.	11.00 ft	on 07-14-1937
85.	11.40 ft	on 05-10-1936
86.	18.67 ft	on 06-28-1935
87.	14.80 ft	on 06-18-1934
88.	13.77 ft	on 09-01-1933
89.	15.46 ft	on 09-12-1932
90.	19.30 ft	on 06-05-1930
91.	19.85 ft	on 05-12-1929
92.	22.00 ft	on 08-04-1928
93.	25.70 ft	on 08-13-1927
94.	8.35 ft	on 04-03-1925
95.	6.08 ft	on 08-22-1924
96.	14.10 ft	on 09-19-1923
97.	18.10 ft	on 04-24-1922
98.	8.10 ft	on 07-06-1921
99.	6.30 ft	on 05-23-1920
100.	11.40 ft	on 05-05-1919
101.	11.80 ft	on 06-30-1905	¹
102.	13.40 ft	on 07-06-1904	¹
103.	19.20 ft	on 05-29-1903	¹
104.	15.60 ft	on 09-24-1902	¹
105.	4.60 ft	on 04-11-1901	¹
106.	4.80 ft	on 07-02-1900	¹
107.	15.60 ft	on 07-08-1899	¹
108.	5.80 ft	on 05-29-1898	¹
109.	4.60 ft	on 04-04-1897	¹
110.	9.80 ft	on 06-07-1896	¹
111.	21.60 ft	on 07-05-1895	¹

1.	30.07 ft	on 07-22-1993
2.	27.20 ft	on 06-01-1938
3.	25.70 ft	on 08-13-1927
4.	25.57 ft	on 07-23-1993
5.	24.85 ft	on 07-26-1990
6.	24.12 ft	on 05-23-1951
7.	23.13 ft	on 06-16-1970
8.	23.04 ft	on 10-10-2018
9.	22.97 ft	on 08-02-2007
10.	22.67 ft	on 05-06-2007
11.	22.50 ft	on 06-07-1951
12.	22.35 ft	on 04-16-1987
13.	22.20 ft	on 04-15-1987
14.	22.16 ft	on 06-24-1951
15.	22.00 ft	on 08-04-1928
16.	21.71 ft	on 10-11-1973
17.	21.60 ft	on 07-05-1895	¹
18.	21.47 ft	on 09-13-1961
19.	21.43 ft	on 06-22-2020
20.	21.35 ft	on 09-21-1941
21.	21.28 ft	on 08-29-1960
22.	21.20 ft	on 03-23-1987
23.	21.14 ft	on 09-02-1941
24.	21.08 ft	on 06-21-1951
25.	21.00 ft	on 09-19-1967
26.	20.90 ft	on 05-26-2019
27.	20.70 ft	on 06-08-1951
28.	20.67 ft	on 03-31-1973
29.	20.65 ft	on 06-19-1942
30.	20.12 ft	on 07-09-1962
31.	19.89 ft	on 07-02-1957
32.	19.85 ft	on 05-12-1929
33.	19.84 ft	on 06-22-1969
34.	19.64 ft	on 08-22-1985
35.	19.48 ft	on 06-11-1971
36.	19.35 ft	on 07-19-1950
37.	19.30 ft	on 06-05-1930
38.	19.20 ft	on 05-29-1903	¹
39.	19.10 ft	on 05-24-1995
40.	18.90 ft	on 06-08-2001
41.	18.71 ft	on 05-21-1945
42.	18.67 ft	on 06-28-1935
43.	18.57 ft	on 05-04-1944
44.	18.44 ft	on 06-09-1949
45.	18.29 ft	on 07-23-1992
46.	18.28 ft	on 05-24-1952
47.	18.13 ft	on 07-06-1965
48.	18.10 ft	on 04-24-1922
49.	18.05 ft	on 07-01-1955
50.	18.00 ft	on 10-10-1946
51.	17.99 ft	on 03-24-1979
52.	17.25 ft	on 03-30-1958
53.	17.08 ft	on 06-12-2008
54.	16.98 ft	on 05-20-2017
55.	16.38 ft	on 08-29-1975
56.	16.00 ft	on 06-16-1939
57.	15.60 ft	on 07-08-1899	¹
58.	15.60 ft	on 09-24-1902	¹
59.	15.46 ft	on 09-12-1932
60.	14.80 ft	on 06-18-1934
61.	14.68 ft	on 05-27-2021
62.	14.22 ft	on 08-06-1977
63.	14.15 ft	on 07-27-1966
64.	14.10 ft	on 09-19-1923
65.	14.04 ft	on 05-30-1991
66.	13.77 ft	on 09-01-1933
67.	13.67 ft	on 05-05-1981
68.	13.65 ft	on 08-31-2016
69.	13.65 ft	on 11-17-1971
70.	13.44 ft	on 09-23-1968
71.	13.41 ft	on 09-04-2018
72.	13.40 ft	on 07-06-1904	¹
73.	13.39 ft	on 07-19-1982
74.	13.23 ft	on 05-26-2011
75.	11.80 ft	on 06-30-1905	¹
76.	11.66 ft	on 06-06-2022
77.	11.40 ft	on 05-05-1919
78.	11.40 ft	on 05-10-1936
79.	11.17 ft	on 07-04-1940
80.	11.12 ft	on 09-01-1964
81.	11.02 ft	on 04-21-1976
82.	11.00 ft	on 07-14-1937
83.	10.40 ft	on 09-09-1989
84.	10.35 ft	on 07-06-1986
85.	10.32 ft	on 06-01-1956
86.	10.09 ft	on 07-17-1948
87.	10.00 ft	on 09-02-1963
88.	9.96 ft	on 05-27-2010
89.	9.80 ft	on 06-07-1896	¹
90.	9.67 ft	on 06-16-1943
91.	9.28 ft	on 06-15-1954
92.	9.24 ft	on 04-01-1980
93.	9.10 ft	on 07-26-2013
94.	8.85 ft	on 08-04-1953
95.	8.79 ft	on 06-29-2014
96.	8.35 ft	on 04-03-1925
97.	8.18 ft	on 04-30-1984
98.	8.10 ft	on 07-06-1921
99.	6.30 ft	on 05-23-1920
100.	6.29 ft	on 07-03-1994
101.	6.08 ft	on 08-22-1924
102.	5.80 ft	on 05-29-1898	¹
103.	4.80 ft	on 07-02-1900	¹
104.	4.76 ft	on 07-01-2003
105.	4.60 ft	on 04-11-1901	¹
106.	4.60 ft	on 04-04-1897	¹
107.	4.49 ft	on 05-12-1978
108.	4.43 ft	on 04-16-2012
109.	3.96 ft	on 08-05-2015
110.	3.44 ft	on 07-29-1988
111.	2.85 ft	on 04-01-1983