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South Fork Ninnescah River at Pratt

Highest listed crest 14.44 ftFlood stage 9.0 ft30 crests since 1981

The South Fork Ninnescah River at Pratt crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 30 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1981 to 2026. The highest, 14.44 ft on September 3, 2018, was major flooding, 5.44 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
14.44 ft
September 3, 2018; 12,600 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
June 26, 2026
9.51 ft, minor flooding
Location
Pratt County
Kansas

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, South Fork Ninnescah River at Pratt
Action stage7.04Sep 23, 2025The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)9.012Jun 26, 2026Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage11.03May 8, 2019Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage13.01Sep 3, 2018Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

30 crests from 1981 to 2026. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the South Fork Ninnescah River at Pratt, 1981 to 2026 46810121416ft Flood stage 9.0 ftMajor 13.0 ft May 30, 1981: 6.64 ft, below flood stage; 210 cubic feet per secondMay 16, 1982: 6.70 ft, below flood stage; 215 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 1983: 6.26 ft, below flood stage; 176 cubic feet per secondJun 13, 1984: 7.80 ft, action stage; 327 cubic feet per secondApr 30, 1985: 10.03 ft, minor flooding; 1,700 cubic feet per secondOct 10, 1985: 8.33 ft, action stage; 727 cubic feet per secondJul 4, 1987: 11.54 ft, moderate flooding; 3,240 cubic feet per secondJul 19, 1988: 9.89 ft, minor flooding; 1,750 cubic feet per secondMay 22, 1989: 9.48 ft, minor flooding; 1,790 cubic feet per secondJun 14, 1992: 6.81 ft, below flood stage; 481 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 1995: 10.34 ft, minor flooding; 3,780 cubic feet per secondAug 3, 1996: 10.94 ft, minor flooding; 5,360 cubic feet per secondJul 20, 1997: 11.12 ft, moderate flooding; 5,920 cubic feet per secondSep 27, 1998: 5.92 ft, below flood stage; 289 cubic feet per secondJun 23, 1999: 5.84 ft, below flood stage; 274 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 2000: 10.22 ft, minor flooding; 3,560 cubic feet per secondOct 24, 2000: 7.98 ft, action stage; 844 cubic feet per secondJun 4, 2002: 6.19 ft, below flood stage; 343 cubic feet per secondOct 4, 2002: 9.14 ft, minor flooding; 1,750 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 2004: 6.24 ft, below flood stage; 412 cubic feet per secondMay 9, 2006: 6.29 ft, below flood stage; 364 cubic feet per secondAug 17, 2010: 9.33 ft, minor floodingAug 24, 2010: 9.46 ft, minor floodingMay 20, 2011: 6.29 ft, below flood stage; 312 cubic feet per secondSep 3, 2018: 14.44 ft, major flooding; 12,600 cubic feet per secondOct 10, 2018: 10.06 ft, minor flooding; 2,030 cubic feet per secondMay 8, 2019: 11.08 ft, moderate flooding; 3,350 cubic feet per secondSep 25, 2019: 9.45 ft, minor flooding; 1,460 cubic feet per secondSep 23, 2025: 7.44 ft, action stageJun 26, 2026: 9.51 ft, minor flooding; 1,323 cubic feet per second Highest, 14.44 ft, Sep 3, 2018 1990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, South Fork Ninnescah River at Pratt 1980s: 4 1990s: 3 2000s: 2 2010s: 6 6 2020s: 1 1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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, South Fork Ninnescah River at Pratt
1Sep 3, 201814.44+5.44Major12,600
2Jul 4, 198711.54+2.54Moderate3,240
3Jul 20, 199711.12+2.12Moderate5,920
4May 8, 201911.08+2.08Moderate3,350
5Aug 3, 199610.94+1.94Minor5,360
6May 27, 199510.34+1.34Minor3,780
7Mar 23, 200010.22+1.22Minor3,560
8Oct 10, 201810.06+1.06Minor2,030
9Apr 30, 198510.03+1.03Minor1,700
10Jul 19, 19889.89+0.89Minor1,750
11Jun 26, 20269.51+0.51Minor1,323
12May 22, 19899.48+0.48Minor1,790
13Aug 24, 20109.46+0.46Minor—
14Sep 25, 20199.45+0.45Minor1,460
15Aug 17, 20109.33+0.33Minor—
16Oct 4, 20029.14+0.14Minor1,750
17Oct 10, 19858.33−0.67Action727
18Oct 24, 20007.98−1.02Action844
19Jun 13, 19847.80−1.20Action327
20Sep 23, 20257.44−1.56Action—
21Jun 14, 19926.81−2.19Below flood stage481
22May 16, 19826.70−2.30Below flood stage215
23May 30, 19816.64−2.36Below flood stage210
24May 9, 20066.29−2.71Below flood stage364
25May 20, 20116.29−2.71Below flood stage312
26May 21, 19836.26−2.74Below flood stage176
27Mar 5, 20046.24−2.76Below flood stage412
28Jun 4, 20026.19−2.81Below flood stage343
29Sep 27, 19985.92−3.08Below flood stage289
30Jun 23, 19995.84−3.16Below flood stage274

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge PTTK1, 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.