Kayak Love

Kansas · river

Kansas River at Fort Riley

USGS monitoring location. Launch access and paddling suitability have not been verified.

Weather comparison · not a safety rating

80

Mostly favorable

Weather score out of 100

Weather only. This is a monitoring station, not a verified launch. Access, hazards and suitable flow are unknown.

Weather observation: Mon, 19 Oct 2026 14:15:00 GMT.

River observation: Mon, 19 Oct 2026 13:30:00 GMT.

Page checked: Mon, 19 Oct 2026 14:19:40 GMT. Readings older than one hour are not used for the current score.

Photograph taken near Kansas River at Fort Riley
Nearby on Wikimedia Commons — First Territorial Capitol of Kansas.jpg by David von Riesen, Public domain. Taken within 10km of this location — it may not show the launch itself.

Wind

2 mph

gusting to 15 mph

Air temp

51°F

1% chance of rain

River flow

1,340 cfs

normal for this date

Weather outlook

Sunday · 92

  • Mon

    84

  • Tue

    86

  • Wed

    74

  • Thu

    71

  • Fri

    35

  • Sat

    32

  • Sun

    92

    Best

Compares forecast wind, air temperature and rain. Does not assess river flow, swell, currents, water temperature or launch access. All times are local to this location.

Wind, next 12 hours

mph
Hourly wind forecast
HourWind (mph)Gusts (mph)
9a49
10a823
11a1019
12p1016
1p1215
2p1114
3p1114
4p1013
5p1115
6p918
7p816
8p817

Is this flow normal for October 19?

Today's 1,340 cfs is 78% above the median for this date — which counts as normal water here.

The median flow on this date is 754 cfs, across 61 years of USGS record at this gauge. Whether that is runnable depends on the stretch — this is context, not a recommendation.

Why this score

  • Wind — 2 mph — light wind at the forecast location±0
  • Gusts — Gusting to 15 mph — 13 mph over sustained-6
  • Cold — 51°F air temperature — cool weather; water temperature is not measured-14

We don't have launch notes for this one

This page is built from the USGS gauge at this location, and uses available public readings. We haven't verified where to put in, what the hazards are, or whether this stretch is legal or sensible to paddle. We'd rather say that than invent it. The links below are where to find out.

We also don't have a verified safe-flow range here, so the Paddle Score reflects weather only. Judge the flow number against local knowledge, not against our score.

Do your own homework

We show you live conditions. For local knowledge — where to put in, what the hazards are, whether it's worth the drive — here's where paddlers actually talk about this water. We don't vet these sources; check the dates and judge for yourself.

Nearby water

All paddling spots in Kansas →