Canada
United States
Belgium
France
Ireland
Netherlands
United Kingdom
Austria
Czechia
Germany
Poland
Slovenia
Switzerland
Italy
Spain
Türkiye
Denmark
Finland
Norway
SwedenArkansas River at Pine Bluff water level
River gauge, Arkansas River, Arkansas, United States
Right now
Low for mid-October
Water level
History
20252026
The forecast expects the river to fall to 31.10 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 01:00 AM. Issued Sunday, October 18 at 08:34 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.
What this means
The Arkansas River at Pine Bluff is running below normal at 31.21 ft.
That puts it 0.15 ft below the median of 31.36 ft for mid-October, based on 39 years of readings. It is 10.79 ft below the flood stage of 42.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 31.28 ft (−0.07 ft).
The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 31.10 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 01:00 AM. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. In the last month it has stayed between 31.06 ft and 31.44 ft.
Compared with 39 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 31.36 ft0.15 ft below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 31.12 ft – 31.92 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (39 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 31.28 ft−0.07 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 31.06 ft – 31.44 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 30.87 ft – 34.54 ft
- Highest on record
- 52.10 ftMay 28, 1943
- Forecast peak
- 31.20 ftSunday, October 18 at 01:00 PM
Floating and fishing near Arkansas River at Pine Bluff
Low water exposes gravel bars that make good wading access, but some boat ramps may be left high and dry.
Flood stage here is 42.00 ft, 10.79 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.
What happens at each level
- 53.00 ft
- All areas inside the levees flooded.
- 52.00 ft
- Crest of record, 52.1 feet in May 1943.
- 50.00 ft
- River crested at 50.86 feet in June 2019. This was the highest crest since the navigation system opened and 2nd highest overall.
- 47.00 ft
- Extensive agricultural flooding along the river downstream of Pine Bluff. Backwater flooding up into the area around Lake Pine Bluff and up Brumps and Caney Bayous in Northern Pine Bluff.
- 45.00 ft
- Levee patrolling begins in Pine Bluff area. Residences in Island Harbour inundated. Flood crested at 45.96 feetin June 2015.
- 44.00 ft
- Trulock Bay Residential Addition upstream of U.S. Highway 79 Business Bridge is affected.
- 43.00 ft
- Island Harbour Estates Road is impassible, access by boat only to Island Harbour homes. Knotts Island Road impassible and residents should monitor the river for any additional rises.
- 42.00 ft
- Regional Park flooded with the gate at Regional Park Road closed. This will prevent access to the AGFC Delta Rivers Nature Center and Harbor Oaks public golf course. Some damage in the lowlands inside the levees in Pine Bluff. Water over Knotts Island Road.
- 41.00 ft
- Minor flooding of property in the Riverside Addition west of Lake Langhofer. Water starts to get over Acorn Road.
- 40.00 ft
- Water over the road to Island Harbour Estates. Flooding of cropland inside the levees. Residents of the Island Harbour area should monitor the river for any additional rises and take whatever steps necessary to protect their property. Some trails at the AGFC Delta Rivers Nature Center are covered by water and must be partially closed.
- 37.00 ft
- Water starts to get over Swan Lake Recreation Road and portions of Little Bayou Meto area south of Reydell are impacted.
- 31.21 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: 15 %.
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 52.10 ft | May 28, 1943 |
| 2 | 50.86 ft | June 6, 2019 |
| 3 | 50.74 ft | May 31, 1957 |
| 4 | 47.70 ft | May 9, 1990 |
| 5 | 46.24 ft | January 2, 2016 |
| 6 | 45.96 ft | June 4, 2015 |
| 7 | 44.70 ft | April 26, 1973 |
| 8 | 44.00 ft | October 13, 1986 |
| 9 | 43.75 ft | April 14, 2008 |
| 10 | 43.31 ft | April 29, 2011 |
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 at DardanelleRiver gauge, Arkansas River | 5.07 ft | Below flood stage | −0.33 ft | 92 mi |
| Arkansas River near MorriltonRiver gauge, Arkansas River | 9.54 ft | Below flood stage | −0.19 ft | 71 mi |
| Arkansas River at Murray Dam near Little RockRiver gauge, Arkansas River | 474 cfs | Very low | −16,926.0 cfs | 40 mi |
| Arkansas River at Little RockRiver gauge, Arkansas River | 7.20 ft | Below flood stage | −0.23 ft | 35 mi |
| Arkansas River at PendletonRiver gauge, Arkansas River | 26.04 ft | Below flood stage | −0.28 ft | 41 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fish Lake Ditch near AltheimerRiver gauge, Fish Lake Ditch | 175.69 ft | High | −0.02 ft | 17 mi |
| Bear Bayou near HumphreyRiver gauge, Bear Bayou | 176.66 ft | Very low | −0.02 ft | 18 mi |
| Government Cypress HW/TW near New GasconyRiver gauge, Government Cypress HW/TW | 174.39 ft | Very low | −0.02 ft | 18 mi |
| Lower Vallier(LitBayMeto)HW/TW near Lodge CornerRiver gauge, Lower Vallier(LitBayMeto)HW/TW | 171.51 ft | Normal | −0.05 ft | 20 mi |
| Upper Vallier HW/TW near Lodge CornerRiver gauge, Upper Vallier HW/TW | 172.00 ft | Very low | −0.02 ft | 20 mi |
| Canon Brake HW/TW near Bayou MetoRiver gauge, Canon Brake HW/TW | 164.26 ft | Normal | −0.02 ft | 22 mi |
| Hurricane Creek below SheridanRiver gauge, Hurricane Creek | 7.9 cfs | Normal | −0.4 cfs | 22 mi |
| Saline River near SheridanRiver gauge, Saline River | 17.9 cfs | Very low | ±0 | 26 mi |
Questions and answers
How does the Arkansas River at Pine Bluff compare with last year?
It is 0.07 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 31.28 ft.
What is flood stage for the Arkansas River at Pine Bluff?
The official flood stage is 42.00 ft. The level is currently 10.79 ft below it.
What is a normal level for the Arkansas River at Pine Bluff in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 31.36 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 31.12 ft and 31.92 ft, based on 39 years of records.
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 Pine Bluff today?
On Oct 18, 2026, 09:00 AM CDT, the water level was 31.21 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is Arkansas River at Pine Bluff rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.13 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Arkansas River at Pine Bluff normal?
Low for mid-October. Compared with 39 years of daily readings for this time of year.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- U.S. Geological Survey
- Station code
usgs:07263650(Agency page)- Coordinates
34.29028, -91.99556(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 | 31.21 ft | 2026-10-18 14:00 | 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: Arkansas River at Pine Bluff (usgs:07263650). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/arkansas/arkansas-river-at-pine-bluff
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