Search
Menu

Explore

Hazards

Analysis

Rankings

Reference

Smoky Hill River near Mentor

Highest listed crest 24.65 ftFlood stage 20.0 ft27 crests since 2004

The Smoky Hill River near Mentor crested above flood stage 7 times among the 27 crests the National Weather Service lists from 2004 to 2025. The highest, 24.65 ft on June 24, 2019, was moderate flooding, 4.65 feet above flood stage. 2 other gauges on the Smoky Hill River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
24.65 ft
June 24, 2019; 6,740 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
20.0 ft
Major flooding from 28.0 ft
Crests at major
0
7 above flood stage
Most recent flood crest
July 4, 2019
24.05 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Saline County
Near Salina (7.4 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 near Mentor
Action stage18.02Jul 23, 2025The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)20.05May 22, 2019Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage24.02Jul 4, 2019Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage28.00—Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

27 crests from 2004 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Smoky Hill River near Mentor, 2004 to 2025 51015202530ft Flood stage 20.0 ftMajor 28.0 ft Mar 5, 2004: 15.20 ft, below flood stage; 3,440 cubic feet per secondMay 8, 2007: 20.99 ft, minor flooding; 4,700 cubic feet per secondMay 25, 2007: 19.96 ft, action stage; 5,518 cubic feet per secondJun 2, 2007: 16.51 ft, below flood stage; 3,794 cubic feet per secondApr 28, 2009: 20.02 ft, minor flooding; 5,380 cubic feet per secondJun 14, 2010: 12.56 ft, below flood stage; 2,190 cubic feet per secondJun 4, 2011: 7.14 ft, below flood stage; 646 cubic feet per secondNov 9, 2011: 5.65 ft, below flood stage; 301 cubic feet per secondJul 31, 2013: 21.09 ft, minor flooding; 5,590 cubic feet per secondJun 11, 2014: 15.32 ft, below flood stage; 3,060 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 2015: 17.00 ft, below flood stage; 3,690 cubic feet per secondMay 28, 2016: 17.41 ft, below flood stage; 3,970 cubic feet per secondJun 30, 2017: 11.10 ft, below flood stage; 1,850 cubic feet per secondSep 6, 2018: 10.49 ft, below flood stage; 1,580 cubic feet per secondOct 11, 2018: 17.29 ft, below flood stage; 3,720 cubic feet per secondMay 9, 2019: 20.56 ft, minor flooding; 5,381 cubic feet per secondMay 22, 2019: 21.47 ft, minor flooding; 6,293 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 2019: 24.65 ft, moderate flooding; 6,740 cubic feet per secondJul 4, 2019: 24.05 ft, moderate flooding; 6,209 cubic feet per secondJun 27, 2020: 12.36 ft, below flood stage; 2,140 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 2021: 14.87 ft, below flood stage; 2,970 cubic feet per secondJun 5, 2022: 11.60 ft, below flood stage; 1,860 cubic feet per secondJan 3, 2023: 5.87 ft, below flood stage; 338 cubic feet per secondAug 10, 2023: 5.75 ft, below flood stage; 385 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 2024: 10.10 ft, below flood stage; 1,400 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 2025: 16.17 ft, below flood stage; 3,340 cubic feet per secondJul 23, 2025: 19.17 ft, action stage; 4,440 cubic feet per second Highest, 24.65 ft, Jun 24, 2019 20052010201520202025

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Smoky Hill River near Mentor 2000s: 2 2010s: 5 5 2020s: 0 2000s2010s2020s
  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

Highest listed crests, Smoky Hill River near Mentor
1Jun 24, 201924.65+4.65Moderate6,740
2Jul 4, 201924.05+4.05Moderate6,209
3May 22, 201921.47+1.47Minor6,293
4Jul 31, 201321.09+1.09Minor5,590
5May 8, 200720.99+0.99Minor4,700
6May 9, 201920.56+0.56Minor5,381
7Apr 28, 200920.02+0.02Minor5,380
8May 25, 200719.96−0.04Action5,518
9Jul 23, 202519.17−0.83Action4,440
10May 28, 201617.41−2.59Below flood stage3,970
11Oct 11, 201817.29−2.71Below flood stage3,720
12May 27, 201517.00−3.00Below flood stage3,690
13Jun 2, 200716.51−3.49Below flood stage3,794
14Jun 18, 202516.17−3.83Below flood stage3,340
15Jun 11, 201415.32−4.68Below flood stage3,060
16Mar 5, 200415.20−4.80Below flood stage3,440
17May 21, 202114.87−5.13Below flood stage2,970
18Jun 14, 201012.56−7.44Below flood stage2,190
19Jun 27, 202012.36−7.64Below flood stage2,140
20Jun 5, 202211.60−8.40Below flood stage1,860
21Jun 30, 201711.10−8.90Below flood stage1,850
22Sep 6, 201810.49−9.51Below flood stage1,580
23Jun 9, 202410.10−9.90Below flood stage1,400
24Jun 4, 20117.14−12.86Below flood stage646
25Jan 3, 20235.87−14.13Below flood stage338
26Aug 10, 20235.75−14.25Below flood stage385
27Nov 9, 20115.65−14.35Below flood stage301

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 24, 2019: 24.65 ft here, moderate flooding

July 4, 2019: 24.05 ft here, moderate flooding

  • EnterpriseKS · Jul 6, 2019 · 30.98 ft · Moderate
  • AbileneKS · Jul 5, 2019 · 30.00 ft · Moderate
  • New CambriaKS · Jul 5, 2019 · 27.60 ft · Minor

May 22, 2019: 21.47 ft here, minor flooding

  • New CambriaKS · May 23, 2019 · 30.67 ft · Moderate
  • EnterpriseKS · May 25, 2019 · 30.52 ft · Moderate
  • RussellKS · May 25, 2019 · 20.43 ft · Moderate · its highest
  • AbileneKS · May 23, 2019 · 29.75 ft · Minor
  • LindsborgKS · May 22, 2019 · 24.00 ft · Minor
  • Junction CityKS · May 25, 2019 · 23.46 ft · Minor
  • EllsworthKS · May 26, 2019 · 20.90 ft · Minor
  • SchoenchenKS · May 22, 2019 · 12.22 ft · Minor

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
LindsborgKS21.033.90 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
Mentor this gaugeKS20.024.65 ft, Jun 24, 20190
New CambriaKS27.031.72 ft, Jun 25, 19930
OakleyKS9.015.20 ft, May 30, 19381

Other gauges in Saline County

Flood gauges in Saline County
Salina24.027.75 ft, May 24, 20072
New Cambria27.031.72 ft, Jun 25, 19930

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge MTRK1, 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.