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Arkansas River at Oxford

Highest listed crest 26.85 ftFlood stage 17.0 ft37 crests since 1947

The Arkansas River at Oxford crested at major flood stage 2 times among the 37 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1947 to 2026. The highest, 26.85 ft on November 2, 1998, was major flooding, 9.85 feet above flood stage. 3 other gauges on the Arkansas River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 2 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
26.85 ft
November 2, 1998
Flood stage
17.0 ft
Major flooding from 23.0 ft
Crests at major
2
29th of 171 gauges in Kansas
Most recent flood crest
June 26, 2026
20.10 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Sumner County
Near Winfield (10.3 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 Oxford
Action stage15.04May 27, 2022The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)17.017Jun 21, 2026Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage20.07Jun 26, 2026Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage23.02Sep 14, 2008Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

37 crests from 1947 to 2026. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Arkansas River at Oxford, 1947 to 2026 1015202530ft Flood stage 17.0 ftMajor 23.0 ft Apr 15, 1947: 14.30 ft, below flood stageJun 30, 1948: 14.30 ft, below flood stageJul 24, 1948: 14.70 ft, below flood stageAug 1, 1950: 15.00 ft, action stageNov 2, 1998: 26.85 ft, major floodingMar 21, 2003: 18.10 ft, minor floodingOct 10, 2003: 19.00 ft, minor flooding; 31,199 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 2004: 19.55 ft, minor flooding; 34,656 cubic feet per secondJun 12, 2005: 18.50 ft, minor flooding; 26,315 cubic feet per secondMay 8, 2007: 19.55 ft, minor flooding; 31,851 cubic feet per secondMay 28, 2007: 18.60 ft, minor flooding; 26,736 cubic feet per secondJun 1, 2007: 18.10 ft, minor flooding; 24,631 cubic feet per secondJun 30, 2007: 19.60 ft, minor flooding; 32,147 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 2008: 20.15 ft, moderate flooding; 35,406 cubic feet per secondSep 14, 2008: 24.90 ft, major floodingApr 28, 2009: 22.20 ft, moderate flooding; 66,665 cubic feet per secondJun 15, 2010: 19.20 ft, minor flooding; 33,444 cubic feet per secondAug 1, 2013: 15.79 ft, action stage; 18,200 cubic feet per secondAug 10, 2013: 19.45 ft, minor flooding; 34,981 cubic feet per secondJun 12, 2014: 12.22 ft, below flood stage; 7,760 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 2015: 17.23 ft, minor flooding; 22,300 cubic feet per secondJul 4, 2016: 18.87 ft, minor flooding; 29,516 cubic feet per secondAug 20, 2016: 17.48 ft, minor flooding; 23,300 cubic feet per secondSep 11, 2016: 21.71 ft, moderate flooding; 51,770 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 2017: 16.04 ft, action stage; 17,800 cubic feet per secondSep 7, 2018: 13.89 ft, below flood stage; 11,300 cubic feet per secondOct 11, 2018: 20.76 ft, moderate flooding; 43,700 cubic feet per secondMay 10, 2019: 21.64 ft, moderate flooding; 51,200 cubic feet per secondMay 23, 2019: 21.53 ft, moderate flooding; 51,414 cubic feet per secondJun 25, 2019: 18.39 ft, minor flooding; 28,215 cubic feet per secondMay 16, 2020: 12.21 ft, below flood stage; 7,090 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 2021: 14.13 ft, below flood stage; 11,900 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 2022: 16.77 ft, action stage; 20,000 cubic feet per secondJun 4, 2025: 17.35 ft, minor flooding; 23,100 cubic feet per secondJun 19, 2025: 18.87 ft, minor flooding; 29,300 cubic feet per secondJun 21, 2026: 17.02 ft, minor flooding; 21,707 cubic feet per secondJun 26, 2026: 20.10 ft, moderate flooding; 35,094 cubic feet per second Highest, 26.85 ft, Nov 2, 1998 19501960197019801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Arkansas River at Oxford 1940s: 0 1950s: 0 1960s: 0 1970s: 0 1980s: 0 1990s: 1 2000s: 11 11 2010s: 10 2020s: 4 1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 Oxford
1Nov 2, 199826.85+9.85Major—
2Sep 14, 200824.90+7.90Major—
3Apr 28, 200922.20+5.20Moderate66,665
4Sep 11, 201621.71+4.71Moderate51,770
5May 10, 201921.64+4.64Moderate51,200
6May 23, 201921.53+4.53Moderate51,414
7Oct 11, 201820.76+3.76Moderate43,700
8May 27, 200820.15+3.15Moderate35,406
9Jun 26, 202620.10+3.10Moderate35,094
10Jun 30, 200719.60+2.60Minor32,147
11Mar 6, 200419.55+2.55Minor34,656
12May 8, 200719.55+2.55Minor31,851
13Aug 10, 201319.45+2.45Minor34,981
14Jun 15, 201019.20+2.20Minor33,444
15Oct 10, 200319.00+2.00Minor31,199
16Jul 4, 201618.87+1.87Minor29,516
17Jun 19, 202518.87+1.87Minor29,300
18May 28, 200718.60+1.60Minor26,736
19Jun 12, 200518.50+1.50Minor26,315
20Jun 25, 201918.39+1.39Minor28,215
21Mar 21, 200318.10+1.10Minor—
22Jun 1, 200718.10+1.10Minor24,631
23Aug 20, 201617.48+0.48Minor23,300
24Jun 4, 202517.35+0.35Minor23,100
25Jun 16, 201517.23+0.23Minor22,300
26Jun 21, 202617.02+0.02Minor21,707
27May 27, 202216.77−0.23Action20,000
28Apr 6, 201716.04−0.96Action17,800
29Aug 1, 201315.79−1.21Action18,200
30Aug 1, 195015.00−2.00Action—
31Jul 24, 194814.70−2.30Below flood stage—
32Apr 15, 194714.30−2.70Below flood stage—
33Jun 30, 194814.30−2.70Below flood stage—
34Mar 24, 202114.13−2.87Below flood stage11,900
35Sep 7, 201813.89−3.11Below flood stage11,300
36Jun 12, 201412.22−4.78Below flood stage7,760
37May 16, 202012.21−4.79Below flood stage7,090

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.

November 2, 1998: 26.85 ft here, major flooding

  • DerbyKS · Nov 2, 1998 · 16.60 ft · Major · its highest
  • MulvaneKS · Nov 2, 1998 · 20.90 ft · Moderate · its highest
  • RalstonOK · Nov 3, 1998 · 18.50 ft · Moderate

September 14, 2008: 24.90 ft here, major flooding

  • MulvaneKS · Sep 13, 2008 · 19.72 ft · Moderate
  • DerbyKS · Sep 13, 2008 · 15.19 ft · Moderate
  • RalstonOK · Sep 16, 2008 · 16.39 ft · Minor

April 28, 2009: 22.20 ft here, moderate flooding

  • MulvaneKS · Apr 27, 2009 · 19.10 ft · Moderate
  • DerbyKS · Apr 27, 2009 · 14.33 ft · Minor

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 CityKS11.020.91 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
Oxford this gaugeKS17.026.85 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 Sumner County

Flood gauges in Sumner County
Mulvane16.520.90 ft, Nov 2, 19980
Corbin10.028.00 ft, Jun 9, 19231
Belle Plaine23.030.00 ft, Sep 10, 20167
Peck17.026.40 ft, Jun 9, 19231
Wellington19.026.06 ft, May 8, 201910

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge OXFK1, 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.