Rivers in Kansas
Neosho River at Oswego
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 25.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 20.00 ft |
| Minor flood | 17.00 ft |
| Action | 15.00 ft |
- 32.50 ftHighway 160 will be inundated with around 2 feet of flood waters east of Oswego from around the Neosho River Bridge spreading outward along the floodplain. Expect road closures and farmland flooding.
- 30.00 ftHighway 160 will be covered with about 4 inches of flood waters starting from the Neosho River Bridge in Cherokee County and may spread outward along the floodplain 1.5 miles west toward Oswego until the rise in elevation. Flood waters threaten to enter the overflow pipe to freshwater container at the water plant.
- 26.00 ftThe old Water Pumping Plant building floods located near the river bank downstream of the river gage site. The width of the river expands to around 600 yards wide. Expect widespread field and cropland flooding.
- 25.00 ftThe roads around the water pumping plant and the river gage site floods. Expect field and cropland flooding near the river.
- 22.50 ftRiverside Park Drive floods from east of Xavier Road, just south of the river gage bridge, to 100 yards east towards the water plant.
- 21.00 ftXavier Road leading north from the river gage bridge floods in that immediate vicinity. Also 13000 Road along the north side of the river bank floods. West of the town of Faulkner, homes along 120th Street between Star Road and Clem Road begin to flood.
- 19.50 ftXavier Road leading north from the river gage begins to see water near the road.
- 17.00 ftThe left bank begins to overflow and floods agricultural fields. Also, the dirt county road, 13000 Road, along the north side of the river bank starts to flood at 1.5 miles downstream of gage site where the bridge crosses Lightning Creek.
Flood outlook
Chance of flooding, September to November
| Category | Chance |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | 36% |
| Moderate flooding | 25% |
| Major flooding | Under 5% |
The three-month chances are the River Forecast Centers’ long-range flood outlook, issued September 21, 2026.
Crest history
177 crests on NOAA’s list since 1885.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | July 20, 1948 | 34.10 ft |
| 2 | July 15, 1951 | 32.50 ft |
| 3 | July 2, 2007 | 30.00 ft |
| 4 | October 5, 1986 | 27.70 ft |
| 5 | July 27, 1948 | 27.40 ft |
| 6 | July 26, 1948 | 27.30 ft |
| 7 | May 29, 2019 | 27.00 ft |
| 8 | April 12, 1994 | 26.60 ft |
| 9 | September 26, 1993 | 26.50 ft |
| 10 | April 21, 1945 | 26.00 ft |
| 11 | June 11, 1995 | 25.90 ft |
| 12 | March 11, 1974 | 25.90 ft |
| 13 | January 1, 1943 | 25.90 ft |
| 14 | April 28, 1944 | 25.90 ft |
| 15 | June 23, 1948 | 25.60 ft |
| 16 | April 23, 1927 | 25.40 ft |
| 17 | November 24, 1928 | 25.30 ft |
| 18 | February 24, 1985 | 25.30 ft |
| 19 | May 29, 1990 | 25.30 ft |
| 20 | January 1, 1885 | 25.23 ft |
| 21 | September 19, 1926 | 25.10 ft |
| 22 | June 23, 1977 | 25.10 ft |
| 23 | October 31, 1941 | 25.04 ft |
| 24 | November 5, 1974 | 24.85 ft |
| 25 | May 1, 2009 | 24.80 ft |
Most recent crests
- June 28, 2026: 21.25 ft
- June 22, 2026: 19.80 ft
- June 15, 2026: 20.00 ft
- June 9, 2026: 22.50 ft
- April 19, 2026: 19.00 ft
- April 3, 2026: 17.90 ft
- June 19, 2025: 18.41 ft
- June 7, 2025: 21.00 ft
- May 1, 2024: 24.00 ft
- June 7, 2022: 17.49 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.