Search
Menu

Explore

Hazards

Analysis

Rankings

Reference

Neosho River at Burlington

Highest listed crest 41.53 ftFlood stage 27.0 ft90 crests since 1942

The Neosho River at Burlington crested above flood stage 35 times among the 90 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1942 to 2021. The highest, 41.53 ft on July 12, 1951, was moderate flooding, 14.53 feet above flood stage. 6 other gauges on the Neosho River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 5 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
41.53 ft
July 12, 1951
Flood stage
27.0 ft
Major flooding from 45.0 ft
Crests at major
0
35 above flood stage
Most recent flood crest
May 26, 2019
32.73 ft, minor flooding
Location
Coffey County
Kansas

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Neosho River at Burlington
Action stage22.016Jun 1, 1995The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)27.034May 26, 2019Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage40.01Jul 12, 1951Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage45.00—Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

90 crests from 1942 to 2021. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Neosho River at Burlington, 1942 to 2021 01020304050ft Flood stage 27.0 ftMajor 45.0 ft Jun 22, 1942: 25.80 ft, action stageJun 27, 1942: 25.90 ft, action stageJun 19, 1943: 27.20 ft, minor floodingMar 18, 1944: 27.40 ft, minor floodingApr 13, 1944: 32.00 ft, minor floodingApr 24, 1944: 35.00 ft, minor floodingDec 6, 1944: 34.30 ft, minor floodingMar 24, 1945: 27.70 ft, minor floodingApr 17, 1945: 35.10 ft, minor floodingJun 30, 1945: 28.20 ft, minor floodingOct 3, 1945: 31.00 ft, minor floodingJun 22, 1946: 29.75 ft, minor floodingMar 16, 1947: 28.25 ft, minor floodingApr 13, 1947: 30.35 ft, minor floodingJun 7, 1947: 27.90 ft, minor floodingJul 21, 1948: 36.80 ft, minor floodingMay 3, 1951: 32.40 ft, minor floodingJun 10, 1951: 28.80 ft, minor floodingJun 24, 1951: 27.30 ft, minor floodingJul 2, 1951: 34.50 ft, minor floodingJul 7, 1951: 28.55 ft, minor floodingJul 12, 1951: 41.53 ft, moderate floodingSep 7, 1951: 32.30 ft, minor floodingMay 18, 1957: 30.30 ft, minor floodingJul 17, 1958: 27.50 ft, minor floodingMay 22, 1959: 27.80 ft, minor floodingMar 26, 1960: 28.40 ft, minor floodingJul 23, 1961: 28.93 ft, minor flooding; 18,400 cubic feet per secondSep 13, 1961: 31.53 ft, minor flooding; 26,200 cubic feet per secondOct 11, 1961: 24.50 ft, action stage; 12,400 cubic feet per secondNov 3, 1961: 29.04 ft, minor flooding; 17,700 cubic feet per secondNov 17, 1961: 22.42 ft, action stage; 10,800 cubic feet per secondFeb 1, 1962: 29.48 ft, minor flooding; 18,300 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 1962: 23.65 ft, action stage; 11,700 cubic feet per secondJun 1, 1962: 30.00 ft, minor flooding; 19,000 cubic feet per secondSep 28, 1962: 31.36 ft, minor flooding; 24,800 cubic feet per secondJun 20, 1963: 15.56 ft, below flood stage; 5,770 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 1964: 14.80 ft, below flood stage; 5,200 cubic feet per secondJun 8, 1965: 27.49 ft, minor flooding; 16,000 cubic feet per secondOct 1, 1965: 19.31 ft, below flood stage; 8,950 cubic feet per secondJul 14, 1967: 22.70 ft, action stage; 11,700 cubic feet per secondOct 12, 1967: 22.33 ft, action stage; 11,400 cubic feet per secondMay 5, 1969: 23.18 ft, action stage; 12,000 cubic feet per secondApr 27, 1970: 20.95 ft, below flood stage; 10,500 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 1971: 22.78 ft, action stage; 11,700 cubic feet per secondMay 5, 1972: 22.27 ft, action stage; 12,400 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 1973: 25.40 ft, action stage; 15,300 cubic feet per secondOct 11, 1973: 24.29 ft, action stage; 14,300 cubic feet per secondJun 27, 1975: 22.81 ft, action stage; 12,900 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 1976: 18.65 ft, below flood stage; 9,620 cubic feet per secondJul 4, 1977: 23.08 ft, action stage; 13,400 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 1978: 14.48 ft, below flood stage; 6,780 cubic feet per secondJul 6, 1981: 16.06 ft, below flood stage; 7,850 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 1982: 19.80 ft, below flood stage; 11,400 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 1983: 20.94 ft, below flood stage; 12,200 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 1984: 20.56 ft, below flood stage; 11,500 cubic feet per secondSep 25, 1985: 20.61 ft, below flood stage; 11,600 cubic feet per secondNov 4, 1985: 20.52 ft, below flood stage; 12,000 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 1987: 20.94 ft, below flood stage; 12,200 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 1988: 20.86 ft, below flood stage; 12,100 cubic feet per secondSep 1, 1989: 16.12 ft, below flood stage; 8,470 cubic feet per secondJun 8, 1990: 20.49 ft, below flood stage; 11,900 cubic feet per secondMay 29, 1991: 9.76 ft, below flood stage; 2,600 cubic feet per secondJul 30, 1992: 19.20 ft, below flood stage; 11,300 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 1993: 26.41 ft, action stage; 16,600 cubic feet per secondMay 4, 1994: 15.73 ft, below flood stage; 8,310 cubic feet per secondJun 1, 1995: 23.38 ft, action stage; 15,400 cubic feet per secondJul 7, 1996: 18.46 ft, below flood stage; 10,900 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1997: 15.54 ft, below flood stage; 8,120 cubic feet per secondApr 9, 1998: 13.79 ft, below flood stage; 6,570 cubic feet per secondNov 6, 1998: 29.84 ft, minor flooding; 23,400 cubic feet per secondFeb 29, 2000: 13.93 ft, below flood stage; 6,380 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 2001: 14.84 ft, below flood stage; 7,210 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 2002: 13.11 ft, below flood stage; 5,640 cubic feet per secondApr 28, 2003: 17.07 ft, below flood stage; 10,200 cubic feet per secondMar 10, 2004: 20.14 ft, below flood stage; 13,400 cubic feet per secondAug 4, 2008: 30.70 ft, minor flooding; 25,064 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 2009: 15.92 ft, below flood stage; 9,270 cubic feet per secondJun 30, 2010: 19.07 ft, below flood stage; 12,700 cubic feet per secondJan 4, 2011: 11.58 ft, below flood stage; 4,910 cubic feet per secondMar 27, 2012: 14.53 ft, below flood stage; 8,170 cubic feet per secondAug 14, 2013: 20.01 ft, below flood stage; 13,200 cubic feet per secondJun 11, 2014: 12.63 ft, below flood stage; 5,590 cubic feet per secondJun 8, 2015: 18.96 ft, below flood stage; 12,900 cubic feet per secondJun 7, 2016: 18.75 ft, below flood stage; 12,700 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 2017: 17.43 ft, below flood stage; 11,400 cubic feet per secondSep 5, 2018: 10.75 ft, below flood stage; 3,960 cubic feet per secondMay 26, 2019: 32.73 ft, minor floodingAug 3, 2020: 16.41 ft, below flood stage; 10,200 cubic feet per secondMay 23, 2021: 18.37 ft, below flood stage; 12,300 cubic feet per second Highest, 41.53 ft, Jul 12, 1951 19501960197019801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Neosho River at Burlington 1940s: 14 14 1950s: 10 1960s: 8 1970s: 0 1980s: 0 1990s: 1 2000s: 1 2010s: 1 2020s: 0 1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 90 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Neosho River at Burlington
1Jul 12, 195141.53+14.53Moderate—
2Jul 21, 194836.80+9.80Minor—
3Apr 17, 194535.10+8.10Minor—
4Apr 24, 194435.00+8.00Minor—
5Jul 2, 195134.50+7.50Minor—
6Dec 6, 194434.30+7.30Minor—
7May 26, 201932.73+5.73Minor—
8May 3, 195132.40+5.40Minor—
9Sep 7, 195132.30+5.30Minor—
10Apr 13, 194432.00+5.00Minor—
11Sep 13, 196131.53+4.53Minor26,200
12Sep 28, 196231.36+4.36Minor24,800
13Oct 3, 194531.00+4.00Minor—
14Aug 4, 200830.70+3.70Minor25,064
15Apr 13, 194730.35+3.35Minor—
16May 18, 195730.30+3.30Minor—
17Jun 1, 196230.00+3.00Minor19,000
18Nov 6, 199829.84+2.84Minor23,400
19Jun 22, 194629.75+2.75Minor—
20Feb 1, 196229.48+2.48Minor18,300
21Nov 3, 196129.04+2.04Minor17,700
22Jul 23, 196128.93+1.93Minor18,400
23Jun 10, 195128.80+1.80Minor—
24Jul 7, 195128.55+1.55Minor—
25Mar 26, 196028.40+1.40Minor—
26Mar 16, 194728.25+1.25Minor—
27Jun 30, 194528.20+1.20Minor—
28Jun 7, 194727.90+0.90Minor—
29May 22, 195927.80+0.80Minor—
30Mar 24, 194527.70+0.70Minor—
31Jul 17, 195827.50+0.50Minor—
32Jun 8, 196527.49+0.49Minor16,000
33Mar 18, 194427.40+0.40Minor—
34Jun 24, 195127.30+0.30Minor—
35Jun 19, 194327.20+0.20Minor—
36May 17, 199326.41−0.59Action16,600
37Jun 27, 194225.90−1.10Action—
38Jun 22, 194225.80−1.20Action—
39Mar 29, 197325.40−1.60Action15,300
40Oct 11, 196124.50−2.50Action12,400
41Oct 11, 197324.29−2.71Action14,300
42Mar 23, 196223.65−3.35Action11,700
43Jun 1, 199523.38−3.62Action15,400
44May 5, 196923.18−3.82Action12,000
45Jul 4, 197723.08−3.92Action13,400
46Jun 27, 197522.81−4.19Action12,900
47Jun 22, 197122.78−4.22Action11,700
48Jul 14, 196722.70−4.30Action11,700
49Nov 17, 196122.42−4.58Action10,800
50Oct 12, 196722.33−4.67Action11,400

The worst floods along the Neosho River

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

July 12, 1951: 41.53 ft here, moderate flooding

  • ParsonsKS · Jul 14, 1951 · 40.20 ft · Major · its highest
  • CommerceOK · Jul 16, 1951 · 34.03 ft · Major · its highest
  • IolaKS · Jul 13, 1951 · 33.26 ft · Major · its highest
  • OswegoKS · Jul 15, 1951 · 32.50 ft · Major
  • Le RoyKS · Jul 12, 1951 · 34.48 ft · Moderate · its highest
  • Neosho RapidsKS · Jul 11, 1951 · 34.30 ft · Moderate · its highest

July 21, 1948: 36.80 ft here, minor flooding

  • OswegoKS · Jul 20, 1948 · 34.10 ft · Major · its highest
  • CommerceOK · Jul 28, 1948 · 24.43 ft · Major
  • ParsonsKS · Jul 25, 1948 · 30.80 ft · Moderate
  • Le RoyKS · Jul 22, 1948 · 30.73 ft · Moderate

April 17, 1945: 35.10 ft here, minor flooding

  • OswegoKS · Apr 21, 1945 · 26.00 ft · Major
  • Le RoyKS · Apr 17, 1945 · 29.20 ft · Moderate
  • ParsonsKS · Apr 21, 1945 · 29.02 ft · Moderate
  • Neosho RapidsKS · Apr 16, 1945 · 28.00 ft · Moderate
  • IolaKS · Apr 18, 1945 · 22.40 ft · Moderate
  • CommerceOK · Apr 23, 1945 · 22.17 ft · Moderate

Gauges on the Neosho River

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

Flood gauges on the Neosho River
Burlington this gaugeKS27.041.53 ft, Jul 12, 19510
EmporiaKS19.026.00 ft, Oct 11, 19850
IolaKS15.033.26 ft, Jul 13, 19511
John Redmond LakeKS1,068.01,081.90 ft, May 14, 20091
Le RoyKS23.034.48 ft, Jul 12, 19510
Neosho RapidsKS22.034.30 ft, Jul 11, 19510
OswegoKS17.034.10 ft, Jul 20, 194822
AmericusKS26.028.30 ft, Jun 27, 19690
ChanuteKS23.036.82 ft, Jul 1, 20072
CommerceOK15.034.03 ft, Jul 16, 19519
ErieKS29.040.60 ft, Jul 2, 20075
OswegoKS28.034.70 ft, May 29, 20191
ParsonsKS21.040.20 ft, Jul 14, 19512

Other gauges in Coffey County

Flood gauges in Coffey County
John Redmond Lake1,068.01,081.90 ft, May 14, 20091
Le Roy23.034.48 ft, Jul 12, 19510

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge BRLK1, 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.