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Buffalo River near St. Joe water level

River gauge, Buffalo River, Arkansas, United States

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Right now

Below flood stage

Water level

3.07ft Down 0.08 ft over the last 24 hours

Flow
94.8 cfs
0 25 50 Highest onrecord 53.75 ft Minor floodstage 27.00 ft

History

History
2.83.03.2ftOct 16Oct 18Oct 20Oct 22Oct 242.83.03.2ftOct 16Oct 20Oct 24
Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

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 %.

RankLevelDate
153.75 ftDecember 3, 1982
250.50 ftAugust 1, 1915
349.41 ftMarch 19, 2008
446.51 ftApril 25, 2004
545.58 ftDecember 28, 2015
645.41 ftNovember 25, 1973
743.40 ftDecember 10, 1971
842.02 ftMay 3, 1990
941.00 ftApril 15, 1945
1039.70 ftMay 10, 1943

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:22 AM Sunset 06:31 PM Daylight 11 hr, 10 min First quarter 63%

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

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Water level 3.07 ft 2026-10-19 21:45 Provisional
Flow 94.8 cfs 2026-10-19 21:45 Provisional

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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.