2025-12-20T00:00:00-07:00
...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS THURSDAY AND FRIDAY... Strong northwest winds will spread across the northeast plains after sunrise today, with gusts 45 to 65 mph creating critical fire weather conditions despite somewhat marginal humidity values near 20%. Early Friday, westerly downslope winds will bring strong gusts to the Front Range mountains and foothills, with potential for these to spread into wind-favored portions of the adjacent lower elevations. Peak gusts of 70-90 mph are increasing in likelihood for the windiest locations (considerably lower for areas along and east of I-25). With a warmer and drier air mass in place, humidity values in the teens look to extend into much of the foothills, and certainly across the lower elevations. Such conditions may be a longer duration than usual, with potential for low humidity to extend into the evening hours prior to the arrival of a front. The National Weather Service in Denver has issued a Fire Weather Watch for wind and low relative humidity, which is in effect from Friday morning through Friday evening. * AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 215, 216, 241, 243, 245, 246 and 247. * TIMING...From Friday morning through late Friday evening. * WINDS...West 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 80 mph in and near the foothills. West 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 45 mph for areas roughly along and east of I-25. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 10 to 15%. * IMPACTS...Conditions will be favorable for rapid fire spread. Avoid outdoor burning and any activity that may produce a spark and start a wildfire.
Summary
Total streamflow across the
Wakarusa River
was last observed at
8
cfs, and is expected to yield approximately
16
acre-ft of water today; about 72%
of normal.
Average streamflow for this time of year is
11 cfs,
with recent peaks last observed
on
2025-06-04 when daily discharge volume was observed at
5,670 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the
Wakarusa R Nr Lawrence
reporting a streamflow rate of 7.81 cfs.
This is also the highest stage along the Wakarusa River, with a gauge stage of
4.17 ft at this location.
This river is monitored from 2 different streamgauging stations along the Wakarusa River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 898 ft, the
Wakarusa R Nr Richland.
River Details
| Last Updated | 2025-12-18 |
| Discharge Volume | 16 ACRE-FT |
| Streamflow |
8.14 cfs
+0.42 cfs (+5.44%) |
| Percent of Normal | 72.36% |
| Maximum |
5,670.0 cfs
2025-06-04 |
| Seasonal Avg | cfs |
River Streamflow Levels
| Streamgauge | Streamflow | Gauge Stage | 24hr Change (%) | % Normal | Minimum (cfs) | Maximum (cfs) | Air Temp | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Wakarusa R Nr Richland
USGS 06891260 |
0 cfs | 3.47 ft | 10 | |||||
|
Wakarusa R Nr Lawrence
USGS 06891500 |
8 cfs | 4.17 ft | 5.26 |
Seasonal Discharge Comparison
Maximum Streamflow Discharge
Streamflow Elevation Profile
The river's headwaters are located in Douglas County, and it flows through Shawnee and Osage Counties before joining the Kansas River. The river has a history of flooding, which has been mitigated through the construction of various reservoirs and dams, including the Clinton Lake and the Pomona Lake. The river's hydrology has been affected by agricultural practices, such as the conversion of wetlands to farmland, and by urban expansion. The river is important for recreational activities, including fishing and boating, and for agricultural uses, such as irrigation and livestock watering. However, water quality and quantity issues have been a concern for these uses.