Buffalo River near St. Joe water level
River gauge, Buffalo River, Arkansas, United States
Right now
Below flood stage
Water level
- Flow
- 94.8 cfs
History
The forecast expects the river to fall to 3.00 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 01:00 AM. Issued Monday, October 19 at 08:45 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.
What this means
The Buffalo River near St. Joe is at 3.07 ft, in the normal range.
It is 23.93 ft below the flood stage of 27.00 ft.
It has dropped 0.08 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 3.00 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 01:00 AM. In the last month it has stayed between 2.76 ft and 3.22 ft.
Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Highest on record
- 53.75 ftDecember 3, 1982
- Forecast peak
- 3.10 ftMonday, October 19 at 01:00 PM
Floating and fishing near Buffalo River near St. Joe
Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.
Flood stage here is 27.00 ft, 23.93 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.
What happens at each level
- 53.80 ft
- The crest of record is 53.8 feet which occurred December 3rd 1982. Incredible flooding experienced with the bridges or approach roads to the bridges on U.S. Highway 65 and State Highway 14 overtopped. Lower lying portion of the town of Gilbert may flood.
- 50.00 ft
- Water is near U.S. 65 Highway Bridge lower steel. Recreational facilities in the lower lying areas along the river in the vicinity of Gilbert will flood. Buffalo river crested at 49.4 feet March 19 2008. There has been three crest over 49 feet since 1915, December 1982 crest of 53.8 feet, August 1915 crest of 50.5 feet and the March 2008 crest of 49.4 feet.
- 46.50 ft
- Crest of April 25 2004 was 46.51 feet. Primary impacts are to the recreational facilities of the National Park Service, such as Tyler Bend Campground near U.S. Highway 65. River is swift and dangerous and may be carrying a tremendous amount of debris. Floating and other recreational activities on and along the river should be avoided.
- 45.00 ft
- Buffalo River has crested over 45 feet at the U.S. Highway 65 gage six times since 1915. These events occurred in August 1915, November 1973, December 1982, April 2004, March 2008, and December 2015. River is swift, dangerous, and carrying a large amount of debris. Activities on and around the river should be avoided.
- 42.00 ft
- River crested in May 1990 at this level. Expect similar damages and impacts. River has crested above 42 feet at the gage on U.S. Highway 65 bridge eight times since 1915.
- 35.00 ft
- All of Tyler Bend Access Area is flooded. Backwater up Bear, Mill, and Calf Creeks flood an extensive area of the valley. River has crested above 35 feet at the U.S. Highway 65 gage at least nineteen times since 1915.
- 27.00 ft
- Tyler Bend Access Area begins to flood. Some campsites are under water and Comfort Station is flooded.
- 20.00 ft
- Limited impacts due to the lack of private property along the river. Some access points and public facilities will be effected. The National Park Service has recommended that float activities stop well below this flow level and conditions are dangerous to recreational floaters. Floodplain along the North Bank begins to flood.
- 3.07 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 | 53.75 ft | December 3, 1982 |
| 2 | 50.50 ft | August 1, 1915 |
| 3 | 49.41 ft | March 19, 2008 |
| 4 | 46.51 ft | April 25, 2004 |
| 5 | 45.58 ft | December 28, 2015 |
| 6 | 45.41 ft | November 25, 1973 |
| 7 | 43.40 ft | December 10, 1971 |
| 8 | 42.02 ft | May 3, 1990 |
| 9 | 41.00 ft | April 15, 1945 |
| 10 | 39.70 ft | May 10, 1943 |
Weather at the gauge
The forecast is not available right now.
Map
Other gauges on the Buffalo River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo River near BoxleyRiver gauge, Buffalo River | 1.9 cfs | Low | −0.7 cfs | 37 mi |
| Buffalo River at PoncaRiver gauge, Buffalo River | 35.2 cfs | Normal | −3.7 cfs | 34 mi |
| Buffalo River at PruittRiver gauge, Buffalo River | 17.8 cfs | Normal | −1.5 cfs | 22 mi |
| Buffalo River near HarrietRiver gauge, Buffalo River | 134 cfs | Normal | −11.0 cfs | 11 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear Creek near Silver HillRiver gauge, Bear Creek | 3.2 cfs | Very low | −0.3 cfs | 3.5 mi |
| Richland Creek near Witts SpringRiver gauge, Richland Creek | 0.3 cfs | Low | −0.1 cfs | 16 mi |
| Crooked Creek at Kelly Crossing at YellvilleRiver gauge, Crooked Creek | 46.3 cfs | Low | −1.6 cfs | 17 mi |
| South Fork of Little Red River near ScotlandRiver gauge, South Fork of Little Red River | 0.0 cfs | Low | ±0 | 29 mi |
| North Sylamore Creek near Fifty SixRiver gauge, North Sylamore Creek | 3.5 cfs | Very low | ±0 | 30 mi |
| White River near NorforkRiver gauge, White River | 1,560 cfs | Very low | −290.0 cfs | 30 mi |
| South Fork of Little Red River at ClintonRiver gauge, South Fork of Little Red River | 0.1 cfs | Low | ±0 | 32 mi |
| Middle Fork of Little Red River at ShirleyRiver gauge, Middle Fork of Little Red River | 2.6 cfs | Low | −0.2 cfs | 34 mi |
Questions and answers
What is flood stage for the Buffalo River near St. Joe?
The official flood stage is 27.00 ft. The level is currently 23.93 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 Buffalo River near St. Joe today?
On Oct 19, 2026, 04:45 PM CDT, the water level was 3.07 ft. Down 0.08 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is Buffalo River near St. Joe rising or falling?
Down 0.08 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is the level of Buffalo River near St. Joe normal?
Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.
What is the highest water level ever recorded at Buffalo River near St. Joe?
The highest level on record is 53.75 ft on December 3, 1982.
Is Buffalo River near St. Joe expected to rise?
The forecast expects the river to fall to 3.00 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 01:00 AM.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- U.S. Geological Survey
- Station code
usgs:07056000(Agency page)- Coordinates
35.98306, -92.74722(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 | 3.07 ft | 2026-10-19 21:45 | Provisional |
| Flow | 94.8 cfs | 2026-10-19 21:45 | Provisional |
Download
Embed this gauge
Add a live card for this gauge to your website. It updates on its own and links back here.
How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Buffalo River near St. Joe (usgs:07056000). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/arkansas/buffalo-river-near-st-joe
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