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Missouri River at Atchison

Highest listed crest 31.63 ftFlood stage 22.0 ft94 crests since 1881

The Missouri River at Atchison crested at major flood stage 3 times among the 94 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1881 to 2024. The highest, 31.63 ft on July 26, 1993, was major flooding, 9.63 feet above flood stage. 16 other gauges on the Missouri River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 10 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
31.63 ft
July 26, 1993
Flood stage
22.0 ft
Major flooding from 30.0 ft
Crests at major
3
18th of 171 gauges in Kansas
Most recent flood crest
July 3, 2024
25.78 ft, minor flooding
Location
Atchison County
Near Atchison (1.2 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Missouri River at Atchison
Action stage19.00—The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)22.085Jul 3, 2024Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage27.06May 31, 2019Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage30.03Mar 22, 2019Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

94 crests from 1881 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Missouri River at Atchison, 1881 to 2024 222426283032ft Flood stage 22.0 ftMajor 30.0 ft Apr 13, 1881: 22.60 ft, minor floodingApr 29, 1881: 26.40 ft, minor floodingApr 19, 1897: 22.40 ft, minor floodingApr 27, 1899: 22.30 ft, minor floodingJun 2, 1903: 24.00 ft, minor floodingJul 11, 1905: 22.20 ft, minor floodingJul 20, 1907: 22.70 ft, minor floodingJun 17, 1908: 23.80 ft, minor floodingJul 11, 1909: 23.30 ft, minor floodingJun 10, 1917: 22.50 ft, minor floodingApr 18, 1943: 22.60 ft, minor floodingJun 19, 1943: 23.60 ft, minor floodingApr 21, 1944: 23.10 ft, minor floodingJun 20, 1944: 24.20 ft, minor floodingJun 17, 1945: 22.40 ft, minor floodingJul 7, 1947: 25.20 ft, minor floodingMar 6, 1949: 26.60 ft, minor floodingApr 17, 1949: 23.10 ft, minor floodingMay 1, 1950: 23.30 ft, minor floodingMay 11, 1950: 22.70 ft, minor floodingMar 31, 1951: 22.20 ft, minor floodingMay 3, 1951: 23.80 ft, minor floodingJun 4, 1951: 25.00 ft, minor floodingJun 21, 1951: 22.70 ft, minor floodingJul 7, 1951: 24.20 ft, minor floodingJan 31, 1952: 22.70 ft, minor floodingApr 23, 1952: 29.50 ft, moderate floodingJun 28, 1953: 22.70 ft, minor floodingApr 7, 1960: 24.90 ft, minor floodingJun 18, 1964: 22.60 ft, minor floodingJun 22, 1964: 22.90 ft, minor floodingJun 20, 1965: 22.20 ft, minor floodingJun 30, 1965: 23.30 ft, minor floodingJun 19, 1967: 26.10 ft, minor floodingJul 19, 1969: 22.00 ft, minor floodingSep 14, 1972: 22.50 ft, minor floodingJan 18, 1973: 22.30 ft, minor floodingApr 2, 1973: 23.80 ft, minor floodingSep 28, 1973: 23.30 ft, minor floodingOct 13, 1973: 27.50 ft, moderate floodingJan 25, 1974: 24.00 ft, minor floodingJul 26, 1993: 31.63 ft, major floodingMay 14, 1995: 25.70 ft, minor floodingMay 24, 1995: 24.00 ft, minor floodingMay 28, 1995: 24.50 ft, minor floodingJul 5, 1995: 22.20 ft, minor floodingMay 10, 1996: 24.20 ft, minor floodingMay 28, 1996: 26.60 ft, minor floodingJun 6, 1996: 22.80 ft, minor floodingJun 24, 1996: 26.80 ft, minor floodingJul 21, 1996: 25.00 ft, minor floodingAug 9, 1996: 23.40 ft, minor floodingNov 17, 1996: 22.50 ft, minor floodingApr 11, 1997: 23.70 ft, minor floodingJun 26, 1997: 23.10 ft, minor floodingMar 31, 1998: 22.60 ft, minor floodingJun 16, 1998: 26.15 ft, minor floodingApr 17, 1999: 24.20 ft, minor floodingApr 28, 1999: 23.90 ft, minor floodingMay 18, 1999: 23.10 ft, minor floodingMay 22, 1999: 25.00 ft, minor floodingJun 14, 1999: 22.30 ft, minor floodingJun 29, 1999: 25.05 ft, minor floodingAug 9, 1999: 22.50 ft, minor floodingMay 7, 2001: 23.80 ft, minor floodingMay 26, 2004: 23.78 ft, minor floodingMay 31, 2004: 25.37 ft, minor floodingMay 8, 2007: 29.15 ft, moderate flooding; 247,354 cubic feet per secondMay 25, 2007: 23.07 ft, minor flooding; 128,597 cubic feet per secondOct 16, 2007: 23.35 ft, minor flooding; 132,378 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 2008: 23.40 ft, minor floodingJun 13, 2008: 28.85 ft, moderate floodingMar 12, 2010: 23.14 ft, minor floodingMar 25, 2010: 24.76 ft, minor floodingJun 25, 2010: 29.83 ft, moderate floodingAug 6, 2010: 23.54 ft, minor floodingJun 29, 2011: 31.00 ft, major floodingMay 31, 2013: 24.67 ft, minor floodingJun 25, 2014: 23.00 ft, minor floodingJun 5, 2015: 24.30 ft, minor floodingJun 12, 2015: 24.50 ft, minor floodingJun 17, 2015: 23.85 ft, minor floodingMay 12, 2016: 23.15 ft, minor floodingMay 21, 2017: 23.44 ft, minor floodingJul 3, 2018: 23.90 ft, minor floodingSep 4, 2018: 23.88 ft, minor floodingSep 30, 2018: 22.15 ft, minor floodingOct 10, 2018: 26.44 ft, minor floodingMar 22, 2019: 31.20 ft, major floodingMay 9, 2019: 24.83 ft, minor floodingMay 31, 2019: 29.26 ft, moderate floodingJul 22, 2019: 22.14 ft, minor floodingAug 18, 2019: 22.10 ft, minor floodingJul 3, 2024: 25.78 ft, minor flooding Highest, 31.63 ft, Jul 26, 1993 1900192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Missouri River at Atchison 1880s: 2 1890s: 2 1900s: 5 1910s: 1 1920s: 0 1930s: 0 1940s: 8 1950s: 10 1960s: 7 1970s: 6 1980s: 0 1990s: 23 23 2000s: 8 2010s: 21 2020s: 1 1880s1900s1920s1940s1960s1980s2000s2020s
  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 94 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Missouri River at Atchison
1Jul 26, 199331.63+9.63Major—
2Mar 22, 201931.20+9.20Major—
3Jun 29, 201131.00+9.00Major—
4Jun 25, 201029.83+7.83Moderate—
5Apr 23, 195229.50+7.50Moderate—
6May 31, 201929.26+7.26Moderate—
7May 8, 200729.15+7.15Moderate247,354
8Jun 13, 200828.85+6.85Moderate—
9Oct 13, 197327.50+5.50Moderate—
10Jun 24, 199626.80+4.80Minor—
11Mar 6, 194926.60+4.60Minor—
12May 28, 199626.60+4.60Minor—
13Oct 10, 201826.44+4.44Minor—
14Apr 29, 188126.40+4.40Minor—
15Jun 16, 199826.15+4.15Minor—
16Jun 19, 196726.10+4.10Minor—
17Jul 3, 202425.78+3.78Minor—
18May 14, 199525.70+3.70Minor—
19May 31, 200425.37+3.37Minor—
20Jul 7, 194725.20+3.20Minor—
21Jun 29, 199925.05+3.05Minor—
22Jun 4, 195125.00+3.00Minor—
23Jul 21, 199625.00+3.00Minor—
24May 22, 199925.00+3.00Minor—
25Apr 7, 196024.90+2.90Minor—
26May 9, 201924.83+2.83Minor—
27Mar 25, 201024.76+2.76Minor—
28May 31, 201324.67+2.67Minor—
29May 28, 199524.50+2.50Minor—
30Jun 12, 201524.50+2.50Minor—
31Jun 5, 201524.30+2.30Minor—
32Jun 20, 194424.20+2.20Minor—
33Jul 7, 195124.20+2.20Minor—
34May 10, 199624.20+2.20Minor—
35Apr 17, 199924.20+2.20Minor—
36Jun 2, 190324.00+2.00Minor—
37Jan 25, 197424.00+2.00Minor—
38May 24, 199524.00+2.00Minor—
39Apr 28, 199923.90+1.90Minor—
40Jul 3, 201823.90+1.90Minor—
41Sep 4, 201823.88+1.88Minor—
42Jun 17, 201523.85+1.85Minor—
43Jun 17, 190823.80+1.80Minor—
44May 3, 195123.80+1.80Minor—
45Apr 2, 197323.80+1.80Minor—
46May 7, 200123.80+1.80Minor—
47May 26, 200423.78+1.78Minor—
48Apr 11, 199723.70+1.70Minor—
49Jun 19, 194323.60+1.60Minor—
50Aug 6, 201023.54+1.54Minor—

The worst floods along the Missouri River

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

July 26, 1993: 31.63 ft here, major flooding

  • BrownvilleNE · Jul 24, 1993 · 44.30 ft · Major
  • St. CharlesMO · Aug 2, 1993 · 40.04 ft · Major
  • GlasgowMO · Jul 29, 1993 · 39.50 ft · Major · its highest
  • Jefferson CityMO · Jul 30, 1993 · 38.65 ft · Major · its highest
  • BoonvilleMO · Jul 29, 1993 · 37.10 ft · Major · its highest
  • HermannMO · Jul 31, 1993 · 36.97 ft · Major · its highest
  • PlattsmouthNE · Jul 25, 1993 · 35.65 ft · Major
  • WashingtonMO · Jul 31, 1993 · 35.40 ft · Major · its highest
  • LeavenworthKS · Jul 28, 1993 · 35.34 ft · Major · its highest
  • ChamoisMO · Jul 31, 1993 · 33.30 ft · Major · its highest

March 22, 2019: 31.20 ft here, major flooding

  • BrownvilleNE · Mar 16, 2019 · 45.73 ft · Major · its highest
  • PlattsmouthNE · Mar 16, 2019 · 40.62 ft · Major · its highest
  • ParkvilleMO · Mar 23, 2019 · 35.01 ft · Major · its highest
  • St. JosephMO · Mar 22, 2019 · 32.07 ft · Major
  • WaverlyMO · Mar 26, 2019 · 31.61 ft · Major
  • LeavenworthKS · Mar 23, 2019 · 31.31 ft · Major
  • Nebraska CityNE · Mar 16, 2019 · 30.12 ft · Major · its highest
  • MiamiMO · Mar 26, 2019 · 29.60 ft · Major
  • RuloNE · Mar 20, 2019 · 28.13 ft · Major · its highest
  • OmahaNE · Mar 17, 2019 · 34.40 ft · Moderate

June 29, 2011: 31.00 ft here, major flooding

  • BrownvilleNE · Jun 23, 2011 · 44.79 ft · Major
  • PlattsmouthNE · Jun 30, 2011 · 36.73 ft · Major
  • La Framboise IslandSD · Jun 22, 2011 · 33.45 ft · Major · its highest
  • LeavenworthKS · Jun 30, 2011 · 30.80 ft · Major
  • St. JosephMO · Jun 28, 2011 · 29.97 ft · Major
  • VerdelNE · Jun 30, 2011 · 29.12 ft · Major · its highest
  • Nebraska CityNE · Jun 28, 2011 · 28.27 ft · Major
  • RuloNE · Jun 27, 2011 · 27.26 ft · Major
  • NiobraraNE · Jun 26, 2011 · 26.76 ft · Major · its highest
  • PierreSD · Jun 22, 2011 · 19.83 ft · Major

Gauges on the Missouri River

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

Flood gauges on the Missouri River
ParkvilleMO25.035.01 ft, Mar 23, 20191
Atchison this gaugeKS22.031.63 ft, Jul 26, 19933
BoonvilleMO21.037.10 ft, Jul 29, 19931
BrownvilleNE34.045.73 ft, Mar 16, 20193
ChamberlainSD65.075.08 ft, Jul 8, 20113
DecaturNE35.044.41 ft, Apr 16, 19521
Farm IslandSD26.029.52 ft, Jun 21, 20111
Gavins Point DamNE1,210.01,212.02 ft, Mar 15, 20190
GlasgowMO25.039.50 ft, Jul 29, 199324
HermannMO21.036.97 ft, Jul 31, 19939
Highway 370 at BellevueNE30.033.78 ft, Jun 29, 20240
Highway 92 at OmahaNE27.532.90 ft, Jun 29, 20240
Jefferson CityMO23.038.65 ft, Jul 30, 199310
Kansas CityMO32.048.87 ft, Jul 27, 19930
La Framboise IslandSD29.033.45 ft, Jun 22, 20111
LeavenworthKS20.035.34 ft, Jul 28, 19933
MiamiMO18.032.60 ft, Jul 30, 19935
NapoleonMO17.029.73 ft, Jun 2, 20190
Nebraska CityNE18.030.12 ft, Mar 16, 20193
NiobraraNE21.026.76 ft, Jun 26, 20111
OmahaNE27.036.29 ft, Jul 2, 20110
PierreSD13.025.35 ft, Apr 10, 19525
PlattsmouthNE26.040.62 ft, Mar 16, 20193
RuloNE17.028.13 ft, Mar 20, 20193
Sioux CityNE30.035.25 ft, Jul 21, 20110
SpringfieldSD11.017.73 ft, Mar 14, 20191
St. CharlesMO25.040.11 ft, Jun 24, 18449
St. JosephMO17.032.07 ft, Jul 26, 19934
WashingtonMO20.035.40 ft, Jul 31, 19935
YanktonSD20.050.50 ft, Apr 5, 188138
BlairNE26.533.50 ft, Apr 17, 19521
ChamoisMO17.033.30 ft, Jul 31, 19931
GreenwoodSD30.038.78 ft, Jul 7, 20112
MaskellNE30.031.86 ft, Jun 29, 20110
PoncaNE20.029.15 ft, Jul 20, 20111
VerdelNE24.029.12 ft, Jun 30, 20112
WaverlyMO20.031.92 ft, Jun 1, 20193

Other gauges in Atchison County

Flood gauges in Atchison County
Muscotah27.036.50 ft, Jun 1, 19251

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge ATCK1, 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.