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Wakarusa River at Wakarusa

Highest listed crest 28.60 ftFlood stage 15.0 ft17 crests since 2007

The Wakarusa River at Wakarusa crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 17 crests the National Weather Service lists from 2007 to 2025. The highest, 28.60 ft on May 8, 2007, was major flooding, 13.60 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
28.60 ft
May 8, 2007
Flood stage
15.0 ft
Major flooding from 24.0 ft
Crests at major
1
51st of 171 gauges in Kansas
Most recent flood crest
June 4, 2025
16.29 ft, minor flooding
Location
Shawnee County
Near Topeka (10.6 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Wakarusa River at Wakarusa
Action stage10.02May 25, 2022The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)15.013Jun 4, 2025Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage22.01Aug 30, 2019Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage24.01May 8, 2007Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

17 crests from 2007 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Wakarusa River at Wakarusa, 2007 to 2025 1015202530ft Flood stage 15.0 ftMajor 24.0 ft May 8, 2007: 28.60 ft, major floodingJun 10, 2014: 16.68 ft, minor floodingMay 24, 2015: 18.56 ft, minor floodingJun 5, 2015: 19.80 ft, minor floodingApr 27, 2016: 19.88 ft, minor floodingMay 27, 2016: 18.27 ft, minor floodingAug 22, 2017: 17.17 ft, minor floodingMay 8, 2019: 17.02 ft, minor floodingMay 21, 2019: 16.46 ft, minor floodingJun 23, 2019: 16.77 ft, minor floodingAug 30, 2019: 22.14 ft, moderate floodingApr 24, 2020: 12.68 ft, action stageMay 27, 2021: 15.61 ft, minor floodingMay 25, 2022: 10.44 ft, action stageMay 31, 2023: 16.12 ft, minor floodingJul 1, 2024: 17.54 ft, minor floodingJun 4, 2025: 16.29 ft, minor flooding; 6,034 cubic feet per second Highest, 28.60 ft, May 8, 2007 2010201520202025

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Wakarusa River at Wakarusa 2000s: 1 2010s: 10 10 2020s: 4 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, Wakarusa River at Wakarusa
1May 8, 200728.60+13.60Major—
2Aug 30, 201922.14+7.14Moderate—
3Apr 27, 201619.88+4.88Minor—
4Jun 5, 201519.80+4.80Minor—
5May 24, 201518.56+3.56Minor—
6May 27, 201618.27+3.27Minor—
7Jul 1, 202417.54+2.54Minor—
8Aug 22, 201717.17+2.17Minor—
9May 8, 201917.02+2.02Minor—
10Jun 23, 201916.77+1.77Minor—
11Jun 10, 201416.68+1.68Minor—
12May 21, 201916.46+1.46Minor—
13Jun 4, 202516.29+1.29Minor6,034
14May 31, 202316.12+1.12Minor—
15May 27, 202115.61+0.61Minor—
16Apr 24, 202012.68−2.32Action—
17May 25, 202210.44−4.56Action—

Gauges on the Wakarusa River

In USGS station-number order, which runs downstream within a river basin.

Flood gauges on the Wakarusa River
Wakarusa this gaugeKS15.028.60 ft, May 8, 20071
LawrenceKS23.031.59 ft, Jul 12, 19510

Other gauges in Shawnee County

Flood gauges in Shawnee County
Rossville25.032.66 ft, Jun 9, 19823
Topeka26.047.20 ft, Jun 1, 18441
Topeka16.023.28 ft, May 7, 20071
Topeka Gage Blvd15.019.70 ft, Jul 30, 20200
Topeka29.034.67 ft, Oct 2, 20050

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge WRWK1, 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.