Rivermatics

USGS Streamgage 06863000

Smoky Hill River at Pfeifer, KS

Smoky Hill River at Pfeifer, KS is USGS streamgage 06863000 in Kansas, monitoring river discharge in hydrologic subbasin 10260006. It sits on the Smoky Hill River, alongside 11 other gauges Rivermatics tracks on the same river. It drains a watershed of about 6,033 square miles. Discharge records at this site go back to 1929. Typical flow runs near 1.3 cfs in July and 5.7 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.

View live conditions & forecast →

Gauge details

State
Kansas
Drainage area
6,033 sq mi
Gauge elevation
1,835 ft
Subbasin (HUC-8)
10260006
Coordinates
38.71473, -99.15371
USGS site number
06863000
Records begin
1929-03-16 (97 years)
Rivermatics forecast
14-day flow outlook

14-day flow forecast

Based on observations through for Smoky Hill River at Pfeifer, KS. 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
0.2 0.4 0.5
0.2 0.3 0.6
0.1 0.3 0.6
0.1 0.3 0.6
0.1 0.3 0.7
0.1 0.3 1.2
0.1 0.3 1.8
0.1 0.3 2
0.1 0.3 1.4
0.1 0.3 1.1
0.1 0.3 0.9
0.1 0.3 0.8
0 0.3 0.8
0 0.3 0.7

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 97 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 0 1.3 51.4
February 0 3.8 40.8
March 0 3.8 61.7
April 0 5.7 68.8
May 0 9.2 289.7
June 0 8.3 152.3
July 0 1.3 79.9
August 0 1 140.2
September 0 0.5 81.5
October 0 0.5 111.2
November 0 0.3 36
December 0 0.4 41.9

All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).

Common questions

When does Smoky Hill River at Pfeifer, KS normally run highest?
May, on the long-term record. The median daily flow that month is about 9.2 cfs, against 0.3 cfs in November, the lowest month. These are historical normals for the date, not a forecast and not today's reading.
What is a normal flow for Smoky Hill River at Pfeifer, KS?
It depends on the month. In January, half of days historically fall near 1.3 cfs, with the middle 80% of days between 0 and 51.4 cfs. The month-by-month table on this page gives the full range.
How long has Smoky Hill River at Pfeifer, KS been measured?
Discharge records at USGS site 06863000 begin in 1929, about 97 years, covering roughly 8,041 days of published daily values. The long record is what makes the monthly percentiles on this page meaningful.
Is there a flow forecast for Smoky Hill River at Pfeifer, KS?
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 Smoky Hill River at Pfeifer, KS?
The gauge sits at 38.71473, -99.15371, in Kansas, in hydrologic subbasin 10260006, at an elevation of about 1,835 feet, draining roughly 6,033 square miles.
Can I use Smoky Hill River at Pfeifer, KS 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 Smoky Hill River

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

Other gauges in this subbasin