Arkansas River at Tulsa water level
River gauge, Arkansas River, Oklahoma, United States
Right now
Below flood stage
Water level
- Water temperature
- 60 °F
History
What this means
The gauge at Arkansas River at Tulsa reads 3.45 ft, a normal level.
It is 14.55 ft below the flood stage of 18.00 ft.
The level is falling, down 0.67 ft over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 3.43 ft and 4.28 ft.
Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns. The water temperature at the gauge is 60 °F.
Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Highest on record
- 25.21 ftOctober 5, 1986
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 18.00 ft, still 14.55 ft away.
What happens at each level
- 26.00 ft
- disastrous flooding occurs along the Arkansas River in Tulsa County. Many homes and businesses are flooded. The flooding exceeds the record flood of October 5, 1986 when the river crested at 25.2 feet. This is an extremely dangerous and life threatening situation. Road closures and inundation maps for Tulsa County can be found at www.cityoftulsa.org/.
- 24.00 ft
- very severe flooding occurs along the Arkansas River in Tulsa County. Some homes and businesses in south Tulsa and Bixby are flooded. Riverside Drive in Tulsa is closed. This exceeds the flooding that occurred in May 2019 when the river crested at 23.5 feet. The record flood was on October 5, 1986 when the stage reached 25.2 feet. This is an extremely dangerous and life threatening situation. Road closures and inundation maps for Tulsa County can be found at www.cityoftulsa.org/.
- 22.00 ft
- severe flooding occurs along the Arkansas River in Tulsa County. Some homes in parts of south Tulsa and Bixby may be flooded. Riverside Drive in Tulsa becomes impassable. This compares with the flood of October 5, 1959 when the stage reached 22.0 feet. This is an extremely dangerous and life threatening situation. Road closures and inundation maps for Tulsa County can be found at www.cityoftulsa.org/.
- 21.00 ft
- moderate flooding occurs between Keystone Dam and Bixby. Riverside Drive in Tulsa is impassable at several locations. Homes and businesses in parts of south Tulsa and Bixby may be isolated by high water. The Town and Country neighborhood west of Sand Springs is flooded.
- 20.00 ft
- moderate flooding occurs downstream towards south Tulsa and Bixby. Large sections of Riverside Park in Tulsa are flooded. Riverside Drive in Tulsa may be impassable at some locations.
- 19.00 ft
- minor flooding occurs between Sand Springs and Bixby. Agricultural lands are flooded and local access roads near the river may be flooded. Stretches of Riverside Park in Tulsa are flooded. The Town and Country neighnorhood west of Sand Springs starts to be impacted.
- 18.00 ft
- minor flooding occurs downstream along the Arkansas River between south Tulsa and Bixby. Agricultural lands are flooded and local roads approaching the river may be impassable. The old Texas and Pacific Railroad between Bixby and Leonard is flooded. Portions of Riverside Park in Tulsa may be flooded.
- 17.00 ft
- minor flooding of agricultural lands and sod farms occurs along the Arkansas River around Bixby. The old Texas and Pacific Railroad between Bixby and Leonard may be flooded.
- 16.00 ft
- minor flooding of agricultural lands and sod farms may occur along the Arkansas River around Bixby.
- 3.45 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: < 5 %.
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 25.21 ft | October 5, 1986 |
| 2 | 23.51 ft | May 29, 2019 |
| 3 | 22.80 ft | June 13, 1923 |
| 4 | 22.00 ft | October 5, 1959 |
| 5 | 21.80 ft | May 28, 1908 |
| 6 | 21.53 ft | May 21, 1957 |
| 7 | 20.35 ft | May 19, 1957 |
| 8 | 19.80 ft | June 12, 1923 |
| 9 | 19.70 ft | October 1, 1945 |
| 10 | 19.50 ft | May 20, 1943 |
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 MaizeRiver gauge, Arkansas River | 4.60 ft | Low | −0.05 ft | 137 mi |
| Arkansas River at WichitaRiver gauge, Arkansas River | 2.78 ft | Low | −0.01 ft | 127 mi |
| Arkansas River at DerbyRiver gauge, Arkansas River | 0.75 ft | Very low | −0.09 ft | 120 mi |
| Arkansas River at MulvaneRiver gauge, Arkansas River | 5.62 ft | Below flood stage | −0.08 ft | 115 mi |
| Arkansas River at Arkansas CityRiver gauge, Arkansas River | 4.19 ft | Low | −0.65 ft | 84 mi |
| Arkansas River at RalstonRiver gauge, Arkansas River | 5.10 ft | Below flood stage | −0.99 ft | 47 mi |
| Arkansas River at SH 344 near TulsaRiver gauge, Arkansas River | 7.14 ft | No reference yet | −0.64 ft | 2.8 mi |
| Arkansas River near HaskellRiver gauge, Arkansas River | 2.96 ft | Below flood stage | −0.34 ft | 30 mi |
| Arkansas River near MuskogeeRiver gauge, Arkansas River | 18.21 ft | Below flood stage | +0.02 ft | 47 mi |
| Arkansas River at GoreRiver gauge, Arkansas River | 60.18 ft | Low | −0.01 ft | 65 mi |
| Arkansas River at Ft. Smith, Ar.River gauge, Arkansas River | 5,950 cfs | Normal | −8,650.0 cfs | 102 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joe Creek at 61st St at TulsaRiver gauge, Joe Creek | 0.57 ft | Below flood stage | −0.01 ft | 5.2 mi |
| Flat Rock Creek at Cincinnati Ave at TulsaRiver gauge, Flat Rock Creek | 1.0 cfs | High | ±0 | 5.2 mi |
| Coal Creek at TulsaRiver gauge, Coal Creek | 3.2 cfs | High | −0.5 cfs | 6 mi |
| Bird Creek near SperryRiver gauge, Bird Creek | 1.35 ft | Below flood stage | −0.08 ft | 10 mi |
| Bird Creek near OwassoRiver gauge, Bird Creek | 4.71 ft | Below flood stage | −0.05 ft | 11 mi |
| Little Haikey Creek at 101st St South at TulsaRiver gauge, Little Haikey Creek | 0.3 cfs | Normal | −0.1 cfs | 12 mi |
| Bird Creek at State Highway 266 near CatoosaRiver gauge, Bird Creek | 218 cfs | Normal | −31.0 cfs | 12 mi |
| Haikey Creek at 101st St South at TulsaRiver gauge, Haikey Creek | 4.43 ft | Below flood stage | −0.06 ft | 12 mi |
Questions and answers
What is flood stage for the Arkansas River at Tulsa?
The official flood stage is 18.00 ft. The level is currently 14.55 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 Tulsa today?
On Oct 18, 2026, 11:30 AM CDT, the water level was 3.45 ft. Down 0.67 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is Arkansas River at Tulsa rising or falling?
Down 0.67 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is the level of Arkansas River at Tulsa 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 Tulsa?
The highest level on record is 25.21 ft on October 5, 1986.
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:07164500(Agency page)- Coordinates
36.14065, -96.00639(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 | 3.45 ft | 2026-10-18 16:30 | Provisional |
| Water temperature | 60 °F | 2026-10-18 16:30 | Provisional |
Download
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Arkansas River at Tulsa (usgs:07164500). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/oklahoma/arkansas-river-at-tulsa
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