Kayak Love

Kansas · river

Kansas River at Lawrence

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

Weather comparison · not a safety rating

89

Favorable weather

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: Tue, 29 Sep 2026 14:30:00 GMT.

River observation: Tue, 29 Sep 2026 14:25:00 GMT.

Page checked: Tue, 29 Sep 2026 14:38:55 GMT. Readings older than one hour are not used for the current score.

Photograph taken near Kansas River at Lawrence
Nearby on Wikimedia Commons — 1oldcityhall.jpg by Ajohnson360, CC BY-SA 3.0. Taken within 10km of this location — it may not show the launch itself.

Wind

9 mph

gusting to 22 mph

Air temp

69°F

7% chance of rain

River flow

5,480 cfs

high for this date

Weather outlook

Saturday · 93

  • Tue

    59

  • Wed

    75

  • Thu

    34

  • Fri

    58

  • Sat

    93

    Best

  • Sun

    72

  • Mon

    81

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)
9a622
10a1024
11a923
12p1428
1p1124
2p28
3p818
4p617
5p520
6p719
7p512
8p49

Is this flow normal for September 29?

Today's 5,480 cfs is 289% above the median for this date — which counts as high water here.

The median flow on this date is 1,410 cfs, across 13 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 — 9 mph — moderate wind at the forecast location-5
  • Gusts — Gusting to 22 mph — 13 mph over sustained-6

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 →