Rivers in Kansas
Cottonwood River at Cottonwood Falls
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 18.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 11.00 ft |
| Minor flood | 9.00 ft |
| Action | 7.00 ft |
- 18.00 ftMajor flooding of roads and homes in Cottonwood Falls and in Strong City occurs.
- 16.00 ftFlood waters draw near the Business District in Strong City. In Cottonwood Falls flood waters approach the Millstream Hotel basement floor.
- 15.00 ftWater covers railroad tracks at Strong City.
- 14.00 ftIn Strong City flood waters cover Highway 177 in and around 2nd Street where this section of town sits lower in elevation. Expect Highway 177 to be closed from Cottonwood Falls to Strong City.
- 12.50 ftHighway 177 floods between Strong City and Cottonwood Falls. Flood waters spread out on the south side of Strong City impacting First Street and crossing over Highway 177.
- 12.30 ftHighway 177 begins to flood just north of the Cottonwood River bridge leading into Strong City.
- 12.20 ftHighway 177 begins to flood on the north side of the railroad tracks in Strong City.
- 12.00 ftMain Street, also known as Lake Road begins to floods in the low-lying area between Elmdale and Cottonwood Falls.
- 11.00 ftFlooding occurs at Bates Park in Cottonwood Falls and cropland along the river.
- 10.00 ftWater covers fields and some rural roads along the river. Low areas along the south bank at the gage site begin to flood.
- 9.00 ftFlooding of low-lying areas and cropland can be expected.
- 7.00 ftA small strip of land on the north bank begins to overflow.
Flood outlook
Chance of flooding, September to November
| Category | Chance |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | 25% |
| Moderate flooding | 17% |
| Major flooding | Under 5% |
The three-month chances are the River Forecast Centers’ long-range flood outlook, issued September 25, 2026.
Crest history
56 crests on NOAA’s list since 1944.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | November 1, 1998 | 17.20 ft |
| 2 | June 30, 1951 | 16.40 ft |
| 3 | May 9, 1993 | 16.10 ft |
| 4 | April 23, 1944 | 16.00 ft |
| 5 | October 11, 1985 | 15.70 ft |
| 6 | May 9, 2019 | 14.10 ft |
| 7 | May 1, 1951 | 13.60 ft |
| 8 | June 6, 1965 | 13.50 ft |
| 9 | June 4, 2025 | 13.40 ft |
| 10 | June 18, 1975 | 13.30 ft |
| 11 | June 15, 2010 | 13.20 ft |
| 12 | June 13, 1985 | 13.00 ft |
| 13 | June 13, 2005 | 12.80 ft |
| 14 | May 8, 2007 | 12.50 ft |
| 15 | July 22, 1993 | 12.30 ft |
| 16 | September 14, 2008 | 12.10 ft |
| 17 | March 6, 2004 | 11.90 ft |
| 18 | May 28, 1995 | 11.50 ft |
| 19 | March 11, 1973 | 11.20 ft |
| 20 | May 26, 2019 | 11.20 ft |
| 21 | March 30, 2017 | 11.10 ft |
| 22 | August 1, 2013 | 11.10 ft |
| 23 | July 7, 2019 | 11.10 ft |
| 24 | August 27, 2005 | 11.00 ft |
| 25 | May 24, 1995 | 11.00 ft |
Most recent crests
- July 4, 2026: 7.60 ft
- September 2, 2025: 7.70 ft
- June 19, 2025: 7.60 ft
- June 4, 2025: 13.40 ft
- June 9, 2024: 9.10 ft
- June 6, 2022: 9.50 ft
- July 31, 2020: 10.30 ft
- July 7, 2019: 11.10 ft
- June 25, 2019: 10.60 ft
- May 26, 2019: 11.20 ft
Nearby
Upstream, downstream and the gauges around this one.
What this means
Forecasts by the Arkansas-Red Basin RFC. Forecasts are issued as needed during times of high water, but are not routinely available. Gauge reading only in high-water situations. River forecasts for this location take into account past and future precipitation. Forecast stages may be different if forecast future rainfall does not occur.
Sources
Stage, flood stages, impacts and crest history from NOAA’s National Water Prediction Service.