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SwedenArkansas River at Ralston water level
River gauge, Arkansas River, Oklahoma, United States
Right now
Below flood stage
Water level
- Flow
- 2,460 cfs
History
What this means
The gauge at Arkansas River at Ralston reads 5.02 ft, a normal level.
It is 10.98 ft below the flood stage of 16.00 ft.
The level is falling, down 0.97 ft over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 3.50 ft and 6.20 ft.
Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.
Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Highest on record
- 23.00 ftJune 11, 1923
What the stage means on the water
A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.
The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 16.00 ft, still 10.98 ft away.
What happens at each level
- 24.00 ft
- very severe flooding occurs. The Ralston sewage treatment plant levees may be overtopped when the stage reaches 24 feet. This is an extremely dangerous and life threatening situation.
- 22.00 ft
- severe agricultural flooding occurs. Water levels are within 2 feet of topping the Ralston sewage treatment levees when the stage reaches 22 feet. This is a dangerous situation.
- 21.00 ft
- severe agricultural flooding occurs. Water levels need to be patrolled as the levees around the Ralston sewage treatment plant are topped when the stage reaches 24 feet. This is a dangerous situation.
- 20.00 ft
- severe agricultural flooding occurs. The levee around the Ralston sewage treatment plant may need to be patrolled.
- 18.00 ft
- moderate inundation of farmlands occurs mainly along the north bank.
- 16.00 ft
- minor agricultural flooding occurs on the north bank.
- 5.02 ft
- Right now
Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.
Highest crests on record
Chance of at least minor flooding in October to December: 19 %.
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 23.00 ft | June 11, 1923 |
| 2 | 22.98 ft | October 13, 1973 |
| 3 | 22.82 ft | April 25, 1944 |
| 4 | 22.60 ft | November 18, 1964 |
| 5 | 22.60 ft | November 15, 1964 |
| 6 | 22.20 ft | October 4, 1986 |
| 7 | 22.14 ft | May 23, 2019 |
| 8 | 22.03 ft | May 26, 2019 |
| 9 | 21.99 ft | May 25, 2019 |
| 10 | 21.62 ft | October 5, 1959 |
Weather at the gauge
The forecast is not available right now.
Map
Other gauges on the Arkansas River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas River near NickersonRiver gauge, Arkansas River | 8.98 ft | Normal | ±0 | 136 mi |
| Arkansas River near HutchinsonRiver gauge, Arkansas River | 2.07 ft | Low | ±0 | 115 mi |
| Arkansas River near MaizeRiver gauge, Arkansas River | 4.60 ft | Low | −0.05 ft | 95 mi |
| Arkansas River at WichitaRiver gauge, Arkansas River | 2.73 ft | Low | −0.03 ft | 86 mi |
| Arkansas River at DerbyRiver gauge, Arkansas River | 0.76 ft | Very low | −0.08 ft | 78 mi |
| Arkansas River at MulvaneRiver gauge, Arkansas River | 5.60 ft | Below flood stage | −0.08 ft | 73 mi |
| Arkansas River at Arkansas CityRiver gauge, Arkansas River | 4.14 ft | Low | −0.58 ft | 41 mi |
| Arkansas River at SH 344 near TulsaRiver gauge, Arkansas River | 7.09 ft | No reference yet | −0.53 ft | 45 mi |
| Arkansas River at TulsaRiver gauge, Arkansas River | 3.40 ft | Below flood stage | −0.58 ft | 47 mi |
| Arkansas River near HaskellRiver gauge, Arkansas River | 2.99 ft | Below flood stage | −0.20 ft | 77 mi |
| Arkansas River near MuskogeeRiver gauge, Arkansas River | 18.49 ft | Below flood stage | −0.05 ft | 95 mi |
| Arkansas River at GoreRiver gauge, Arkansas River | 60.15 ft | Low | +0.23 ft | 112 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bear Creek at PawneeRiver gauge, Black Bear Creek | 1.79 ft | Below flood stage | −0.23 ft | 12 mi |
| Hominy Creek near HominyRiver gauge, Hominy Creek | 5.45 ft | Low | −0.04 ft | 20 mi |
| Bird Creek at SH 99 at PawhuskaRiver gauge, Bird Creek | 4.80 ft | Normal | −0.06 ft | 26 mi |
| Salt Fork Arkansas River at TonkawaRiver gauge, Salt Fork Arkansas River | 2.88 ft | Below flood stage | −0.02 ft | 34 mi |
| Chikaskia River near BlackwellRiver gauge, Chikaskia River | 4.08 ft | Below flood stage | −0.87 ft | 37 mi |
| Bird Creek at AvantRiver gauge, Bird Creek | 3.55 ft | Below flood stage | +0.02 ft | 37 mi |
| Cimarron River near RipleyRiver gauge, Cimarron River | 10.54 ft | Below flood stage | −3.08 ft | 37 mi |
| Caney River near ElginRiver gauge, Caney River | 1.54 ft | Normal | −0.03 ft | 41 mi |
Questions and answers
What is flood stage for the Arkansas River at Ralston?
The official flood stage is 16.00 ft. The level is currently 10.98 ft below it.
Is gage height the same as water depth?
No. Gage height is measured from a fixed reference point chosen by the agency, so a reading of 10 ft does not mean the river is 10 ft deep.
What is the water level of Arkansas River at Ralston today?
On Oct 18, 2026, 03:00 PM CDT, the water level was 5.02 ft. Down 0.97 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is Arkansas River at Ralston rising or falling?
Down 0.97 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is the level of Arkansas River at Ralston normal?
Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.
What is the highest water level ever recorded at Arkansas River at Ralston?
The highest level on record is 23.00 ft on June 11, 1923.
How often is this data updated?
The U.S. Geological Survey publishes a new reading every 15 minutes. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- U.S. Geological Survey
- Station code
usgs:07152500(Agency page)- Coordinates
36.50422, -96.72837(WGS84)- Vertical datum
- NAVD88
- Update interval
- every 15 minutes
- Licence
- Public domain. Data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), provisional data subject to revision
Published series
| Parameter | Last value | Time (UTC) | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water level | 5.02 ft | 2026-10-18 20:00 | Provisional |
| Flow | 2,460 cfs | 2026-10-18 20:00 | Provisional |
Download
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Arkansas River at Ralston (usgs:07152500). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/oklahoma/arkansas-river-at-ralston
How we check values
Each reading is stored as published. We hold back values that jump faster than physically plausible and show the measurement time with every value.
Readings are provisional, can be delayed or wrong and are not a flood warning. Read the disclaimer