Salt Fork Arkansas River at Tonkawa water level

Name: Salt Fork Arkansas River at Tonkawa water level (U.S. Geological Survey)
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
License: https://www.usgs.gov/information-policies-and-instructions/copyrights-and-credits

River gauge, Salt Fork Arkansas River, Oklahoma, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

2.83ft Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 11:30 AM CDT (43 min ago)

Flow: 54.1 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Salt Fork Arkansas River at Tonkawa, where the gauge shows 2.83 ft.

It is 14.17 ft below the flood stage of 17.00 ft.

It is still going down, by 0.05 ft over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 2.81 ft – 3.02 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: 28.98 ftOctober 11, 1973

Paddling and fishing conditions

Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.

For reference, flood stage is 17.00 ft.

What happens at each level

30.00 ft: Flood depths to about 13 feet move from eastern Grant County... across Kay County... to the confluence with the Arkansas River below Ponca City. The water levels be higher than in October 1973... when Interstate Highway I-35 washed away. Electricity to Tonkawa may be affected when the river stage reaches 28 feet. Road closures include... Interstate Highway I-35 in the vicinity of the river... Fountain Road at U.S. Highway 77 south of Tonkawa... and State Highway 156 between Marland and Ponca City.
29.00 ft: Flood depths to about 12 feet move from eastern Grant County... across Kay County... to the confluence with the Arkansas River below Ponca City. Flood levels will be similar to those in October 1973... when Interstate Highway I-35 washed away. Electricity to Tonkawa may be affected when the river stage reaches 28 feet. Road closures include... Interstate Highway I-35 in the vicinity of the river... Fountain Road at U.S. Highway 77 south of Tonkawa... and State Highway 156 between Marland and Ponca City.
28.00 ft: Flood depths to about 11 feet move from eastern Grant County... across Kay County... to the confluence with the Arkansas River below Ponca City. these water levels be almost as high as the October 1973 flood which washed out Interstate Highway I-35. Electric power to Tonkawa may be affected by substation flooding. Road closures include... Interstate Highway I-35 in the vicinity of the river... Fountain Road at U.S. Highway 77 south of Tonkawa... and State Highway 156 between Marland and Ponca City.
27.00 ft: Flood depths ranging up to about 10 feet move from eastern Grant County... across Kay County... to the confluence with the Arkansas River below Ponca City. Private levees may be overtopped... and farmland and oilfields are flooded hours before the crest. Road closures include... Interstate Highway I-35 in the vicinity of the river... Fountain Road at U.S. Highway 77 south of Tonkawa... and State Highway 156 between Marland and Ponca City.
26.00 ft: Flood depths ranging up to about 9 feet move from eastern Grant County... across Kay County... to the confluence with the Arkansas River below Ponca City. Private levees may be overtopped... and farmland and oilfields are flooded hours before the crest. The southbound lanes of Interstate Highway I-35 may be covered by floodwaters. Road closures include... Fountain Road at U.S. Highway 77 south of Tonkawa... and State Highway 156 between Marland and Ponca City.
25.00 ft: Flood depths ranging up to about 8 feet move from eastern Grant County... across Kay County... to the confluence with the Arkansas River below Ponca City. Private levees may be overtopped... and farmland and oilfields are flooded hours before the crest. The southbound lanes of Interstate Highway I-35 may be threatened by floodwaters. Road closures include... Fountain Road at U.S. Highway 77 south of Tonkawa... and State Highway 156 between Marland and Ponca City.
24.00 ft: Flood depths ranging up to about 7 feet move from eastern Grant County... across Kay County... to the confluence with the Arkansas River below Ponca City. Private levees may be overtopped... and farmland and oilfields are flooded hours before the crest. Road closures include... Fountain Road at U.S. Highway 77 south of Tonkawa... and State Highway 156 between Marland and Ponca City.
23.00 ft: Flood depths ranging up to about 6 feet move from eastern Grant County... across Kay County... to the confluence with the Arkansas River below Ponca City. Farmland and oilfields are flooded hours before the crest. Road closures include... Fountain Road at U.S. Highway 77 south of Tonkawa... and State Highway 156 between Marland and Ponca City.
22.00 ft: Flood depths ranging up to about 5 feet move from eastern Grant County... across Kay County... to the confluence with the Arkansas River below Ponca City. Farmland and oilfields are flooded hours before the crest. Road closures include... Fountain Road at U.S. Highway 77 south of Tonkawa... and State Highway 156 between Marland and Ponca City.
21.00 ft: Flood depths ranging up to about 4 feet move from eastern Grant County... across Kay County... to the confluence with the Arkansas River below Ponca City. Farmland and oilfields are flooded hours before the crest. Fountain Road at U.S. Highway 77 south of Tonkawa... and State Highway 156 between Marland and Ponca City are closed.
20.00 ft: Flood depths ranging up to about 3 feet move from eastern Grant County... across Kay County... to the confluence with the Arkansas River below Ponca City. Farmland and oilfields are flooded hours before the crest. The intersection of Fountain Road and U.S. Highway 77 south of Tonkawa... and State Highway 156 between Marland and Ponca City are closed.
19.00 ft: Flood depths ranging up to about 2 feet move from eastern Grant County... across Kay County... to the confluence with the Arkansas River below Ponca City. Farmland and oilfields are flooded hours before the crest.
2.83 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: 25 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	28.98 ft	October 11, 1973
2	27.64 ft	August 5, 1995
3	27.61 ft	October 3, 1986
4	26.80 ft	June 10, 1923
5	26.67 ft	May 22, 2019
6	26.29 ft	November 2, 1998
7	26.28 ft	August 4, 1995
8	25.60 ft	September 15, 2008
9	25.51 ft	May 11, 1993
10	25.12 ft	May 28, 1987

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:41 AM Sunset 06:49 PM Daylight 11 hr, 8 min First quarter 61%

Map

Other gauges on the Salt Fork Arkansas River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Salt Fork Arkansas River near AlvaRiver gauge, Salt Fork Arkansas River	2.32 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	75 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Chikaskia River near BlackwellRiver gauge, Chikaskia River	3.71 ft	Below flood stage	−0.48 ft	10 mi
Arkansas River at Arkansas CityRiver gauge, Arkansas River	3.90 ft	Low	−0.29 ft	29 mi
Walnut River at Arkansas CityRiver gauge, Walnut River	3.54 ft	Normal	−0.33 ft	31 mi
Skeleton Creek at EnidRiver gauge, Skeleton Creek	3.4 cfs	Low	−0.5 cfs	34 mi
Arkansas River at RalstonRiver gauge, Arkansas River	4.51 ft	Below flood stage	−0.61 ft	34 mi
Boggy Creek at 30th St at EnidRiver gauge, Boggy Creek	0.8 cfs	Normal	−0.1 cfs	35 mi
Chikaskia River near CorbinRiver gauge, Chikaskia River	2.95 ft	High	−0.16 ft	35 mi
Black Bear Creek at PawneeRiver gauge, Black Bear Creek	1.68 ft	Below flood stage	−0.11 ft	36 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Salt Fork Arkansas River at Tonkawa?

The official flood stage is 17.00 ft. The level is currently 14.17 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 Salt Fork Arkansas River at Tonkawa today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 11:30 AM CDT, the water level was 2.83 ft. Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Salt Fork Arkansas River at Tonkawa rising or falling?

Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Salt Fork Arkansas River at Tonkawa normal?

Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Salt Fork Arkansas River at Tonkawa?

The highest level on record is 28.98 ft on October 11, 1973.

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:07151000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 36.67198, -97.30949 (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	2.83 ft	2026-10-19 16:30	Provisional
Flow	54.1 cfs	2026-10-19 16:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Salt Fork Arkansas River at Tonkawa (usgs:07151000). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/oklahoma/salt-fork-arkansas-river-at-tonkawa

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