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Arkansas River at Arkansas City

Highest listed crest 20.91 ftFlood stage 11.0 ft31 crests since 1973

The Arkansas River at Arkansas City crested above flood stage 27 times among the 31 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1973 to 2026. The highest, 20.91 ft on May 9, 2019, was moderate flooding, 9.91 feet above flood stage. 8 other gauges on the Arkansas River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
20.91 ft
May 9, 2019; 70,621 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
11.0 ft
Major flooding from 21.0 ft
Crests at major
0
27 above flood stage
Most recent flood crest
June 28, 2026
17.79 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Cowley County
Near Arkansas City (2.5 mi), Winfield (14.6 mi)

Flood stages

The thresholds the National Weather Service uses for this gauge today, and how many listed crests reached each.

Flood categories, Arkansas River at Arkansas City
Action stage9.02Sep 7, 2018The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)11.018Jun 22, 2026Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage17.09Jun 28, 2026Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage21.00—Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

31 crests from 1973 to 2026. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Arkansas River at Arkansas City, 1973 to 2026 510152025ft Flood stage 11.0 ftMajor 21.0 ft Feb 2, 1973: 17.27 ft, moderate flooding; 19,100 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 1979: 17.23 ft, moderate flooding; 20,300 cubic feet per secondAug 17, 1995: 17.61 ft, moderate flooding; 20,574 cubic feet per secondMay 18, 2015: 11.99 ft, minor flooding; 22,460 cubic feet per secondMay 25, 2015: 13.57 ft, minor flooding; 25,500 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 2015: 12.92 ft, minor flooding; 22,920 cubic feet per secondMay 29, 2016: 13.04 ft, minor flooding; 23,360 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 2016: 9.16 ft, action stage; 10,400 cubic feet per secondJul 5, 2016: 14.95 ft, minor flooding; 33,300 cubic feet per secondAug 20, 2016: 12.92 ft, minor flooding; 23,800 cubic feet per secondSep 11, 2016: 19.19 ft, moderate flooding; 58,465 cubic feet per secondSep 26, 2016: 12.52 ft, minor flooding; 22,200 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 2017: 12.41 ft, minor flooding; 21,730 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 2017: 12.84 ft, minor flooding; 23,500 cubic feet per secondMay 5, 2017: 11.85 ft, minor flooding; 19,380 cubic feet per secondMay 14, 2017: 11.16 ft, minor flooding; 16,900 cubic feet per secondSep 7, 2018: 9.70 ft, action stage; 12,000 cubic feet per secondOct 12, 2018: 17.44 ft, moderate flooding; 47,300 cubic feet per secondMay 9, 2019: 20.91 ft, moderate flooding; 70,621 cubic feet per secondMay 24, 2019: 20.22 ft, moderate flooding; 65,613 cubic feet per secondMay 28, 2019: 20.48 ft, moderate flooding; 67,500 cubic feet per secondJun 6, 2019: 11.47 ft, minor flooding; 18,029 cubic feet per secondJun 25, 2019: 15.60 ft, minor flooding; 36,793 cubic feet per secondFeb 26, 2020: 8.25 ft, below flood stage; 8,390 cubic feet per secondMay 28, 2022: 12.89 ft, minor flooding; 23,700 cubic feet per secondJun 1, 2022: 12.34 ft, minor flooding; 21,400 cubic feet per secondJul 10, 2023: 8.41 ft, below flood stage; 8,390 cubic feet per secondJun 5, 2025: 13.85 ft, minor flooding; 25,400 cubic feet per secondJun 19, 2025: 16.60 ft, minor flooding; 39,700 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 2026: 14.95 ft, minor flooding; 39,716 cubic feet per secondJun 28, 2026: 17.79 ft, moderate flooding; 46,980 cubic feet per second Highest, 20.91 ft, May 9, 2019 19801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Arkansas River at Arkansas City 1970s: 2 1980s: 0 1990s: 1 2000s: 0 2010s: 18 18 2020s: 6 1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  1. These are the crests the local National Weather Service office lists for the gauge: the highest on record and recent crests. Lesser floods between them may be missing, so counts by decade are a floor.
  2. Categories use today's flood stages. Levees, dams and channel changes since a crest can make old and new stages not directly comparable.

Highest crests

Highest listed crests, Arkansas River at Arkansas City
1May 9, 201920.91+9.91Moderate70,621
2May 28, 201920.48+9.48Moderate67,500
3May 24, 201920.22+9.22Moderate65,613
4Sep 11, 201619.19+8.19Moderate58,465
5Jun 28, 202617.79+6.79Moderate46,980
6Aug 17, 199517.61+6.61Moderate20,574
7Oct 12, 201817.44+6.44Moderate47,300
8Feb 2, 197317.27+6.27Moderate19,100
9Mar 22, 197917.23+6.23Moderate20,300
10Jun 19, 202516.60+5.60Minor39,700
11Jun 25, 201915.60+4.60Minor36,793
12Jul 5, 201614.95+3.95Minor33,300
13Jun 22, 202614.95+3.95Minor39,716
14Jun 5, 202513.85+2.85Minor25,400
15May 25, 201513.57+2.57Minor25,500
16May 29, 201613.04+2.04Minor23,360
17Jun 17, 201512.92+1.92Minor22,920
18Aug 20, 201612.92+1.92Minor23,800
19May 28, 202212.89+1.89Minor23,700
20Apr 7, 201712.84+1.84Minor23,500
21Sep 26, 201612.52+1.52Minor22,200
22Mar 31, 201712.41+1.41Minor21,730
23Jun 1, 202212.34+1.34Minor21,400
24May 18, 201511.99+0.99Minor22,460
25May 5, 201711.85+0.85Minor19,380
26Jun 6, 201911.47+0.47Minor18,029
27May 14, 201711.16+0.16Minor16,900
28Sep 7, 20189.70−1.30Action12,000
29Jun 17, 20169.16−1.84Action10,400
30Jul 10, 20238.41−2.59Below flood stage8,390
31Feb 26, 20208.25−2.75Below flood stage8,390

The worst floods along the Arkansas River

For this gauge's highest crests, the other gauges on the Arkansas River that crested above flood stage within a week.

May 9, 2019: 20.91 ft here, moderate flooding

  • HavenKS · May 10, 2019 · 12.99 ft · Major
  • OxfordKS · May 10, 2019 · 21.64 ft · Moderate
  • MulvaneKS · May 9, 2019 · 19.52 ft · Moderate
  • MuskogeeOK · May 8, 2019 · 29.14 ft · Minor
  • Van BurenAR · May 12, 2019 · 22.12 ft · Minor
  • RalstonOK · May 12, 2019 · 17.93 ft · Minor
  • DerbyKS · May 9, 2019 · 14.37 ft · Minor
  • HutchinsonKS · May 10, 2019 · 10.86 ft · Minor

May 28, 2019: 20.48 ft here, moderate flooding

  • Ozark L/D TailwaterAR · May 30, 2019 · 374.99 ft · Major · its highest
  • Toad Suck Lock and DamAR · Jun 4, 2019 · 285.40 ft · Major · its highest
  • MuskogeeOK · May 26, 2019 · 46.39 ft · Major
  • DardanelleAR · May 30, 2019 · 45.91 ft · Major · its highest
  • MorriltonAR · Jun 4, 2019 · 43.03 ft · Major · its highest
  • Van BurenAR · Jun 1, 2019 · 40.79 ft · Major · its highest
  • HaskellOK · May 29, 2019 · 24.24 ft · Major
  • TulsaOK · May 29, 2019 · 23.51 ft · Major
  • Ponca CityOK · May 24, 2019 · 22.26 ft · Major · its highest
  • RalstonOK · May 23, 2019 · 22.14 ft · Major

May 24, 2019: 20.22 ft here, moderate flooding

  • Ozark L/D TailwaterAR · May 30, 2019 · 374.99 ft · Major · its highest
  • MuskogeeOK · May 26, 2019 · 46.39 ft · Major
  • DardanelleAR · May 30, 2019 · 45.91 ft · Major · its highest
  • Van BurenAR · May 28, 2019 · 40.26 ft · Major
  • HaskellOK · May 29, 2019 · 24.24 ft · Major
  • TulsaOK · May 29, 2019 · 23.51 ft · Major
  • Ponca CityOK · May 24, 2019 · 22.26 ft · Major · its highest
  • RalstonOK · May 23, 2019 · 22.14 ft · Major
  • HavenKS · May 22, 2019 · 12.81 ft · Major
  • OxfordKS · May 23, 2019 · 21.53 ft · Moderate

Gauges on the Arkansas River

Flood gauges sharing the river's name, linked within 80 miles of one another.

Flood gauges on the Arkansas River
Arkansas City this gaugeKS11.020.91 ft, May 9, 20190
DardanelleAR32.045.91 ft, May 30, 20195
DerbyKS12.016.60 ft, Nov 2, 19981
Great BendKS12.017.70 ft, Jun 15, 19810
HutchinsonKS8.013.85 ft, Apr 2, 19730
Little RockAR23.034.60 ft, Jun 17, 183329
MorriltonAR30.043.03 ft, Jun 4, 201910
OxfordKS17.026.85 ft, Nov 2, 19982
Ozark L/D TailwaterAR357.0374.99 ft, May 30, 20197
PendletonAR31.037.63 ft, Jun 6, 20194
Pine BluffAR42.052.10 ft, May 28, 19436
RalstonOK16.023.00 ft, Jun 11, 192310
Toad Suck Lock and DamAR275.0285.40 ft, Jun 4, 20195
TulsaOK18.025.21 ft, Oct 5, 19864
Van BurenAR22.040.79 ft, Jun 1, 201918
HaskellOK19.026.02 ft, Jan 1, 19802
HavenKS10.013.08 ft, May 8, 20079
Kinsley 2EKS12.017.60 ft, Jun 21, 19651
MulvaneKS16.520.90 ft, Nov 2, 19980
MuskogeeOK28.048.20 ft, May 21, 194311
Ponca CityOK17.022.26 ft, May 24, 20191

Other gauges in Cowley County

Flood gauges in Cowley County
Arkansas City18.032.45 ft, Nov 3, 19985
Winfield18.041.00 ft, Nov 18, 192842

Cowley County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Kansas

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge ARCK1, retrieved October 30, 2026. Stages in feet on the gauge's own datum, not elevation. Crests are as the National Weather Service lists them; preliminary values may be revised.