Verdigris River at Altoona
Kansas · Fishing & wading
Measured at USGS 07166500 — VERDIGRIS R NR ALTOONA, KS · NWS forecast point ATOK1
Reading taken Jul 28, 11:45 PM UTC
Low and clear — wadeable, and fish will be spooky
At 20 CFS, this gauge is running 44% of normal for late July — below the 45 CFS median USGS has recorded for this date across 87 years of record (1939–2026).
Data-derived guidance from USGS and NWS published values — not official advice, and not a safety assessment.
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Flood stages at Altoona
Official National Weather Service categories for gauge ATOK1, issued by WFO ICT. Impact statements are the NWS's own wording for this location, reproduced verbatim.
-
Major flood 26.0 ft
- 26.0 ft Extensive flooding along both banks of the river with water reaching the ground floor of the Altoona Water Plant.
-
Moderate flood 21.0 ft
- 21.0 ft Flood waters begin to threaten outlining facilities of the city's water plant. Water Plant's clearwell may become flooded.
-
Minor flood 19.0 ft
- 19.0 ft Expect flooding of agricultural fields and gravel road near the river bridge off of Highway 47.
-
Action 15.0 ft · 8,550 CFS
- 15.0 ft Expect overflows on the west bank.
- Right now 3.23 ft
12 months of flow at Altoona
Daily values from USGS gauge 07166500. Provisional data, subject to revision.
Highest crests on record at Altoona
| Stage | Flow | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 24.58 ft | 63,600 CFS | Jul 1, 2007 |
| 21.93 ft | 30,800 CFS | May 26, 2019 |
| 20.62 ft | 21,052 CFS | May 22, 2019 |
| 20.57 ft | 20,600 CFS | Oct 8, 2016 |
| 20.32 ft | 19,000 CFS | Apr 28, 2024 |
| 20.07 ft | 17,600 CFS | Jun 27, 2021 |
| 19.68 ft | 15,500 CFS | Jun 2, 2022 |
| 19.62 ft | — | Jun 14, 2008 |
| 19.59 ft | 14,100 CFS | Sep 11, 2009 |
| 19.53 ft | 14,916 CFS | May 8, 2019 |
Historical crests published by the National Weather Service for this gauge.
About Verdigris River at Altoona
This gauge sits on Verdigris River at Altoona, Kansas, immediately below Toronto Lake. Flow here is controlled by releases from the dam, so it can change by hundreds of CFS within an hour with no rain anywhere in the basin — check it before you go, not the day before.
Raw CFS means little on its own, so every reading on this page is shown against the USGS median for the same calendar day — 45 CFS for late July, from 87 years of record.
Because the National Weather Service also operates a forecast point here, the page carries the official flood-category ladder and the NWS's own stage-by-stage impact statements.
Reservoir feeding this stretch
Flow at this gauge is set by releases from Toronto Lake. A full pool usually means more water is on its way down.
Verdigris River at Altoona — common questions
What is the current flow on Verdigris River at Altoona?
As of the last reading on this page, Verdigris River at Altoona was running 20 CFS at a gage height of 3.23 ft, or 44% of the USGS median for this date. The number updates automatically from USGS gauge 07166500, which reports every 15 to 60 minutes.
Is that high or low for this time of year?
The USGS median flow for late July at this gauge is 45 CFS, calculated from 87 years of record (1939–2026). Comparing today's reading against that median is the only way a raw CFS number tells you anything — 200 CFS is a drought on one river and a flood on another.
How often does this reading update?
USGS transmits from this gauge every 15 to 60 minutes. This page bakes in the most recent reading when it is rebuilt, then refreshes live from USGS when you open it. Readings are provisional and subject to revision by USGS.
Is Verdigris River at Altoona wadeable right now?
That depends on the reach and on your own judgement — riverlvl will not tell you the water is safe to stand in. What it will tell you is whether today's flow is unusually high or low for the date, against a seasonal median of 45 CFS, which is the single most useful input to that decision. On a dam tailwater like this one, the bigger risk is a sudden generation release, which can raise the river several feet with little warning.
How do releases from Toronto Lake affect this stretch?
Directly and quickly. When the dam generates or spills, flow at this gauge climbs — often within an hour, often by an order of magnitude. The reservoir level itself is tracked on lakelvl.com, and the link on this page goes straight to it, so you can see whether the pool is high enough that releases are likely.
Where does this data come from?
Flow and gage height are public-domain USGS data from gauge 07166500. Flood categories, impact statements and the forecast come from the NOAA / National Weather Service National Water Prediction Service, gauge ATOK1. riverlvl adds the seasonal comparison and plain-English summary; it is not an official source and does not issue warnings.