Salt Fork Arkansas River near Alva water level

Name: Salt Fork Arkansas River near Alva 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

2.29ft Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 03:30 AM CDT (38 min ago)

Flow: 16.7 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Salt Fork Arkansas River near Alva, where the gauge shows 2.29 ft.

It is 12.21 ft below the flood stage of 14.50 ft.

It is still going down, by 0.05 ft over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 2.29 ft – 2.61 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: 15.49 ftMay 26, 2019

Paddling and fishing conditions

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

For reference, flood stage is 14.50 ft.

What happens at each level

17.00 ft: Flood waters damage farm property and block many low-lying roads along the river in northeastern Woods and northern Alfalfa counties.
16.50 ft: Flood waters damage farm property and block many low-lying roads along the river in northeastern Woods and northern Alfalfa counties.
15.50 ft: Flood waters inundate farm property and block many low-lying roads along the river in northeastern Woods and northern Alfalfa counties.
14.50 ft: Floodwaters inundate farm property and block many low-lying roads along the river in northeastern Woods and northern Alfalfa counties.
14.00 ft: Flooding of lowlands to depths up to 3 feet occurs along the river in parts of northeastern Woods and northern Alfalfa counties.
13.00 ft: Flooding of lowlands to depths up to 2 feet occurs along the river in parts of northeastern Woods and northern Alfalfa counties.
12.00 ft: Shallow flooding of lowlands to depths up to 1 foot occurs along the river in parts of northeastern Woods and northern Alfalfa counties.
11.00 ft: Bankfull levels occur along the river in parts of northeastern Woods and northern Alfalfa counties.
10.00 ft: Near bankfull levels occur along the river in parts of northeastern Woods and northern Alfalfa counties.
2.29 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: 6 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	15.49 ft	May 26, 2019
2	15.24 ft	October 10, 1985
3	15.04 ft	October 30, 1979
4	14.91 ft	March 24, 1987
5	14.83 ft	November 1, 1999
6	14.70 ft	May 26, 2000
7	14.53 ft	October 9, 2018
8	14.50 ft	July 7, 1904
9	14.43 ft	May 16, 1949
10	14.42 ft	March 24, 2000

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

19 Mon 75° 47° – Wind 17 mph

20 Tue 77° 56° – Wind 12 mph

21 Wed 80° 57° 0.06 in Wind 13 mph

22 Thu 82° 61° – Wind 14 mph

23 Fri 80° 63° – Wind 18 mph

24 Sat 74° 62° 0.01 in, 22% Wind 16 mph

25 Sun 66° 60° 0.09 in, 31% Wind 6 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:47 AM Sunset 06:53 PM Daylight 11 hr, 6 min First quarter 67%

Map

Other gauges on the Salt Fork Arkansas River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Salt Fork Arkansas River at TonkawaRiver gauge, Salt Fork Arkansas River	2.80 ft	Below flood stage	−0.06 ft	75 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Medicine Lodge River near KiowaRiver gauge, Medicine Lodge River	−0.01 ft	Low	−0.05 ft	18 mi
Cimarron River near WaynokaRiver gauge, Cimarron River	5.54 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	24 mi
Cimarron River near BuffaloRiver gauge, Cimarron River	3.24 ft	Below flood stage	−0.20 ft	37 mi
North Canadian River at WoodwardRiver gauge, North Canadian River	2.29 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	44 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Salt Fork Arkansas River near Alva?

The official flood stage is 14.50 ft. The level is currently 12.21 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 near Alva today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 03:30 AM CDT, the water level was 2.29 ft. Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Salt Fork Arkansas River near Alva rising or falling?

Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Salt Fork Arkansas River near Alva 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 near Alva?

The highest level on record is 15.49 ft on May 26, 2019.

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:07148400 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 36.81503, -98.64814 (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	2.29 ft	2026-10-20 08:30	Provisional
Flow	16.7 cfs	2026-10-20 08:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Salt Fork Arkansas River near Alva (usgs:07148400). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/oklahoma/salt-fork-arkansas-river-near-alva

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