Rivers in Missouri
Little Osage River at Horton
Below flood stage
27.54ftStage
Observed Wed, Sep 23, 4:45 AM CDT
- Flood stage
- 41.00 ft
- Record crest
- 59.40 ft1986
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 50.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 45.00 ft |
| Minor flood | 41.00 ft |
| Action | 39.00 ft |
- 59.40 ftthe is the record stage level reached on October 4, 1986.
- 59.00 ftflood waters overtop the Interstate 49, former U.S Highway 71, bridge at the gage site.
- 55.00 ftflood waters reach within four feet of flowing over Interstate 49...former U.S. Highway 71...north of Horton at the gage site. In addition...flood waters begin to impact portions of Interstate 49 southbound lane...near the Douglas Branch and Marmaton River junction.
- 53.00 ftflood waters reach the bottom portion of the I-Beam along the U.S. Highway 71 bridge at the gage site, north of Horton.
- 50.00 ftmajor flooding occurs at the gage site. Flood waters are within two feet of the Old U.S. Highway 71 bridge south of Horton. Some homes near the Little Osage River flood due to backwater effects from tributaries of the Little Osage River along Interstate 49. In addition, low areas along the Little Osage River near Metz and Stotesbury, or on Route V and Route WW are impassable.
- 48.00 ftflood waters impact county roads west of Interstate 49, along the Little Osage River. Especially, low areas along Route D, Route V, and Route WW, or near the communities of Stotesbury and Metz are affected by flood waters.
- 45.00 ftmoderate flooding occurs at the gage site. Low lying areas along Route D near Stotesbury flood.
- 41.00 ftminor flooding affects low lying areas near the gage site and farmland along the river.
Flood outlook
Chance of flooding, September to November
| Category | Chance |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | 27% |
| Moderate flooding | 8% |
| Major flooding | Under 5% |
The three-month chances are the River Forecast Centers’ long-range flood outlook, issued September 23, 2026.
Crest history
125 crests on NOAA’s list since 1962.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | October 4, 1986 | 59.40 ft |
| 2 | July 2, 2007 | 53.37 ft |
| 3 | April 13, 1994 | 51.80 ft |
| 4 | February 25, 1985 | 50.00 ft |
| 5 | November 5, 1974 | 49.45 ft |
| 6 | March 12, 1974 | 49.05 ft |
| 7 | May 23, 2019 | 49.03 ft |
| 8 | May 2, 2017 | 47.90 ft |
| 9 | September 17, 1998 | 47.59 ft |
| 10 | March 17, 1990 | 47.20 ft |
| 11 | March 21, 1984 | 47.15 ft |
| 12 | May 3, 2019 | 46.15 ft |
| 13 | August 29, 2009 | 46.14 ft |
| 14 | April 29, 2009 | 46.14 ft |
| 15 | April 5, 1983 | 46.12 ft |
| 16 | April 29, 1999 | 45.90 ft |
| 17 | March 20, 2021 | 45.88 ft |
| 18 | February 23, 1997 | 45.83 ft |
| 19 | March 22, 2012 | 45.76 ft |
| 20 | March 7, 2004 | 45.71 ft |
| 21 | July 10, 1996 | 45.70 ft |
| 22 | May 8, 2022 | 45.61 ft |
| 23 | May 11, 2009 | 45.44 ft |
| 24 | September 18, 2010 | 45.37 ft |
| 25 | June 2, 1982 | 45.37 ft |
Most recent crests
- June 4, 2022: 44.00 ft
- May 27, 2022: 44.17 ft
- May 20, 2022: 41.35 ft
- May 8, 2022: 45.61 ft
- May 3, 2022: 41.17 ft
- April 1, 2022: 41.70 ft
- September 7, 2021: 44.59 ft
- July 18, 2021: 44.91 ft
- July 12, 2021: 42.20 ft
- June 29, 2021: 44.86 ft
Nearby
Upstream, downstream and the gauges around this one.
What this means
Forecasts by the Missouri Basin River Forecast Center. Forecasts are issued as needed during times of high water, but are not routinely available. Gauge reading may be affected by ice.
Sources
Stage, flood stages, impacts and crest history from NOAA’s National Water Prediction Service. Streamflow and the daily record from the U.S. Geological Survey.