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Smoky Hill River at Lindsborg

Highest listed crest 33.90 ftFlood stage 21.0 ft138 crests since 1901

The Smoky Hill River at Lindsborg crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 138 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1901 to 2025. The highest, 33.90 ft on May 28, 1903, was major flooding, 12.90 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
33.90 ft
May 28, 1903; 32,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
21.0 ft
Major flooding from 33.9 ft
Crests at major
1
51st of 171 gauges in Kansas
Most recent flood crest
September 9, 2025
21.63 ft, minor flooding
Location
McPherson County
Near McPherson (13.4 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Smoky Hill River at Lindsborg
Action stage19.09Sep 1, 2014The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)21.081Sep 9, 2025Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage29.06Oct 12, 1973Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage33.91May 28, 1903Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

138 crests from 1901 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Smoky Hill River at Lindsborg, 1901 to 2025 010203040ft Flood stage 21.0 ftMajor 33.9 ft Jan 1, 1901: 33.10 ft, moderate floodingMay 28, 1903: 33.90 ft, major flooding; 32,000 cubic feet per secondJul 2, 1905: 23.80 ft, minor floodingJan 1, 1906: 2.60 ft, below flood stageJul 20, 1907: 13.90 ft, below flood stageJun 10, 1908: 21.00 ft, minor floodingJun 14, 1909: 27.30 ft, minor flooding; 10,400 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 1909: 21.30 ft, minor floodingFeb 19, 1911: 3.10 ft, below flood stageMay 6, 1912: 22.50 ft, minor floodingMay 12, 1912: 24.00 ft, minor floodingMay 6, 1913: 19.30 ft, action stageMar 29, 1914: 21.50 ft, minor floodingJun 25, 1915: 23.50 ft, minor floodingJul 20, 1915: 24.00 ft, minor floodingAug 14, 1915: 21.50 ft, minor floodingJun 14, 1916: 22.20 ft, minor floodingAug 17, 1916: 25.00 ft, minor floodingAug 17, 1917: 22.60 ft, minor floodingMay 29, 1918: 19.00 ft, action stageMar 15, 1919: 25.50 ft, minor floodingJun 11, 1919: 21.00 ft, minor floodingJul 16, 1920: 9.50 ft, below flood stage; 805 cubic feet per secondMay 10, 1921: 19.60 ft, action stageApr 26, 1922: 23.50 ft, minor floodingJun 11, 1923: 21.30 ft, minor floodingSep 20, 1923: 21.00 ft, minor floodingJun 25, 1927: 23.80 ft, minor floodingAug 17, 1927: 31.30 ft, moderate flooding; 21,000 cubic feet per secondAug 4, 1928: 25.30 ft, minor floodingAug 8, 1928: 25.30 ft, minor floodingMay 16, 1929: 25.40 ft, minor floodingJun 4, 1929: 22.10 ft, minor floodingJul 15, 1929: 24.00 ft, minor floodingMay 7, 1930: 21.50 ft, minor floodingJun 7, 1930: 24.00 ft, minor flooding; 6,420 cubic feet per secondApr 23, 1931: 15.30 ft, below flood stageSep 15, 1932: 22.60 ft, minor flooding; 5,750 cubic feet per secondAug 24, 1933: 23.88 ft, minor flooding; 6,300 cubic feet per secondJun 20, 1934: 21.47 ft, minor flooding; 5,220 cubic feet per secondMay 23, 1935: 23.02 ft, minor floodingMay 29, 1935: 22.27 ft, minor floodingJun 5, 1935: 22.30 ft, minor floodingJun 16, 1935: 22.08 ft, minor floodingJun 21, 1935: 25.33 ft, minor floodingJun 30, 1935: 25.83 ft, minor flooding; 8,630 cubic feet per secondJul 4, 1935: 23.73 ft, minor floodingMay 12, 1936: 14.90 ft, below flood stage; 2,540 cubic feet per secondJun 10, 1937: 18.16 ft, below flood stage; 3,880 cubic feet per secondJun 3, 1938: 32.55 ft, moderate flooding; 26,000 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 1938: 23.10 ft, minor floodingJun 17, 1939: 19.58 ft, action stage; 4,410 cubic feet per secondJul 5, 1940: 16.20 ft, below flood stage; 3,320 cubic feet per secondJun 14, 1941: 24.58 ft, minor floodingAug 25, 1941: 21.07 ft, minor floodingSep 4, 1941: 28.28 ft, minor flooding; 12,100 cubic feet per secondOct 20, 1941: 32.46 ft, moderate flooding; 24,400 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 1942: 26.02 ft, minor floodingJun 21, 1942: 27.96 ft, minor floodingSep 3, 1942: 22.35 ft, minor floodingJun 17, 1943: 16.01 ft, below flood stageApr 23, 1944: 22.07 ft, minor floodingMay 6, 1944: 25.39 ft, minor flooding; 8,110 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 1945: 21.95 ft, minor floodingMay 24, 1945: 24.05 ft, minor flooding; 7,100 cubic feet per secondJun 27, 1945: 21.80 ft, minor floodingOct 17, 1946: 17.00 ft, below flood stage; 3,220 cubic feet per secondJun 28, 1948: 18.63 ft, below flood stage; 3,950 cubic feet per secondFeb 18, 1949: 19.37 ft, action stageJul 19, 1950: 21.79 ft, minor flooding; 5,520 cubic feet per secondJun 29, 1951: 21.95 ft, minor floodingJul 12, 1951: 29.32 ft, moderate flooding; 14,200 cubic feet per secondJul 17, 1951: 22.38 ft, minor floodingAug 7, 1951: 21.37 ft, minor floodingMay 29, 1952: 12.60 ft, below flood stageMay 27, 1953: 17.00 ft, below flood stage; 3,080 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 1954: 10.05 ft, below flood stage; 742 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 1955: 10.93 ft, below flood stage; 932 cubic feet per secondJun 3, 1956: 11.38 ft, below flood stage; 1,060 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 1957: 21.08 ft, minor flooding; 5,300 cubic feet per secondJul 27, 1958: 19.91 ft, action stage; 4,660 cubic feet per secondJun 30, 1959: 15.41 ft, below flood stage; 2,500 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 1960: 16.40 ft, below flood stage; 3,140 cubic feet per secondMay 5, 1961: 18.97 ft, below flood stage; 4,170 cubic feet per secondJul 13, 1962: 17.21 ft, below flood stage; 3,690 cubic feet per secondSep 8, 1963: 8.81 ft, below flood stage; 492 cubic feet per secondJun 15, 1964: 12.93 ft, below flood stage; 1,760 cubic feet per secondJun 26, 1965: 24.80 ft, minor flooding; 8,030 cubic feet per secondAug 10, 1966: 11.85 ft, below flood stageSep 3, 1967: 20.90 ft, action stageJul 1, 1969: 18.05 ft, below flood stageJun 18, 1970: 17.67 ft, below flood stageMay 22, 1971: 17.06 ft, below flood stageSep 2, 1972: 22.34 ft, minor floodingMar 31, 1973: 25.15 ft, minor floodingSep 28, 1973: 23.83 ft, minor floodingOct 12, 1973: 29.70 ft, moderate floodingMay 19, 1974: 23.40 ft, minor floodingJun 28, 1975: 17.07 ft, below flood stageMay 7, 1976: 12.22 ft, below flood stageSep 11, 1977: 14.80 ft, below flood stageMar 14, 1978: 10.55 ft, below flood stageOct 30, 1979: 23.85 ft, minor floodingJul 3, 1981: 16.80 ft, below flood stageJul 1, 1982: 20.76 ft, action stageApr 1, 1983: 11.38 ft, below flood stageMar 19, 1984: 12.14 ft, below flood stageOct 10, 1985: 21.85 ft, minor floodingSep 15, 1986: 12.65 ft, below flood stageMar 24, 1987: 24.80 ft, minor floodingAug 23, 1988: 13.52 ft, below flood stageMay 22, 1989: 8.43 ft, below flood stageMay 11, 1993: 22.65 ft, minor floodingJun 24, 1993: 27.16 ft, minor floodingJul 14, 1993: 25.71 ft, minor floodingJul 22, 1993: 25.63 ft, minor floodingJul 29, 1993: 25.63 ft, minor floodingMay 27, 1995: 25.99 ft, minor floodingNov 2, 1998: 22.80 ft, minor floodingMay 7, 2007: 23.07 ft, minor flooding; 7,712 cubic feet per secondMay 25, 2007: 23.37 ft, minor flooding; 7,912 cubic feet per secondApr 27, 2009: 22.16 ft, minor flooding; 7,106 cubic feet per secondJul 30, 2013: 24.90 ft, minor flooding; 7,761 cubic feet per secondSep 1, 2014: 19.33 ft, action stage; 3,210 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 2015: 21.71 ft, minor flooding; 4,460 cubic feet per secondMay 28, 2016: 21.51 ft, minor flooding; 4,575 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 2017: 14.43 ft, below flood stage; 1,750 cubic feet per secondSep 6, 2018: 15.71 ft, below flood stage; 2,100 cubic feet per secondOct 10, 2018: 21.55 ft, minor flooding; 4,110 cubic feet per secondMay 9, 2019: 24.10 ft, minor flooding; 7,204 cubic feet per secondMay 22, 2019: 24.00 ft, minor flooding; 6,590 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 2019: 24.23 ft, minor flooding; 6,889 cubic feet per secondJun 26, 2020: 15.51 ft, below flood stage; 2,140 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 2021: 18.14 ft, below flood stage; 3,080 cubic feet per secondJun 10, 2022: 14.83 ft, below flood stage; 1,920 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 2025: 21.17 ft, minor flooding; 3,980 cubic feet per secondJul 22, 2025: 24.30 ft, minor flooding; 6,760 cubic feet per secondSep 9, 2025: 21.63 ft, minor flooding; 4,360 cubic feet per second Highest, 33.90 ft, May 28, 1903 192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Smoky Hill River at Lindsborg 1900s: 6 1910s: 11 1920s: 10 1930s: 14 14 1940s: 12 1950s: 6 1960s: 1 1970s: 6 1980s: 2 1990s: 7 2000s: 3 2010s: 7 2020s: 3 1900s1910s1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 138 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Smoky Hill River at Lindsborg
1May 28, 190333.90+12.90Major32,000
2Jan 1, 190133.10+12.10Moderate—
3Jun 3, 193832.55+11.55Moderate26,000
4Oct 20, 194132.46+11.46Moderate24,400
5Aug 17, 192731.30+10.30Moderate21,000
6Oct 12, 197329.70+8.70Moderate—
7Jul 12, 195129.32+8.32Moderate14,200
8Sep 4, 194128.28+7.28Minor12,100
9Jun 21, 194227.96+6.96Minor—
10Jun 14, 190927.30+6.30Minor10,400
11Jun 24, 199327.16+6.16Minor—
12Apr 26, 194226.02+5.02Minor—
13May 27, 199525.99+4.99Minor—
14Jun 30, 193525.83+4.83Minor8,630
15Jul 14, 199325.71+4.71Minor—
16Jul 22, 199325.63+4.63Minor—
17Jul 29, 199325.63+4.63Minor—
18Mar 15, 191925.50+4.50Minor—
19May 16, 192925.40+4.40Minor—
20May 6, 194425.39+4.39Minor8,110
21Jun 21, 193525.33+4.33Minor—
22Aug 4, 192825.30+4.30Minor—
23Aug 8, 192825.30+4.30Minor—
24Mar 31, 197325.15+4.15Minor—
25Aug 17, 191625.00+4.00Minor—
26Jul 30, 201324.90+3.90Minor7,761
27Jun 26, 196524.80+3.80Minor8,030
28Mar 24, 198724.80+3.80Minor—
29Jun 14, 194124.58+3.58Minor—
30Jul 22, 202524.30+3.30Minor6,760
31Jun 24, 201924.23+3.23Minor6,889
32May 9, 201924.10+3.10Minor7,204
33May 24, 194524.05+3.05Minor7,100
34May 12, 191224.00+3.00Minor—
35Jul 20, 191524.00+3.00Minor—
36Jul 15, 192924.00+3.00Minor—
37Jun 7, 193024.00+3.00Minor6,420
38May 22, 201924.00+3.00Minor6,590
39Aug 24, 193323.88+2.88Minor6,300
40Oct 30, 197923.85+2.85Minor—
41Sep 28, 197323.83+2.83Minor—
42Jul 2, 190523.80+2.80Minor—
43Jun 25, 192723.80+2.80Minor—
44Jul 4, 193523.73+2.73Minor—
45Jun 25, 191523.50+2.50Minor—
46Apr 26, 192223.50+2.50Minor—
47May 19, 197423.40+2.40Minor—
48May 25, 200723.37+2.37Minor7,912
49Jun 16, 193823.10+2.10Minor—
50May 7, 200723.07+2.07Minor7,712

The worst floods along the Smoky Hill River

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

June 3, 1938: 32.55 ft here, moderate flooding

  • EllsworthKS · Jun 1, 1938 · 27.20 ft · Major
  • ArnoldKS · May 30, 1938 · 19.00 ft · Major · its highest
  • OakleyKS · May 30, 1938 · 15.20 ft · Major · its highest

August 17, 1927: 31.30 ft here, moderate flooding

  • EllsworthKS · Aug 13, 1927 · 25.70 ft · Moderate

Gauges on the Smoky Hill River

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

Flood gauges on the Smoky Hill River
EllsworthKS20.030.07 ft, Jul 22, 19932
EnterpriseKS26.033.95 ft, Jul 22, 19930
Lindsborg this gaugeKS21.033.90 ft, May 28, 19031
RussellKS18.020.43 ft, May 25, 20190
SchoenchenKS11.017.60 ft, Jul 21, 19931
AbileneKS27.032.10 ft, Jul 22, 19930
ArnoldKS7.019.00 ft, May 30, 19381
Junction CityKS22.035.90 ft, Jul 12, 19510
MentorKS20.024.65 ft, Jun 24, 20190
New CambriaKS27.031.72 ft, Jun 25, 19930
OakleyKS9.015.20 ft, May 30, 19381

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge LNSK1, 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.