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Arkansas River near Ponca City — water level right now

Kay County, Oklahoma · NWS gauge PCYO2
Loading the latest reading…
–
current stage (ft)
 
17
minor flood stage
 
22.26
record crest
set 2019-05-24
–
flood status
official NWS category
Official NOAA forecast → USGS data → Full US flood map →

Flood stages at this gauge

Where the water stands right now against the four official thresholds:

action · 17
minor · 17
moderate · 19
major · 21
Flood stageLevel (ft)What it means
Major flood stage21extensive inundation and significant evacuations — a serious event
Moderate flood stage19some buildings and roads inundated; evacuations possible
Minor flood stage17low-lying roads and fields near the river start to flood
Action stage17water is approaching flood level — time to pay attention

Highest floods on record here

#Crest (ft)Datevs. minor flood stage
122.262019-05-24+5.26 above
220.111993-05-14+3.11 above
317.682019-05-22+0.68 above
416.352019-05-130.65 below
515.451995-06-011.55 below
613.971989-09-073.03 below
713.41984-03-303.6 below
813.31986-10-163.7 below
913.091990-04-033.91 below
10131977-06-274 below
1112.851983-04-084.15 below
1212.41982-06-304.6 below

Historic crests recorded at this gauge by the National Weather Service — the 12 highest on file.

Where this gauge is

The marker is this gauge; nearby gauges load live and are clickable.

Nearby river gauges

Eastern Oklahoma Lakes at Kaw Lake 1 mi away · loading… Arkansas River at Ralston 17 mi away · loading… Chikaskia River near Blackwell 21 mi away · loading… Salt Fork Arkansas River at Tonkawa 21 mi away · loading… Black Bear Creek at Pawnee 25 mi away · loading… Eastern Oklahoma Lakes at Birch Lake 44 mi away · loading…

Gauge details

NWS gauge IDPCYO2
USGS site07148140
CountyKay
StateOklahoma
NWS forecast officeTulsa
River forecast centerArkansas-Red Basin RFC
Coordinates36.693, -96.93
Time zoneCST6CDT
Turn Around, Don't Drown. Six inches of moving water can knock you off your feet and twelve inches can float a car. Never drive around barricades or into water of unknown depth — most flood deaths happen in vehicles.

Questions about Arkansas River near Ponca City

Is Arkansas River near Ponca City flooding right now?

The live reading at the top of this page answers that: the gauge is compared against its official NWS flood stages every 15 minutes. Minor flooding at this gauge begins at 17 ft. Blue means normal, yellow is action stage, orange minor, red moderate and dark red major flooding.

What is flood stage for Arkansas River near Ponca City?

major flood stage 21 ft, moderate flood stage 19 ft, minor flood stage 17 ft, action stage 17 ft. These are official National Weather Service thresholds set specifically for this gauge, not generic values.

What is the record flood at Arkansas River near Ponca City?

The highest crest on file at this gauge is 22.26 ft, reached on 2019-05-24 — that is 5.26 ft above minor flood stage. The full list of the highest crests is in the table on this page.

Where does this data come from?

From the NOAA National Water Prediction Service, the official U.S. river gauge network — a U.S. government work in the public domain. Live stage is refreshed every 15 minutes; flood thresholds and historic crests are refreshed monthly. For life-safety decisions follow NWS Tulsa and local emergency management.