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Spring River at Carthage

Highest listed crest 20.33 ftFlood stage 10.0 ft21 crests since 2008

The Spring River at Carthage crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 21 crests the National Weather Service lists from 2008 to 2023. The highest, 20.33 ft on December 27, 2015, was major flooding, 10.33 feet above flood stage. 4 other gauges on the Spring River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
20.33 ft
December 27, 2015; 40,600 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
10.0 ft
Major flooding from 20.0 ft
Crests at major
1
94th of 173 gauges in Missouri
Most recent flood crest
August 15, 2023
10.40 ft, minor flooding
Location
Jasper County
Near Carthage (2.9 mi), Webb City (8.5 mi), Joplin (12.4 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Spring River at Carthage
Action stage8.01Jan 9, 2008The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)10.011Aug 15, 2023Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage14.07May 6, 2022Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage20.01Dec 27, 2015Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

21 crests from 2008 to 2023. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Spring River at Carthage, 2008 to 2023 510152025ft Flood stage 10.0 ftMajor 20.0 ft Jan 9, 2008: 9.67 ft, action stage; 5,550 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 2011: 16.55 ft, moderate flooding; 27,970 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 2012: 7.99 ft, below flood stage; 3,720 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 2013: 10.81 ft, minor flooding; 6,804 cubic feet per secondJun 1, 2013: 10.52 ft, minor flooding; 6,458 cubic feet per secondJul 30, 2013: 16.15 ft, moderate flooding; 20,200 cubic feet per secondJun 6, 2014: 12.98 ft, minor flooding; 10,800 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 2015: 10.75 ft, minor flooding; 6,732 cubic feet per secondMay 30, 2015: 11.24 ft, minor flooding; 7,330 cubic feet per secondDec 27, 2015: 20.33 ft, major flooding; 40,600 cubic feet per secondApr 30, 2017: 18.44 ft, moderate flooding; 30,400 cubic feet per secondFeb 25, 2018: 13.73 ft, minor flooding; 12,900 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 2019: 15.58 ft, moderate flooding; 18,700 cubic feet per secondMay 24, 2019: 17.98 ft, moderate flooding; 28,300 cubic feet per secondJan 11, 2020: 12.46 ft, minor flooding; 9,640 cubic feet per secondMar 20, 2020: 14.27 ft, moderate flooding; 14,500 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 2021: 10.84 ft, minor flooding; 6,840 cubic feet per secondMay 29, 2021: 11.54 ft, minor flooding; 7,810 cubic feet per secondMay 6, 2022: 17.54 ft, moderate flooding; 26,372 cubic feet per secondMar 25, 2023: 10.96 ft, minor flooding; 7,050 cubic feet per secondAug 15, 2023: 10.40 ft, minor flooding; 6,472 cubic feet per second Highest, 20.33 ft, Dec 27, 2015 201020152020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Spring River at Carthage 2000s: 0 2010s: 12 12 2020s: 7 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.
  3. 43 crests measured on an earlier gauge datum are left out: 22.00 ft on May 18, 1943; 10.53 ft on Jul 6, 1967; 11.89 ft on Feb 2, 1968; 12.00 ft on Nov 3, 1968; 12.15 ft on May 1, 1970; 15.00 ft on Sep 6, 1971; and more.

Highest crests

Highest listed crests, Spring River at Carthage
1Dec 27, 201520.33+10.33Major40,600
2Apr 30, 201718.44+8.44Moderate30,400
3May 24, 201917.98+7.98Moderate28,300
4May 6, 202217.54+7.54Moderate26,372
5Apr 26, 201116.55+6.55Moderate27,970
6Jul 30, 201316.15+6.15Moderate20,200
7May 1, 201915.58+5.58Moderate18,700
8Mar 20, 202014.27+4.27Moderate14,500
9Feb 25, 201813.73+3.73Minor12,900
10Jun 6, 201412.98+2.98Minor10,800
11Jan 11, 202012.46+2.46Minor9,640
12May 29, 202111.54+1.54Minor7,810
13May 30, 201511.24+1.24Minor7,330
14Mar 25, 202310.96+0.96Minor7,050
15Mar 18, 202110.84+0.84Minor6,840
16Apr 11, 201310.81+0.81Minor6,804
17Apr 3, 201510.75+0.75Minor6,732
18Jun 1, 201310.52+0.52Minor6,458
19Aug 15, 202310.40+0.40Minor6,472
20Jan 9, 20089.67−0.33Action5,550
21Mar 22, 20127.99−2.01Below flood stage3,720

The worst floods along the Spring River

For this gauge's highest crests, the other gauges on the Spring River that crested above flood stage within a week.

December 27, 2015: 20.33 ft here, major flooding

  • QuapawOK · Dec 29, 2015 · 39.77 ft · Major
  • Baxter SpringsKS · Dec 28, 2015 · 31.80 ft · Major · its highest
  • WacoMO · Dec 28, 2015 · 30.82 ft · Moderate
  • LaRussellMO · Dec 27, 2015 · 15.70 ft · Minor

April 30, 2017: 18.44 ft here, moderate flooding

  • QuapawOK · May 1, 2017 · 34.57 ft · Major
  • Baxter SpringsKS · Apr 30, 2017 · 27.69 ft · Moderate
  • WacoMO · Apr 30, 2017 · 28.14 ft · Minor
  • LaRussellMO · Apr 29, 2017 · 13.43 ft · Minor

May 24, 2019: 17.98 ft here, moderate flooding

  • QuapawOK · May 23, 2019 · 33.96 ft · Major
  • Baxter SpringsKS · May 23, 2019 · 27.00 ft · Moderate
  • WacoMO · May 24, 2019 · 27.97 ft · Minor

Gauges on the Spring River

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

Flood gauges on the Spring River
LaRussellMO8.016.85 ft, May 20, 19790
Carthage this gaugeMO10.020.33 ft, Dec 27, 20151
WacoMO19.034.06 ft, Sep 26, 19931
Baxter SpringsKS14.031.80 ft, Dec 28, 20151
QuapawOK20.046.15 ft, Sep 26, 199315

Other gauges in Jasper County

Flood gauges in Jasper County
Purcell11.033.77 ft, Jun 12, 20076
LaRussell8.016.85 ft, May 20, 19790
Waco19.034.06 ft, Sep 26, 19931

Jasper County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Missouri

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge CHTM7, 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.