Rivermatics

USGS Streamgage 06893500

Blue River at Kansas City, MO

Blue River at Kansas City, MO is USGS streamgage 06893500 in Missouri, monitoring river discharge in hydrologic subbasin 10300101. It sits on the Blue River, alongside 4 other gauges Rivermatics tracks on the same river. It drains a watershed of about 188 square miles. Discharge records at this site go back to 1928. Typical flow runs near 44.2 cfs in July and 109 cfs in April, with the higher of the two arriving in April. Rivermatics issues a daily machine-learned flow outlook for this gauge, reaching 14 days ahead.

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Gauge details

State
Missouri
Drainage area
188 sq mi
Gauge elevation
775 ft
Subbasin (HUC-8)
10300101
Coordinates
38.957, -94.55889
USGS site number
06893500
Records begin
1928-11-17 (98 years)
Rivermatics forecast
14-day flow outlook

14-day flow forecast

Based on observations through for Blue River at Kansas City, MO. Each day carries a median estimate and the band the model expects the flow to fall within — not a single number to plan against. Forecasts are re-issued daily; see the live screen for the current outlook.

Forecast daily mean discharge in cubic feet per second, by date
Date Low p10 Expected p50 High p90 Range
71.2 100 166
51.1 78.1 239
51.8 95.9 650
59.7 205 1,652
52.4 92 329
49.5 95.2 500
46.6 74.9 222
46.9 110 628
46.9 88.3 278
43.5 68.5 136
40 59.5 112
36.5 53.6 103
34.1 49.9 91.6
32.4 46.7 77.4

All values in cubic feet per second (cfs). Estimates only — do not use them for navigation or for any safety, rescue, or emergency decision.

Typical flow by month

Long-term daily discharge percentiles from the USGS record (up to 87 years of data), averaged within each month. These describe the historical normal range — they are not a forecast and not today's reading.

Historical monthly discharge percentiles in cubic feet per second
Month Low p10 Typical p50 High p90 Range
January 10.2 49.4 219.9
February 14.7 66.2 268.9
March 24 95.7 400.9
April 26.7 109 567.5
May 27.6 98.3 638.9
June 20 80.1 658.3
July 10.2 44.2 320.5
August 5.3 32.7 217.7
September 3.2 32.7 254.9
October 3.5 33.1 260.9
November 6.5 41.1 209.6
December 6.5 43.3 195.6

All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).

Common questions

When does Blue River at Kansas City, MO normally run highest?
April, on the long-term record. The median daily flow that month is about 109 cfs, against 32.7 cfs in August, the lowest month. These are historical normals for the date, not a forecast and not today's reading.
What is a normal flow for Blue River at Kansas City, MO?
It depends on the month. In January, half of days historically fall near 49.4 cfs, with the middle 80% of days between 10.2 and 219.9 cfs. The month-by-month table on this page gives the full range.
How long has Blue River at Kansas City, MO been measured?
Discharge records at USGS site 06893500 begin in 1928, about 98 years, covering roughly 9,200 days of published daily values. The long record is what makes the monthly percentiles on this page meaningful.
Is there a flow forecast for Blue River at Kansas City, MO?
Yes. Rivermatics trains a machine-learned model — a temporal-fusion transformer — on this basin's observed flows, weather, and snowpack, and issues a daily flow outlook reaching 14 days ahead: a median estimate inside a confidence band, not a single number to bet on. Every forecast is scored against days the model never trained on, and that track record is published on the live gauge screen. Open live conditions to see the current outlook.
Where is Blue River at Kansas City, MO?
The gauge sits at 38.957, -94.55889, in Missouri, in hydrologic subbasin 10300101, at an elevation of about 775 feet, draining roughly 188 square miles.
Can I use Blue River at Kansas City, MO data for flood or safety decisions?
No. Rivermatics provides estimates, not guarantees, and the readings and forecasts here may be delayed, inaccurate, or wrong. Do not use them for navigation or for any safety, rescue, or emergency decision. Check the National Weather Service and USGS directly, and use your own judgment.

Upstream and downstream on the Blue River

Every gauge Rivermatics tracks on this river, ordered by drainage area — upstream first. See the Blue River in full.

Other gauges in this subbasin