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Marais Des Cygnes River near Reading

Highest listed crest 27.47 ftFlood stage 19.0 ft93 crests since 1969

The Marais Des Cygnes River near Reading crested above flood stage 76 times among the 93 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1969 to 2025. The highest, 27.47 ft on May 29, 1982, was moderate flooding, 8.47 feet above flood stage. 1 other gauge on the Marais Des Cygnes River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
27.47 ft
May 29, 1982; 67,400 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
19.0 ft
Major flooding from 45.0 ft
Crests at major
0
76 above flood stage
Most recent flood crest
June 4, 2025
22.22 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Lyon County
Kansas

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Marais Des Cygnes River near Reading
Action stage14.09May 9, 2002The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)19.022May 27, 2021Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage21.054Jun 4, 2025Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage45.00—Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

93 crests from 1969 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Marais Des Cygnes River near Reading, 1969 to 2025 01020304050ft Flood stage 19.0 ftMajor 45.0 ft Jun 27, 1969: 25.22 ft, moderate flooding; 30,600 cubic feet per secondJul 24, 1969: 20.98 ft, minor flooding; 8,120 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 1970: 21.37 ft, moderate flooding; 8,890 cubic feet per secondJun 12, 1970: 19.09 ft, minor flooding; 5,490 cubic feet per secondJul 23, 1971: 18.29 ft, action stage; 4,830 cubic feet per secondMay 7, 1972: 17.83 ft, action stage; 4,460 cubic feet per secondFeb 1, 1973: 20.08 ft, minor flooding; 6,770 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 1973: 19.32 ft, minor flooding; 5,720 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 1973: 20.84 ft, minor flooding; 7,910 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 1973: 19.14 ft, minor flooding; 5,540 cubic feet per secondSep 27, 1973: 23.70 ft, moderate flooding; 18,400 cubic feet per secondOct 11, 1973: 22.93 ft, moderate flooding; 8,290 cubic feet per secondMay 14, 1974: 22.16 ft, moderate flooding; 7,130 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 1974: 22.44 ft, moderate flooding; 7,520 cubic feet per secondNov 3, 1974: 19.32 ft, minor flooding; 4,710 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 1975: 21.68 ft, moderate flooding; 6,620 cubic feet per secondApr 28, 1976: 18.27 ft, action stage; 4,220 cubic feet per secondJun 19, 1977: 24.79 ft, moderate flooding; 24,300 cubic feet per secondJun 25, 1977: 23.65 ft, moderate flooding; 11,600 cubic feet per secondSep 1, 1977: 21.76 ft, moderate flooding; 6,700 cubic feet per secondNov 9, 1977: 19.90 ft, minor flooding; 5,040 cubic feet per secondMar 3, 1979: 17.85 ft, action stage; 4,040 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 1980: 22.93 ft, moderate flooding; 8,290 cubic feet per secondJul 3, 1981: 22.42 ft, moderate flooding; 7,490 cubic feet per secondJan 30, 1982: 21.36 ft, moderate flooding; 6,300 cubic feet per secondMay 12, 1982: 21.92 ft, moderate flooding; 6,870 cubic feet per secondMay 25, 1982: 23.47 ft, moderate flooding; 14,300 cubic feet per secondMay 29, 1982: 27.47 ft, moderate flooding; 67,400 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 1983: 23.36 ft, moderate flooding; 13,500 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1983: 20.22 ft, minor flooding; 5,280 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1984: 19.39 ft, minor flooding; 4,900 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 1984: 22.03 ft, moderate flooding; 7,260 cubic feet per secondSep 23, 1985: 22.81 ft, moderate flooding; 10,300 cubic feet per secondOct 10, 1985: 24.63 ft, moderate flooding; 23,100 cubic feet per secondJun 30, 1986: 20.92 ft, minor flooding; 5,850 cubic feet per secondJul 7, 1986: 19.44 ft, minor flooding; 4,830 cubic feet per secondOct 3, 1986: 19.36 ft, minor flooding; 4,780 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1987: 18.34 ft, action stage; 4,270 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 1988: 11.19 ft, below flood stage; 1,980 cubic feet per secondAug 29, 1989: 10.17 ft, below flood stage; 1,740 cubic feet per secondMay 16, 1990: 15.96 ft, action stage; 3,340 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 1991: 5.11 ft, below flood stage; 575 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 1992: 20.43 ft, minor flooding; 5,420 cubic feet per secondJul 5, 1992: 24.25 ft, moderate flooding; 19,500 cubic feet per secondMay 9, 1993: 21.80 ft, moderate flooding; 6,690 cubic feet per secondJul 22, 1993: 24.65 ft, moderate flooding; 25,200 cubic feet per secondApr 28, 1994: 11.27 ft, below flood stage; 2,170 cubic feet per secondMar 14, 1995: 19.50 ft, minor floodingMay 17, 1995: 26.50 ft, moderate floodingMay 24, 1995: 21.50 ft, moderate floodingJun 8, 1995: 23.10 ft, moderate floodingNov 17, 1996: 19.58 ft, minor floodingApr 11, 1997: 22.44 ft, moderate flooding; 8,290 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 1998: 16.07 ft, action stage; 3,700 cubic feet per secondNov 2, 1998: 24.49 ft, moderate flooding; 16,000 cubic feet per secondMay 4, 1999: 20.12 ft, minor floodingMay 23, 1999: 23.14 ft, moderate floodingFeb 25, 2000: 14.15 ft, action stage; 3,150 cubic feet per secondJun 21, 2001: 19.96 ft, minor flooding; 4,870 cubic feet per secondMay 9, 2002: 17.57 ft, action stage; 4,010 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 2003: 19.10 ft, minor flooding; 4,960 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 2004: 22.81 ft, moderate floodingJul 25, 2004: 23.51 ft, moderate flooding; 11,500 cubic feet per secondMay 13, 2005: 24.12 ft, moderate floodingJun 9, 2005: 21.59 ft, moderate floodingJun 13, 2005: 22.44 ft, moderate floodingMay 7, 2007: 25.39 ft, moderate flooding; 20,885 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 2009: 21.69 ft, moderate flooding; 6,634 cubic feet per secondApr 27, 2009: 21.96 ft, moderate flooding; 6,858 cubic feet per secondSep 9, 2009: 24.14 ft, moderate flooding; 14,100 cubic feet per secondMay 13, 2010: 22.18 ft, moderate flooding; 7,350 cubic feet per secondFeb 27, 2011: 8.88 ft, below flood stage; 1,560 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 2012: 10.26 ft, below flood stage; 2,100 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 2013: 8.74 ft, below flood stage; 1,660 cubic feet per secondJun 10, 2014: 19.86 ft, minor flooding; 5,250 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 2015: 21.11 ft, moderate flooding; 4,590 cubic feet per secondMay 24, 2015: 23.30 ft, moderate flooding; 6,100 cubic feet per secondApr 27, 2016: 23.92 ft, moderate floodingMay 27, 2016: 23.81 ft, moderate floodingMar 30, 2017: 21.86 ft, moderate floodingMay 1, 2019: 21.35 ft, moderate floodingMay 7, 2019: 23.45 ft, moderate floodingMay 21, 2019: 22.17 ft, moderate floodingJun 23, 2019: 19.92 ft, minor floodingAug 30, 2019: 21.18 ft, moderate floodingMay 15, 2020: 21.26 ft, moderate flooding; 4,450 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 2021: 24.57 ft, moderate flooding; 14,700 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 2021: 20.96 ft, minor flooding; 4,350 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 2022: 21.50 ft, moderate flooding; 4,520 cubic feet per secondMay 18, 2022: 21.72 ft, moderate flooding; 4,600 cubic feet per secondMay 10, 2023: 8.37 ft, below flood stage; 1,500 cubic feet per secondJul 1, 2024: 25.33 ft, moderate flooding; 21,400 cubic feet per secondJun 4, 2025: 22.22 ft, moderate flooding; 4,864 cubic feet per second Highest, 27.47 ft, May 29, 1982 197019801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Marais Des Cygnes River near Reading 1960s: 2 1970s: 16 16 1980s: 15 1990s: 13 2000s: 11 2010s: 12 2020s: 7 1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 93 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Marais Des Cygnes River near Reading
1May 29, 198227.47+8.47Moderate67,400
2May 17, 199526.50+7.50Moderate—
3May 7, 200725.39+6.39Moderate20,885
4Jul 1, 202425.33+6.33Moderate21,400
5Jun 27, 196925.22+6.22Moderate30,600
6Jun 19, 197724.79+5.79Moderate24,300
7Jul 22, 199324.65+5.65Moderate25,200
8Oct 10, 198524.63+5.63Moderate23,100
9May 17, 202124.57+5.57Moderate14,700
10Nov 2, 199824.49+5.49Moderate16,000
11Jul 5, 199224.25+5.25Moderate19,500
12Sep 9, 200924.14+5.14Moderate14,100
13May 13, 200524.12+5.12Moderate—
14Apr 27, 201623.92+4.92Moderate—
15May 27, 201623.81+4.81Moderate—
16Sep 27, 197323.70+4.70Moderate18,400
17Jun 25, 197723.65+4.65Moderate11,600
18Jul 25, 200423.51+4.51Moderate11,500
19May 25, 198223.47+4.47Moderate14,300
20May 7, 201923.45+4.45Moderate—
21Apr 1, 198323.36+4.36Moderate13,500
22May 24, 201523.30+4.30Moderate6,100
23May 23, 199923.14+4.14Moderate—
24Jun 8, 199523.10+4.10Moderate—
25Oct 11, 197322.93+3.93Moderate8,290
26Mar 30, 198022.93+3.93Moderate8,290
27Sep 23, 198522.81+3.81Moderate10,300
28Mar 5, 200422.81+3.81Moderate—
29Jun 9, 197422.44+3.44Moderate7,520
30Apr 11, 199722.44+3.44Moderate8,290
31Jun 13, 200522.44+3.44Moderate—
32Jul 3, 198122.42+3.42Moderate7,490
33Jun 4, 202522.22+3.22Moderate4,864
34May 13, 201022.18+3.18Moderate7,350
35May 21, 201922.17+3.17Moderate—
36May 14, 197422.16+3.16Moderate7,130
37Jun 9, 198422.03+3.03Moderate7,260
38Apr 27, 200921.96+2.96Moderate6,858
39May 12, 198221.92+2.92Moderate6,870
40Mar 30, 201721.86+2.86Moderate—
41May 9, 199321.80+2.80Moderate6,690
42Sep 1, 197721.76+2.76Moderate6,700
43May 18, 202221.72+2.72Moderate4,600
44Mar 24, 200921.69+2.69Moderate6,634
45Jun 17, 197521.68+2.68Moderate6,620
46Jun 9, 200521.59+2.59Moderate—
47May 24, 199521.50+2.50Moderate—
48Mar 30, 202221.50+2.50Moderate4,520
49Apr 19, 197021.37+2.37Moderate8,890
50Jan 30, 198221.36+2.36Moderate6,300

The worst floods along the Marais Des Cygnes River

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

May 29, 1982: 27.47 ft here, moderate flooding

May 17, 1995: 26.50 ft here, moderate flooding

  • OttawaKS · May 17, 1995 · 34.33 ft · Moderate
  • La CygneKS · May 20, 1995 · 31.54 ft · Moderate
  • OsawatomieKS · May 19, 1995 · 38.60 ft · Minor
  • QuenemoKS · May 17, 1995 · 24.46 ft · Minor

May 7, 2007: 25.39 ft here, moderate flooding

  • La CygneKS · May 10, 2007 · 30.86 ft · Moderate
  • QuenemoKS · May 7, 2007 · 29.53 ft · Moderate
  • OsawatomieKS · May 9, 2007 · 38.87 ft · Minor

Gauges on the Marais Des Cygnes River

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

Flood gauges on the Marais Des Cygnes River
La CygneKS25.036.19 ft, Jul 13, 19512
OsawatomieKS28.050.30 ft, Jul 12, 19512
OttawaKS30.042.97 ft, Jul 11, 19510
QuenemoKS17.029.71 ft, Jun 30, 20070
Reading this gaugeKS19.027.47 ft, May 29, 19820
Trading PostKS27.038.55 ft, May 26, 20190

Other gauges in Lyon County

Flood gauges in Lyon County
Emporia20.033.40 ft, Jul 11, 19511
Emporia19.026.00 ft, Oct 11, 19850
Neosho Rapids22.034.30 ft, Jul 11, 19510
Americus26.028.30 ft, Jun 27, 19690

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge RDNK1, 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.