Rivermatics

5 USGS Streamgages · Mississippi River system

Blue River flows and levels

Blue River is gauged at 5 USGS streamgages in Kansas and Missouri, each tracked by Rivermatics. It feeds the Old Channel Missouri River. It drains into the Mississippi River system. Drainage area at the gauges ranges from 46 square miles at Blue River near Stanley, KS up to 256 at Blue River at Stadium Drive in Kansas City, MO. The gauged reach falls about 183 feet, from 908 feet down to 725. Rivermatics issues a daily machine-learned 14-day flow outlook for every one of them.

Gauges on this river, upstream to downstream

Ordered by drainage area, which is how far down the river each gauge sits. April and July figures are long-term median daily flows for that month from the USGS record — historical normals, not a forecast and not today's reading.

USGS streamgages on this river, ordered upstream to downstream
Gauge State Drainage sq mi Elevation ft April p50 cfs July p50 cfs Forecast
Blue River near Stanley, KS KS 46 908 17.2 2.9 14-day
Blue River at Kenneth Rd, Overland Park, KS KS 66 888 30.7 8.8 14-day + temp
Blue River at Blue Ridge Blvd Ext in KC, MO MO 93 828 52.5 20.7 14-day
Blue River at Kansas City, MO MO 188 775 109 44.2 14-day
Blue River at Stadium Drive in Kansas City, MO MO 256 725 170.8 96.9 14-day

Typical flow by month at Blue River at Stadium Drive in Kansas City, MO

The furthest-downstream gauge on this river, so the fullest flow it carries here. Long-term daily discharge percentiles from the USGS record (up to 24 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 40.5 88.7 414.3
February 39.3 111.7 431.6
March 49.3 158.2 805.4
April 63.7 170.8 1,069.7
May 62.3 212.9 1,858.2
June 51.9 145.5 1,573.3
July 31.8 96.9 944.1
August 31.1 82.6 920.3
September 34.9 79.3 608.4
October 35 66.9 574.6
November 35.2 65.7 442.8
December 31.4 78.4 404.9

All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).

Common questions

When does the Blue River run highest?
May, on the long-term record at Blue River at Stadium Drive in Kansas City, MO — the furthest-downstream gauge Rivermatics tracks on this river. Median daily flow there is about 212.9 cfs that month, against 65.7 cfs in November, the lowest. Upstream gauges peak on their own schedule; the table on this page gives April and July for each.
How many gauges are on the Blue River?
Rivermatics tracks 5 USGS streamgages on the Blue River, across Kansas and Missouri. Each has its own page with the site's full flow record and monthly normals. The river may carry other gauges that publish neither daily values nor discharge statistics; those are not tracked here.
Is there a flow forecast for the Blue River?
Yes, at 5 of the 5 gauges. Rivermatics trains a machine-learned model — a temporal-fusion transformer — on each basin's observed flows, weather and snowpack, and issues a daily 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 each gauge's live screen.
What river system is the Blue River part of?
The Blue River drains into the Mississippi River system — it is a tributary somewhere in that chain, following the flowpath down to its terminal river. Rivermatics builds this from the USGS/geoconnex reference-mainstem network rather than from names.
Can I use Blue River 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.

Other rivers in the Mississippi River system

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