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Cottonwood River near Plymouth

Highest listed crest 37.80 ftFlood stage 32.0 ft102 crests since 1951

The Cottonwood River near Plymouth crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 102 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1951 to 2026. The highest, 37.80 ft on July 11, 1951, was major flooding, 5.80 feet above flood stage. 1 other gauge on the Cottonwood River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
37.80 ft
July 11, 1951
Flood stage
32.0 ft
Major flooding from 37.0 ft
Crests at major
1
51st of 171 gauges in Kansas
Most recent flood crest
June 4, 2025
34.11 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Chase County
Near Emporia (8.9 mi)

Flood stages

The thresholds the National Weather Service uses for this gauge today, and how many listed crests reached each.

Flood categories, Cottonwood River near Plymouth
Action stage30.08Feb 15, 2026The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)32.065Jun 6, 2022Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage34.012Jun 4, 2025Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage37.01Jul 11, 1951Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

102 crests from 1951 to 2026. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Cottonwood River near Plymouth, 1951 to 2026 152025303540ft Flood stage 32.0 ftMajor 37.0 ft Jul 11, 1951: 37.80 ft, major floodingApr 26, 1964: 21.69 ft, below flood stage; 5,180 cubic feet per secondJun 5, 1965: 35.70 ft, moderate flooding; 57,500 cubic feet per secondJun 10, 1965: 35.70 ft, moderate floodingSep 22, 1965: 32.86 ft, minor flooding; 13,500 cubic feet per secondJun 8, 1966: 25.42 ft, below flood stage; 6,580 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 1967: 33.74 ft, minor flooding; 21,800 cubic feet per secondOct 7, 1967: 33.15 ft, minor floodingApr 27, 1969: 34.22 ft, moderate floodingJun 27, 1969: 34.48 ft, moderate flooding; 27,200 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 1970: 33.05 ft, minor flooding; 16,000 cubic feet per secondJun 20, 1970: 33.15 ft, minor flooding; 16,600 cubic feet per secondJun 3, 1971: 34.03 ft, moderate flooding; 23,600 cubic feet per secondJun 11, 1971: 32.53 ft, minor flooding; 13,200 cubic feet per secondJul 5, 1971: 32.99 ft, minor flooding; 15,500 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 1972: 32.85 ft, minor flooding; 14,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 2, 1973: 32.60 ft, minor flooding; 14,100 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 1973: 32.92 ft, minor flooding; 15,300 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 1973: 33.59 ft, minor flooding; 19,700 cubic feet per secondMay 22, 1973: 32.35 ft, minor flooding; 13,400 cubic feet per secondSep 27, 1973: 33.54 ft, minor flooding; 19,300 cubic feet per secondOct 11, 1973: 34.72 ft, moderate flooding; 34,400 cubic feet per secondApr 23, 1974: 32.65 ft, minor flooding; 14,200 cubic feet per secondJun 19, 1975: 33.64 ft, minor flooding; 20,100 cubic feet per secondJun 25, 1975: 33.07 ft, minor floodingApr 28, 1976: 32.35 ft, minor flooding; 12,600 cubic feet per secondJun 23, 1977: 33.12 ft, minor flooding; 16,000 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 1978: 26.20 ft, below flood stage; 7,590 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 1979: 33.32 ft, minor flooding; 16,800 cubic feet per secondJul 5, 1979: 33.07 ft, minor floodingMar 30, 1980: 32.43 ft, minor floodingJun 27, 1981: 32.55 ft, minor flooding; 12,000 cubic feet per secondJul 4, 1981: 32.53 ft, minor flooding; 12,000 cubic feet per secondNov 1, 1981: 32.80 ft, minor flooding; 12,500 cubic feet per secondMay 12, 1982: 33.09 ft, minor flooding; 14,700 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1983: 32.70 ft, minor flooding; 12,100 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1984: 33.11 ft, minor flooding; 15,500 cubic feet per secondJun 5, 1985: 33.53 ft, minor flooding; 17,900 cubic feet per secondAug 23, 1985: 33.70 ft, minor floodingOct 10, 1985: 35.45 ft, moderate flooding; 58,200 cubic feet per secondOct 3, 1986: 33.44 ft, minor flooding; 17,600 cubic feet per secondMar 1, 1987: 33.11 ft, minor flooding; 15,500 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 1988: 32.06 ft, minor flooding; 12,100 cubic feet per secondAug 26, 1989: 32.10 ft, minor floodingMay 16, 1990: 32.46 ft, minor flooding; 12,600 cubic feet per secondApr 27, 1991: 23.93 ft, below flood stage; 7,180 cubic feet per secondJul 24, 1992: 32.75 ft, minor flooding; 13,500 cubic feet per secondNov 20, 1992: 33.31 ft, minor flooding; 19,800 cubic feet per secondMay 10, 1993: 35.00 ft, moderate flooding; 46,900 cubic feet per secondJul 6, 1993: 33.21 ft, minor flooding; 18,700 cubic feet per secondJul 22, 1993: 33.75 ft, minor flooding; 24,800 cubic feet per secondApr 28, 1994: 19.03 ft, below flood stage; 4,890 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 1995: 33.56 ft, minor flooding; 22,500 cubic feet per secondAug 23, 1996: 32.26 ft, minor flooding; 12,300 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 1997: 32.82 ft, minor flooding; 20,000 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 1998: 28.02 ft, below flood stage; 10,800 cubic feet per secondNov 2, 1998: 36.78 ft, moderate flooding; 92,900 cubic feet per secondFeb 25, 2000: 21.84 ft, below flood stage; 6,770 cubic feet per secondFeb 25, 2001: 31.03 ft, action stage; 13,200 cubic feet per secondMay 25, 2002: 20.10 ft, below flood stage; 5,930 cubic feet per secondApr 25, 2003: 31.62 ft, action stage; 13,700 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 2004: 33.18 ft, minor flooding; 19,700 cubic feet per secondJul 10, 2004: 33.06 ft, minor flooding; 22,156 cubic feet per secondMay 13, 2005: 32.84 ft, minor flooding; 16,967 cubic feet per secondJun 5, 2005: 32.32 ft, minor flooding; 14,403 cubic feet per secondJun 14, 2005: 33.85 ft, minor flooding; 27,400 cubic feet per secondAug 27, 2005: 33.04 ft, minor flooding; 18,379 cubic feet per secondApr 29, 2006: 17.31 ft, below flood stage; 4,540 cubic feet per secondMay 8, 2007: 33.46 ft, minor flooding; 24,679 cubic feet per secondSep 15, 2008: 33.50 ft, minor flooding; 22,500 cubic feet per secondApr 28, 2009: 33.37 ft, minor flooding; 21,100 cubic feet per secondMay 9, 2009: 33.79 ft, minor flooding; 26,000 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 2009: 33.01 ft, minor flooding; 18,169 cubic feet per secondJul 21, 2009: 30.70 ft, action stage; 12,881 cubic feet per secondJun 10, 2010: 32.82 ft, minor flooding; 16,823 cubic feet per secondJun 15, 2010: 33.91 ft, minor flooding; 21,800 cubic feet per secondFeb 28, 2011: 17.19 ft, below flood stage; 4,020 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 2012: 23.58 ft, below flood stage; 7,800 cubic feet per secondJul 30, 2013: 33.14 ft, minor flooding; 19,255 cubic feet per secondAug 3, 2013: 33.62 ft, minor flooding; 19,400 cubic feet per secondJun 10, 2014: 24.61 ft, below flood stage; 8,710 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 2015: 32.00 ft, minor flooding; 14,209 cubic feet per secondMay 24, 2015: 33.19 ft, minor flooding; 15,700 cubic feet per secondJul 11, 2015: 30.04 ft, action stage; 12,348 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 2016: 33.82 ft, minor flooding; 17,200 cubic feet per secondSep 10, 2016: 33.09 ft, minor flooding; 15,963 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 2017: 33.31 ft, minor flooding; 17,100 cubic feet per secondOct 9, 2018: 33.86 ft, minor flooding; 18,400 cubic feet per secondMay 9, 2019: 34.51 ft, moderate flooding; 34,700 cubic feet per secondMay 22, 2019: 34.08 ft, moderate flooding; 28,400 cubic feet per secondJun 25, 2019: 32.68 ft, minor flooding; 16,700 cubic feet per secondJul 7, 2019: 32.47 ft, minor flooding; 16,100 cubic feet per secondJul 31, 2020: 31.84 ft, action stage; 14,800 cubic feet per secondJun 28, 2021: 27.66 ft, below flood stage; 11,000 cubic feet per secondJun 6, 2022: 32.26 ft, minor flooding; 15,600 cubic feet per secondDec 25, 2023: 15.39 ft, below flood stage; 3,790 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 2024: 31.84 ft, action stage; 14,800 cubic feet per secondJun 4, 2025: 34.11 ft, moderate flooding; 31,700 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 2025: 25.54 ft, below flood stage; 10,100 cubic feet per secondSep 2, 2025: 30.31 ft, action stage; 13,700 cubic feet per secondFeb 15, 2026: 30.02 ft, action stage; 13,400 cubic feet per secondJun 26, 2026: 29.47 ft, below flood stage; 13,004 cubic feet per second Highest, 37.80 ft, Jul 11, 1951 1960197019801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Cottonwood River near Plymouth 1950s: 1 1960s: 7 1970s: 19 19 1980s: 14 1990s: 10 2000s: 11 2010s: 14 2020s: 2 1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  1. These are the crests the local National Weather Service office lists for the gauge: the highest on record and recent crests. Lesser floods between them may be missing, so counts by decade are a floor.
  2. Categories use today's flood stages. Levees, dams and channel changes since a crest can make old and new stages not directly comparable.

Highest crests

The 50 highest of 102 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Cottonwood River near Plymouth
1Jul 11, 195137.80+5.80Major—
2Nov 2, 199836.78+4.78Moderate92,900
3Jun 5, 196535.70+3.70Moderate57,500
4Jun 10, 196535.70+3.70Moderate—
5Oct 10, 198535.45+3.45Moderate58,200
6May 10, 199335.00+3.00Moderate46,900
7Oct 11, 197334.72+2.72Moderate34,400
8May 9, 201934.51+2.51Moderate34,700
9Jun 27, 196934.48+2.48Moderate27,200
10Apr 27, 196934.22+2.22Moderate—
11Jun 4, 202534.11+2.11Moderate31,700
12May 22, 201934.08+2.08Moderate28,400
13Jun 3, 197134.03+2.03Moderate23,600
14Jun 15, 201033.91+1.91Minor21,800
15Oct 9, 201833.86+1.86Minor18,400
16Jun 14, 200533.85+1.85Minor27,400
17May 27, 201633.82+1.82Minor17,200
18May 9, 200933.79+1.79Minor26,000
19Jul 22, 199333.75+1.75Minor24,800
20Jun 22, 196733.74+1.74Minor21,800
21Aug 23, 198533.70+1.70Minor—
22Jun 19, 197533.64+1.64Minor20,100
23Aug 3, 201333.62+1.62Minor19,400
24Mar 11, 197333.59+1.59Minor19,700
25May 27, 199533.56+1.56Minor22,500
26Sep 27, 197333.54+1.54Minor19,300
27Jun 5, 198533.53+1.53Minor17,900
28Sep 15, 200833.50+1.50Minor22,500
29May 8, 200733.46+1.46Minor24,679
30Oct 3, 198633.44+1.44Minor17,600
31Apr 28, 200933.37+1.37Minor21,100
32Jun 9, 197933.32+1.32Minor16,800
33Nov 20, 199233.31+1.31Minor19,800
34Mar 30, 201733.31+1.31Minor17,100
35Jul 6, 199333.21+1.21Minor18,700
36May 24, 201533.19+1.19Minor15,700
37Mar 5, 200433.18+1.18Minor19,700
38Oct 7, 196733.15+1.15Minor—
39Jun 20, 197033.15+1.15Minor16,600
40Jul 30, 201333.14+1.14Minor19,255
41Jun 23, 197733.12+1.12Minor16,000
42Mar 19, 198433.11+1.11Minor15,500
43Mar 1, 198733.11+1.11Minor15,500
44May 12, 198233.09+1.09Minor14,700
45Sep 10, 201633.09+1.09Minor15,963
46Jun 25, 197533.07+1.07Minor—
47Jul 5, 197933.07+1.07Minor—
48Jul 10, 200433.06+1.06Minor22,156
49Apr 19, 197033.05+1.05Minor16,000
50Aug 27, 200533.04+1.04Minor18,379

The worst floods along the Cottonwood River

For this gauge's highest crests, the other gauges on the Cottonwood River that crested above flood stage within a week.

July 11, 1951: 37.80 ft here, major flooding

  • EmporiaKS · Jul 11, 1951 · 33.40 ft · Major · its highest

November 2, 1998: 36.78 ft here, moderate flooding

  • EmporiaKS · Nov 2, 1998 · 29.50 ft · Moderate
  • FlorenceKS · Nov 2, 1998 · 28.81 ft · Moderate · its highest
  • Cottonwood FallsKS · Nov 1, 1998 · 17.20 ft · Moderate · its highest

June 5, 1965: 35.70 ft here, moderate flooding

  • FlorenceKS · Jun 10, 1965 · 27.57 ft · Moderate
  • EmporiaKS · Jun 10, 1965 · 26.90 ft · Moderate
  • Cottonwood FallsKS · Jun 6, 1965 · 13.50 ft · Moderate

Gauges on the Cottonwood River

Flood gauges sharing the river's name, linked within 80 miles of one another.

Flood gauges on the Cottonwood River
Cottonwood FallsKS9.017.20 ft, Nov 1, 19980
EmporiaKS20.033.40 ft, Jul 11, 19511
FlorenceKS22.028.81 ft, Nov 2, 19980
Plymouth this gaugeKS32.037.80 ft, Jul 11, 19511

Other gauges in Chase County

Flood gauges in Chase County
Cottonwood Falls9.017.20 ft, Nov 1, 19980

Chase County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Kansas

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge PLYK1, retrieved October 30, 2026. Stages in feet on the gauge's own datum, not elevation. Crests are as the National Weather Service lists them; preliminary values may be revised.