Wakarusa River at Lawrence
Kansas · Fishing & wading
Measured at USGS 06891500 — WAKARUSA R NR LAWRENCE, KS · NWS forecast point LAWK1
Reading taken Jul 28, 11:30 PM UTC
About normal for the date
At 24 CFS, this gauge is running 115% of normal for late July — close to the 21 CFS median USGS has recorded for this date across 96 years of record (1930–2025).
Data-derived guidance from USGS and NWS published values — not official advice, and not a safety assessment.
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Flood stages at Lawrence
Official National Weather Service categories for gauge LAWK1, issued by WFO TOP. Impact statements are the NWS's own wording for this location, reproduced verbatim.
-
Major flood 45.0 ft
-
Moderate flood 25.0 ft
- 25.0 ft Road 1150 East floods.
- 31.0 ft River reaches a width of a half mile and continues to spread over cultivated fields.
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Minor flood 23.0 ft
- 23.0 ft Minor low land flooding begins.
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Action 18.0 ft
- Right now 4.51 ft
12 months of flow at Lawrence
Daily values from USGS gauge 06891500. Provisional data, subject to revision.
Highest crests on record at Lawrence
| Stage | Flow | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 31.59 ft | 24,200 CFS | Jul 12, 1951 |
| 31.01 ft | 8,210 CFS | Oct 11, 1973 |
| 30.86 ft | 2,280 CFS | Jun 21, 1967 |
| 30.82 ft | 8,070 CFS | Sep 28, 1973 |
| 30.65 ft | 7,960 CFS | Dec 4, 1973 |
| 30.50 ft | 7,850 CFS | Jul 20, 1973 |
| 30.26 ft | 14,200 CFS | Aug 10, 1968 |
| 30.12 ft | 7,580 CFS | Jul 19, 1973 |
| 29.87 ft | 12,300 CFS | Jun 27, 1968 |
| 29.31 ft | 7,020 CFS | May 7, 1973 |
Historical crests published by the National Weather Service for this gauge.
About Wakarusa River at Lawrence
This gauge sits on Wakarusa River at Lawrence, Kansas, immediately below Clinton 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 — 21 CFS for late July, from 96 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 Clinton Lake. A full pool usually means more water is on its way down.
Wakarusa River at Lawrence — common questions
What is the current flow on Wakarusa River at Lawrence?
As of the last reading on this page, Wakarusa River at Lawrence was running 24 CFS at a gage height of 4.51 ft, or 115% of the USGS median for this date. The number updates automatically from USGS gauge 06891500, 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 21 CFS, calculated from 96 years of record (1930–2025). 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 Wakarusa River at Lawrence 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 21 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 Clinton 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 06891500. Flood categories, impact statements and the forecast come from the NOAA / National Weather Service National Water Prediction Service, gauge LAWK1. riverlvl adds the seasonal comparison and plain-English summary; it is not an official source and does not issue warnings.