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Smoky Hill River near Oakley

Highest listed crest 15.20 ftFlood stage 9.0 ft87 crests since 1938

The Smoky Hill River near Oakley crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 87 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1938 to 2025. The highest, 15.20 ft on May 30, 1938, was major flooding, 6.20 feet above flood stage. 3 other gauges on the Smoky Hill River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
15.20 ft
May 30, 1938; 71,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
9.0 ft
Major flooding from 13.0 ft
Crests at major
1
51st of 171 gauges in Kansas
Most recent flood crest
September 10, 2019
9.03 ft, minor flooding
Location
Logan County
Kansas

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 Oakley
Action stage8.07Jun 21, 2010The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)9.09Sep 10, 2019Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage11.01Jun 17, 1955Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage13.01May 30, 1938Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

87 crests from 1938 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Smoky Hill River near Oakley, 1938 to 2025 05101520ft Flood stage 9.0 ftMajor 13.0 ft May 30, 1938: 15.20 ft, major flooding; 71,000 cubic feet per secondJul 1, 1940: 7.70 ft, below flood stage; 3,770 cubic feet per secondJul 2, 1941: 9.01 ft, minor flooding; 8,000 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 1942: 6.59 ft, below flood stage; 1,780 cubic feet per secondAug 10, 1943: 4.66 ft, below flood stage; 201 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 1944: 5.47 ft, below flood stage; 738 cubic feet per secondAug 6, 1945: 6.43 ft, below flood stage; 1,720 cubic feet per secondJul 19, 1946: 8.28 ft, action stage; 5,170 cubic feet per secondOct 7, 1947: 9.55 ft, minor flooding; 10,500 cubic feet per secondJul 16, 1948: 6.07 ft, below flood stage; 1,270 cubic feet per secondJun 7, 1949: 8.33 ft, action stage; 5,620 cubic feet per secondJul 30, 1950: 8.57 ft, action stage; 5,840 cubic feet per secondJun 11, 1951: 10.79 ft, minor flooding; 19,700 cubic feet per secondJul 22, 1952: 4.64 ft, below flood stage; 442 cubic feet per secondAug 16, 1953: 4.70 ft, below flood stage; 460 cubic feet per secondAug 31, 1954: 3.20 ft, below flood stage; 36 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 1955: 11.02 ft, moderate flooding; 21,100 cubic feet per secondJul 3, 1956: 8.58 ft, action stage; 9,680 cubic feet per secondJul 11, 1957: 9.93 ft, minor flooding; 15,100 cubic feet per secondJul 22, 1958: 6.74 ft, below flood stage; 3,360 cubic feet per secondAug 22, 1959: 4.66 ft, below flood stage; 330 cubic feet per secondMay 16, 1960: 6.08 ft, below flood stage; 1,850 cubic feet per secondJun 6, 1961: 7.27 ft, below flood stage; 4,510 cubic feet per secondJun 8, 1962: 9.58 ft, minor flooding; 13,800 cubic feet per secondMay 29, 1963: 5.22 ft, below flood stage; 530 cubic feet per secondJun 14, 1964: 8.14 ft, action stage; 8,240 cubic feet per secondAug 24, 1965: 5.30 ft, below flood stage; 420 cubic feet per secondJul 20, 1966: 6.38 ft, below flood stage; 1,710 cubic feet per secondJun 29, 1967: 6.52 ft, below flood stage; 2,880 cubic feet per secondAug 9, 1968: 5.92 ft, below flood stage; 1,260 cubic feet per secondAug 23, 1969: 10.85 ft, minor flooding; 22,300 cubic feet per secondOct 19, 1970: 4.19 ft, below flood stage; 112 cubic feet per secondJul 29, 1971: 5.56 ft, below flood stage; 980 cubic feet per secondJul 28, 1972: 5.82 ft, below flood stage; 1,280 cubic feet per secondAug 4, 1973: 4.61 ft, below flood stage; 205 cubic feet per secondJun 8, 1974: 5.13 ft, below flood stage; 537 cubic feet per secondMay 29, 1975: 6.84 ft, below flood stage; 2,690 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 1976: 5.74 ft, below flood stage; 848 cubic feet per secondJul 25, 1977: 6.73 ft, below flood stage; 2,460 cubic feet per secondJun 4, 1978: 5.12 ft, below flood stage; 359 cubic feet per secondJul 23, 1979: 6.82 ft, below flood stage; 3,110 cubic feet per secondAug 15, 1980: 5.99 ft, below flood stage; 1,060 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 1981: 7.95 ft, below flood stage; 6,530 cubic feet per secondJul 27, 1982: 5.91 ft, below flood stage; 967 cubic feet per secondSep 15, 1983: 6.66 ft, below flood stage; 2,480 cubic feet per secondMay 19, 1984: 4.71 ft, below flood stage; 42 cubic feet per secondSep 13, 1985: 4.55 ft, below flood stage; 29 cubic feet per secondJul 6, 1986: 3.34 ft, below flood stageJul 9, 1987: 8.22 ft, action stage; 7,310 cubic feet per secondMay 18, 1988: 5.41 ft, below flood stage; 255 cubic feet per secondMay 19, 1989: 4.54 ft, below flood stage; 13 cubic feet per secondJul 28, 1990: 5.03 ft, below flood stage; 196 cubic feet per secondJul 1, 1991: 6.12 ft, below flood stage; 579 cubic feet per secondAug 31, 1992: 7.03 ft, below flood stage; 3,720 cubic feet per secondJul 20, 1993: 7.21 ft, below flood stage; 4,080 cubic feet per secondJul 15, 1994: 5.24 ft, below flood stage; 298 cubic feet per secondJul 21, 1995: 5.73 ft, below flood stage; 950 cubic feet per secondSep 7, 1996: 9.20 ft, minor floodingAug 6, 1997: 5.92 ft, below flood stage; 697 cubic feet per secondJul 10, 1998: 7.78 ft, below flood stage; 4,010 cubic feet per secondAug 7, 1999: 6.35 ft, below flood stage; 638 cubic feet per secondJul 18, 2000: 5.14 ft, below flood stage; 42 cubic feet per secondJul 27, 2001: 7.30 ft, below flood stage; 2,390 cubic feet per secondMay 24, 2002: 4.98 ft, below flood stage; 22 cubic feet per secondMay 24, 2003: 5.39 ft, below flood stage; 43 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 2004: 5.92 ft, below flood stage; 212 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 2005: 5.15 ft, below flood stage; 18 cubic feet per secondJun 1, 2006: 6.13 ft, below flood stage; 341 cubic feet per secondJul 13, 2007: 7.31 ft, below flood stage; 2,180 cubic feet per secondAug 7, 2008: 5.89 ft, below flood stage; 236 cubic feet per secondSep 8, 2009: 6.35 ft, below flood stage; 273 cubic feet per secondJun 21, 2010: 8.00 ft, action stage; 4,090 cubic feet per secondJun 21, 2011: 5.68 ft, below flood stage; 77 cubic feet per secondOct 8, 2012: 7.74 ft, below flood stage; 1,950 cubic feet per secondAug 8, 2013: 7.84 ft, below flood stage; 2,350 cubic feet per secondJun 29, 2014: 9.38 ft, minor flooding; 10,400 cubic feet per secondMay 28, 2015: 5.65 ft, below flood stage; 30 cubic feet per secondMay 30, 2016: 6.35 ft, below flood stage; 233 cubic feet per secondMay 10, 2017: 6.30 ft, below flood stage; 114 cubic feet per secondOct 3, 2018: 6.96 ft, below flood stage; 238 cubic feet per secondSep 10, 2019: 9.03 ft, minor flooding; 4,714 cubic feet per secondAug 29, 2020: 6.16 ft, below flood stage; 62 cubic feet per secondMay 18, 2021: 7.03 ft, below flood stage; 415 cubic feet per secondOct 13, 2022: 4.38 ft, below flood stage; 2 cubic feet per secondAug 9, 2023: 4.55 ft, below flood stage; 3 cubic feet per secondJul 6, 2024: 6.77 ft, below flood stage; 43 cubic feet per secondSep 24, 2025: 7.04 ft, below flood stage; 422 cubic feet per second Highest, 15.20 ft, May 30, 1938 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Smoky Hill River near Oakley 1930s: 1 1940s: 2 1950s: 3 3 1960s: 2 1970s: 0 1980s: 0 1990s: 1 2000s: 0 2010s: 2 2020s: 0 1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 87 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Smoky Hill River near Oakley
1May 30, 193815.20+6.20Major71,000
2Jun 17, 195511.02+2.02Moderate21,100
3Aug 23, 196910.85+1.85Minor22,300
4Jun 11, 195110.79+1.79Minor19,700
5Jul 11, 19579.93+0.93Minor15,100
6Jun 8, 19629.58+0.58Minor13,800
7Oct 7, 19479.55+0.55Minor10,500
8Jun 29, 20149.38+0.38Minor10,400
9Sep 7, 19969.20+0.20Minor—
10Sep 10, 20199.03+0.03Minor4,714
11Jul 2, 19419.01+0.01Minor8,000
12Jul 3, 19568.58−0.42Action9,680
13Jul 30, 19508.57−0.43Action5,840
14Jun 7, 19498.33−0.67Action5,620
15Jul 19, 19468.28−0.72Action5,170
16Jul 9, 19878.22−0.78Action7,310
17Jun 14, 19648.14−0.86Action8,240
18Jun 21, 20108.00−1.00Action4,090
19May 17, 19817.95−1.05Below flood stage6,530
20Aug 8, 20137.84−1.16Below flood stage2,350
21Jul 10, 19987.78−1.22Below flood stage4,010
22Oct 8, 20127.74−1.26Below flood stage1,950
23Jul 1, 19407.70−1.30Below flood stage3,770
24Jul 13, 20077.31−1.69Below flood stage2,180
25Jul 27, 20017.30−1.70Below flood stage2,390
26Jun 6, 19617.27−1.73Below flood stage4,510
27Jul 20, 19937.21−1.79Below flood stage4,080
28Sep 24, 20257.04−1.96Below flood stage422
29Aug 31, 19927.03−1.97Below flood stage3,720
30May 18, 20217.03−1.97Below flood stage415
31Oct 3, 20186.96−2.04Below flood stage238
32May 29, 19756.84−2.16Below flood stage2,690
33Jul 23, 19796.82−2.18Below flood stage3,110
34Jul 6, 20246.77−2.23Below flood stage43
35Jul 22, 19586.74−2.26Below flood stage3,360
36Jul 25, 19776.73−2.27Below flood stage2,460
37Sep 15, 19836.66−2.34Below flood stage2,480
38Apr 18, 19426.59−2.41Below flood stage1,780
39Jun 29, 19676.52−2.48Below flood stage2,880
40Aug 6, 19456.43−2.57Below flood stage1,720
41Jul 20, 19666.38−2.62Below flood stage1,710
42Aug 7, 19996.35−2.65Below flood stage638
43Sep 8, 20096.35−2.65Below flood stage273
44May 30, 20166.35−2.65Below flood stage233
45May 10, 20176.30−2.70Below flood stage114
46Aug 29, 20206.16−2.84Below flood stage62
47Jun 1, 20066.13−2.87Below flood stage341
48Jul 1, 19916.12−2.88Below flood stage579
49May 16, 19606.08−2.92Below flood stage1,850
50Jul 16, 19486.07−2.93Below flood stage1,270

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.

May 30, 1938: 15.20 ft here, major flooding

  • EllsworthKS · Jun 1, 1938 · 27.20 ft · Major
  • ArnoldKS · May 30, 1938 · 19.00 ft · Major · its highest
  • LindsborgKS · Jun 3, 1938 · 32.55 ft · Moderate

August 23, 1969: 10.85 ft here, minor flooding

  • ArnoldKS · Aug 24, 1969 · 8.38 ft · Minor

June 11, 1951: 10.79 ft here, minor flooding

  • EllsworthKS · Jun 7, 1951 · 22.50 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
MentorKS20.024.65 ft, Jun 24, 20190
New CambriaKS27.031.72 ft, Jun 25, 19930
Oakley this gaugeKS9.015.20 ft, May 30, 19381

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge OKYK1, 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.