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West Branch Walnut River at El Dorado

Highest listed crest 32.14 ftFlood stage 21.0 ft23 crests since 1979

The West Branch Walnut River at El Dorado crested at major flood stage 3 times among the 23 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1979 to 2025. The highest, 32.14 ft on June 8, 1979, was major flooding, 11.14 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
32.14 ft
June 8, 1979
Flood stage
21.0 ft
Major flooding from 24.0 ft
Crests at major
3
18th of 171 gauges in Kansas
Most recent flood crest
June 3, 2025
26.73 ft, major flooding
Location
Butler County
Near El Dorado (0.9 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, West Branch Walnut River at El Dorado
Action stage20.00—The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)21.02May 25, 2019Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage22.02Apr 27, 2009Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage24.03Jun 3, 2025Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

23 crests from 1979 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the West Branch Walnut River at El Dorado, 1979 to 2025 010203040ft Flood stage 21.0 ftMajor 24.0 ft Jun 8, 1979: 32.14 ft, major floodingJun 8, 1995: 22.68 ft, moderate floodingAug 25, 2005: 26.25 ft, major flooding; 20,817 cubic feet per secondSep 12, 2008: 21.50 ft, minor flooding; 9,428 cubic feet per secondApr 27, 2009: 23.92 ft, moderate flooding; 13,683 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 2010: 13.91 ft, below flood stage; 2,380 cubic feet per secondFeb 28, 2011: 9.23 ft, below flood stage; 603 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 2012: 10.88 ft, below flood stage; 1,130 cubic feet per secondAug 6, 2013: 17.85 ft, below flood stage; 4,070 cubic feet per secondJun 7, 2014: 12.20 ft, below flood stage; 1,660 cubic feet per secondMay 23, 2015: 15.54 ft, below flood stage; 2,970 cubic feet per secondJul 3, 2016: 19.50 ft, below flood stage; 6,470 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 2017: 15.90 ft, below flood stage; 4,140 cubic feet per secondSep 6, 2018: 12.51 ft, below flood stage; 2,240 cubic feet per secondMay 8, 2019: 18.15 ft, below flood stage; 4,760 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 2019: 19.73 ft, below flood stage; 5,785 cubic feet per secondMay 25, 2019: 21.34 ft, minor flooding; 7,240 cubic feet per secondMay 15, 2020: 18.50 ft, below flood stage; 4,660 cubic feet per secondJun 30, 2021: 15.86 ft, below flood stage; 3,730 cubic feet per secondMay 4, 2022: 19.23 ft, below flood stage; 4,900 cubic feet per secondDec 24, 2023: 7.59 ft, below flood stage; 238 cubic feet per secondNov 2, 2024: 11.33 ft, below flood stage; 1,790 cubic feet per secondJun 3, 2025: 26.73 ft, major flooding; 7,140 cubic feet per second Highest, 32.14 ft, Jun 8, 1979 19801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, West Branch Walnut River at El Dorado 1970s: 1 1980s: 0 1990s: 1 2000s: 3 3 2010s: 1 2020s: 1 1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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, West Branch Walnut River at El Dorado
1Jun 8, 197932.14+11.14Major—
2Jun 3, 202526.73+5.73Major7,140
3Aug 25, 200526.25+5.25Major20,817
4Apr 27, 200923.92+2.92Moderate13,683
5Jun 8, 199522.68+1.68Moderate—
6Sep 12, 200821.50+0.50Minor9,428
7May 25, 201921.34+0.34Minor7,240
8May 21, 201919.73−1.27Below flood stage5,785
9Jul 3, 201619.50−1.50Below flood stage6,470
10May 4, 202219.23−1.77Below flood stage4,900
11May 15, 202018.50−2.50Below flood stage4,660
12May 8, 201918.15−2.85Below flood stage4,760
13Aug 6, 201317.85−3.15Below flood stage4,070
14Mar 29, 201715.90−5.10Below flood stage4,140
15Jun 30, 202115.86−5.14Below flood stage3,730
16May 23, 201515.54−5.46Below flood stage2,970
17Jun 9, 201013.91−7.09Below flood stage2,380
18Sep 6, 201812.51−8.49Below flood stage2,240
19Jun 7, 201412.20−8.80Below flood stage1,660
20Nov 2, 202411.33−9.67Below flood stage1,790
21Apr 15, 201210.88−10.12Below flood stage1,130
22Feb 28, 20119.23−11.77Below flood stage603
23Dec 24, 20237.59−13.41Below flood stage238

Other gauges in Butler County

Flood gauges in Butler County
Augusta23.036.35 ft, Jun 5, 19651
El Dorado19.026.65 ft, Jun 8, 19791
Augusta21.034.95 ft, Nov 1, 19985
Towanda22.030.54 ft, Nov 1, 19987

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge EDWK1, 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.