USGS Water-Year Summary 2024
06860000 SMOKY HILL RIVER AT ELKADER, KS
LOCATION - Lat 38°47'41", long 100°51'29" referenced to North American Datum of 1927, in NE 1/4 SE 1/4 sec.34, T.14 S., R.32 W., Logan County, KS, Hydrologic Unit 10260003, on right bank at downstream side of bridge on U.S. Highway 83, 22.3 mi south of Oakley, 0.1 mi downstream from Ladder Creek, and at mile 409.9.
DRAINAGE AREA - 3,555 mi².
REVISIONS HISTORY - WSP 1310: 1941(M), 1947(M), 1949(M). WSP 1510: Drainage area.
SURFACE-WATER RECORDS
PERIOD OF RECORD - October 1939 to current year.
GAGE -
Water-stage recorder.
The current Datum of gage was calculated as 2623.719 ft above sea level NAVD 88 based on a static survey of RM5 on 8/11/21 bt J. Hawkins USGS.
The previous Datum of gage was 2,622.62 ft above sea level NGVD of 1929. Prior to Oct. 1, 1986, water-stage recorder at site 100 ft downstream and at datum 2.00 ft higher and Oct. 1, 1986, to Sept. 30, 1995, water-stage recorder at site 100 ft downstream at same datum.
EXTREMES OUTSIDE PERIOD OF RECORD - Maximum stage since at least 1937, 15.2 ft, May 30, 1938, from floodmark, discharge, 71,000 ft³/s, on basis of slope-area measurement of peak flow, present datum.
EXTREMES FOR PERIOD OF RECORD - Maximum gage height was 9.38 ft., gage datum then in use, recorded on Jun. 29, 2014 with an associated discharge of 10,400 cfs. Maximum discharge was 22,300 cfs on Aug. 23, 1969 at a stage of 8.85 ft., gage datum then in use.