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Neosho River at Emporia

Highest listed crest 26.00 ftFlood stage 19.0 ft61 crests since 1952

The Neosho River at Emporia crested above flood stage 52 times among the 61 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1952 to 2025. The highest, 26.00 ft on October 11, 1985, was moderate flooding, 7.00 feet above flood stage. 2 other gauges on the Neosho River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
26.00 ft
October 11, 1985
Flood stage
19.0 ft
Major flooding from 30.5 ft
Crests at major
0
52 above flood stage
Most recent flood crest
June 4, 2025
21.53 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Lyon County
Near Emporia (2.5 mi)
Identifiers
NWS EPRK1
No USGS station

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 Emporia
Action stage14.04Mar 18, 1992The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)19.02Apr 28, 2009Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage19.550Jun 4, 2025Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage30.50—Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

61 crests from 1952 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Neosho River at Emporia, 1952 to 2025 101520253035ft Flood stage 19.0 ftMajor 30.5 ft Mar 11, 1952: 21.00 ft, moderate floodingNov 9, 1977: 15.75 ft, action stageMar 24, 1978: 13.00 ft, below flood stageMar 19, 1979: 15.25 ft, action stageMar 30, 1980: 22.45 ft, moderate floodingJul 4, 1981: 22.50 ft, moderate floodingMay 13, 1982: 19.80 ft, moderate floodingApr 2, 1983: 23.50 ft, moderate floodingApr 6, 1983: 22.00 ft, moderate floodingMay 17, 1983: 21.40 ft, moderate floodingJun 4, 1983: 21.00 ft, moderate floodingMay 19, 1984: 20.75 ft, moderate floodingJun 10, 1984: 20.10 ft, moderate floodingJun 5, 1985: 24.00 ft, moderate floodingOct 11, 1985: 26.00 ft, moderate floodingJul 8, 1986: 22.25 ft, moderate floodingOct 3, 1986: 21.50 ft, moderate floodingOct 12, 1986: 21.50 ft, moderate floodingMar 1, 1987: 21.75 ft, moderate floodingApr 2, 1988: 18.30 ft, action stageMay 23, 1989: 11.00 ft, below flood stageMar 8, 1990: 12.50 ft, below flood stageMar 18, 1992: 14.00 ft, action stageMay 1, 1994: 13.10 ft, below flood stageMar 15, 1995: 22.50 ft, moderate floodingMay 18, 1995: 24.05 ft, moderate floodingMay 25, 1995: 23.60 ft, moderate floodingJun 9, 1995: 21.05 ft, moderate floodingNov 19, 1996: 20.72 ft, moderate floodingApr 21, 1998: 12.92 ft, below flood stageNov 2, 1998: 24.88 ft, moderate floodingApr 28, 1999: 22.99 ft, moderate floodingMay 24, 1999: 23.33 ft, moderate floodingJun 29, 1999: 20.10 ft, moderate floodingApr 25, 2003: 19.40 ft, minor floodingMar 6, 2004: 20.95 ft, moderate floodingJun 19, 2004: 25.40 ft, moderate floodingJul 25, 2004: 23.16 ft, moderate floodingMay 14, 2005: 25.50 ft, moderate floodingJun 5, 2005: 21.12 ft, moderate floodingJun 13, 2005: 23.05 ft, moderate floodingAug 26, 2005: 24.33 ft, moderate floodingMay 8, 2007: 23.65 ft, moderate floodingApr 28, 2009: 19.40 ft, minor flooding; 6,898 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 2009: 20.50 ft, moderate floodingJun 15, 2010: 22.86 ft, moderate flooding; 9,608 cubic feet per secondMay 18, 2015: 20.92 ft, moderate floodingMay 25, 2015: 23.38 ft, moderate floodingApr 28, 2016: 21.40 ft, moderate floodingMay 28, 2016: 24.10 ft, moderate floodingMar 30, 2017: 23.62 ft, moderate floodingApr 6, 2017: 20.67 ft, moderate floodingOct 11, 2018: 24.05 ft, moderate floodingMay 9, 2019: 23.91 ft, moderate floodingMay 22, 2019: 23.04 ft, moderate floodingMay 16, 2020: 22.42 ft, moderate floodingMay 17, 2021: 22.06 ft, moderate floodingMay 28, 2021: 21.91 ft, moderate floodingMay 19, 2022: 23.70 ft, moderate floodingMay 21, 2024: 21.00 ft, moderate floodingJun 4, 2025: 21.53 ft, moderate flooding; 8,484 cubic feet per second Highest, 26.00 ft, Oct 11, 1985 1960197019801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Neosho River at Emporia 1950s: 1 1960s: 0 1970s: 0 1980s: 15 15 1990s: 9 2000s: 11 2010s: 10 2020s: 6 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 61 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Neosho River at Emporia
1Oct 11, 198526.00+7.00Moderate—
2May 14, 200525.50+6.50Moderate—
3Jun 19, 200425.40+6.40Moderate—
4Nov 2, 199824.88+5.88Moderate—
5Aug 26, 200524.33+5.33Moderate—
6May 28, 201624.10+5.10Moderate—
7May 18, 199524.05+5.05Moderate—
8Oct 11, 201824.05+5.05Moderate—
9Jun 5, 198524.00+5.00Moderate—
10May 9, 201923.91+4.91Moderate—
11May 19, 202223.70+4.70Moderate—
12May 8, 200723.65+4.65Moderate—
13Mar 30, 201723.62+4.62Moderate—
14May 25, 199523.60+4.60Moderate—
15Apr 2, 198323.50+4.50Moderate—
16May 25, 201523.38+4.38Moderate—
17May 24, 199923.33+4.33Moderate—
18Jul 25, 200423.16+4.16Moderate—
19Jun 13, 200523.05+4.05Moderate—
20May 22, 201923.04+4.04Moderate—
21Apr 28, 199922.99+3.99Moderate—
22Jun 15, 201022.86+3.86Moderate9,608
23Jul 4, 198122.50+3.50Moderate—
24Mar 15, 199522.50+3.50Moderate—
25Mar 30, 198022.45+3.45Moderate—
26May 16, 202022.42+3.42Moderate—
27Jul 8, 198622.25+3.25Moderate—
28May 17, 202122.06+3.06Moderate—
29Apr 6, 198322.00+3.00Moderate—
30May 28, 202121.91+2.91Moderate—
31Mar 1, 198721.75+2.75Moderate—
32Jun 4, 202521.53+2.53Moderate8,484
33Oct 3, 198621.50+2.50Moderate—
34Oct 12, 198621.50+2.50Moderate—
35May 17, 198321.40+2.40Moderate—
36Apr 28, 201621.40+2.40Moderate—
37Jun 5, 200521.12+2.12Moderate—
38Jun 9, 199521.05+2.05Moderate—
39Mar 11, 195221.00+2.00Moderate—
40Jun 4, 198321.00+2.00Moderate—
41May 21, 202421.00+2.00Moderate—
42Mar 6, 200420.95+1.95Moderate—
43May 18, 201520.92+1.92Moderate—
44May 19, 198420.75+1.75Moderate—
45Nov 19, 199620.72+1.72Moderate—
46Apr 6, 201720.67+1.67Moderate—
47Jun 18, 200920.50+1.50Moderate—
48Jun 10, 198420.10+1.10Moderate—
49Jun 29, 199920.10+1.10Moderate—
50May 13, 198219.80+0.80Moderate—

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.

October 11, 1985: 26.00 ft here, moderate flooding

  • Neosho RapidsKS · Oct 11, 1985 · 29.01 ft · Moderate
  • AmericusKS · Oct 10, 1985 · 27.43 ft · Moderate

May 14, 2005: 25.50 ft here, moderate flooding

  • Neosho RapidsKS · May 14, 2005 · 26.66 ft · Moderate
  • AmericusKS · May 14, 2005 · 26.94 ft · Minor
  • IolaKS · May 20, 2005 · 15.19 ft · Minor

June 19, 2004: 25.40 ft here, moderate flooding

  • AmericusKS · Jun 19, 2004 · 27.68 ft · Moderate
  • CommerceOK · Jun 14, 2004 · 16.58 ft · Minor

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
BurlingtonKS27.041.53 ft, Jul 12, 19510
Emporia this gaugeKS19.026.00 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 Lyon County

Flood gauges in Lyon County
Emporia20.033.40 ft, Jul 11, 19511
Reading19.027.47 ft, May 29, 19820
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 EPRK1, 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.