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Illinois River (AR OK) near Watts

Highest listed crest 30.12 ftFlood stage 13.0 ft182 crests since 1956

The Illinois River (AR OK) near Watts crested at major flood stage 14 times among the 182 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1956 to 2026. The highest, 30.12 ft on April 30, 2017, was major flooding, 17.12 feet above flood stage. 2 other gauges on the Illinois River (AR OK) crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
30.12 ft
April 30, 2017; 128,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
13.0 ft
Major flooding from 23.0 ft
Crests at major
14
15th of 92 gauges in Oklahoma
Most recent flood crest
June 9, 2026
13.37 ft, minor flooding
Location
Adair County
Near Siloam Springs (4.5 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Illinois River (AR OK) near Watts
Action stage13.00—The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)13.072Jun 9, 2026Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage17.073Jun 7, 2025Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage23.014May 5, 2022Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

182 crests from 1956 to 2026. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Illinois River (AR OK) near Watts, 1956 to 2026 010203040ft Flood stage 13.0 ftMajor 23.0 ft May 15, 1956: 13.05 ft, minor flooding; 8,650 cubic feet per secondJan 22, 1957: 10.55 ft, below flood stage; 5,680 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 1957: 24.73 ft, major flooding; 53,000 cubic feet per secondApr 23, 1957: 11.25 ft, below flood stage; 6,340 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 1957: 17.82 ft, moderate flooding; 17,300 cubic feet per secondMay 23, 1957: 21.93 ft, moderate flooding; 31,400 cubic feet per secondJun 2, 1957: 13.30 ft, minor flooding; 9,050 cubic feet per secondJun 10, 1957: 12.83 ft, below flood stage; 8,350 cubic feet per secondNov 8, 1957: 11.18 ft, below flood stage; 6,140 cubic feet per secondNov 18, 1957: 11.32 ft, below flood stage; 6,260 cubic feet per secondFeb 7, 1958: 10.40 ft, below flood stage; 5,210 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 1958: 12.13 ft, below flood stage; 7,290 cubic feet per secondMay 3, 1958: 13.82 ft, minor flooding; 9,790 cubic feet per secondJul 12, 1958: 18.25 ft, moderate flooding; 18,200 cubic feet per secondJul 29, 1958: 11.07 ft, below flood stage; 6,020 cubic feet per secondAug 8, 1958: 13.15 ft, minor flooding; 8,870 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 1959: 14.92 ft, minor floodingJul 23, 1959: 15.46 ft, minor flooding; 12,600 cubic feet per secondMay 6, 1960: 21.56 ft, moderate floodingMay 21, 1960: 15.08 ft, minor floodingJul 25, 1960: 25.96 ft, major flooding; 68,000 cubic feet per secondNov 4, 1960: 16.97 ft, minor floodingMay 7, 1961: 24.32 ft, major flooding; 51,600 cubic feet per secondMay 20, 1961: 20.55 ft, moderate floodingAug 14, 1961: 19.10 ft, moderate floodingAug 1, 1962: 12.97 ft, below flood stage; 8,630 cubic feet per secondOct 8, 1962: 9.69 ft, below flood stage; 4,770 cubic feet per secondMay 11, 1964: 8.98 ft, below flood stage; 4,100 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1965: 14.57 ft, minor flooding; 11,100 cubic feet per secondFeb 9, 1966: 20.54 ft, moderate flooding; 26,800 cubic feet per secondMay 24, 1966: 13.38 ft, minor floodingApr 14, 1967: 8.21 ft, below flood stage; 3,430 cubic feet per secondFeb 2, 1968: 17.35 ft, moderate flooding; 16,800 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 1968: 14.24 ft, minor floodingJul 2, 1968: 13.28 ft, minor floodingDec 28, 1968: 18.23 ft, moderate floodingJan 30, 1969: 21.90 ft, moderate flooding; 31,400 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 1969: 15.64 ft, minor floodingMay 1, 1970: 19.37 ft, moderate flooding; 21,100 cubic feet per secondOct 27, 1970: 20.48 ft, moderate flooding; 25,200 cubic feet per secondDec 11, 1971: 15.16 ft, minor floodingApr 15, 1972: 13.77 ft, minor floodingJul 13, 1972: 17.11 ft, moderate flooding; 15,700 cubic feet per secondFeb 8, 1973: 14.89 ft, minor floodingMar 11, 1973: 18.28 ft, moderate flooding; 18,400 cubic feet per secondMar 25, 1973: 15.54 ft, minor floodingApr 23, 1973: 17.45 ft, moderate floodingJun 3, 1973: 16.14 ft, minor floodingNov 25, 1973: 23.96 ft, major flooding; 47,600 cubic feet per secondDec 4, 1973: 18.79 ft, moderate floodingApr 21, 1974: 17.28 ft, moderate floodingJun 9, 1974: 21.99 ft, moderate floodingNov 4, 1974: 21.50 ft, moderate flooding; 25,500 cubic feet per secondFeb 23, 1975: 18.49 ft, moderate floodingMar 19, 1975: 14.50 ft, minor floodingMar 23, 1975: 16.39 ft, minor floodingSep 19, 1975: 18.89 ft, moderate floodingApr 20, 1976: 22.38 ft, moderate flooding; 31,700 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 1977: 14.20 ft, minor floodingSep 29, 1977: 14.99 ft, minor flooding; 11,700 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 1978: 20.54 ft, moderate flooding; 22,500 cubic feet per secondMay 8, 1978: 18.74 ft, moderate flooding; 18,700 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 1979: 20.76 ft, moderate flooding; 22,400 cubic feet per secondMay 4, 1979: 13.68 ft, minor flooding; 9,600 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 1980: 7.71 ft, below flood stage; 3,010 cubic feet per secondJul 1, 1981: 12.47 ft, below flood stage; 7,940 cubic feet per secondJan 31, 1982: 19.00 ft, moderate flooding; 19,200 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 1982: 22.91 ft, moderate flooding; 35,400 cubic feet per secondOct 3, 1982: 18.76 ft, moderate flooding; 18,700 cubic feet per secondDec 3, 1982: 18.76 ft, moderate flooding; 18,700 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1984: 13.73 ft, minor flooding; 9,700 cubic feet per secondDec 14, 1984: 11.33 ft, below flood stage; 6,520 cubic feet per secondDec 21, 1984: 20.50 ft, moderate flooding; 22,400 cubic feet per secondJan 1, 1985: 19.00 ft, moderate flooding; 19,200 cubic feet per secondFeb 23, 1985: 21.01 ft, moderate flooding; 23,600 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 1985: 19.52 ft, moderate flooding; 20,300 cubic feet per secondJun 5, 1985: 12.34 ft, below flood stage; 7,760 cubic feet per secondNov 19, 1985: 21.94 ft, moderate flooding; 26,100 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 1986: 13.20 ft, minor flooding; 9,000 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 1986: 21.21 ft, moderate flooding; 23,100 cubic feet per secondSep 17, 1986: 11.55 ft, below flood stage; 6,780 cubic feet per secondOct 1, 1986: 24.47 ft, major flooding; 42,300 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 1987: 16.22 ft, minor flooding; 14,100 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 1987: 13.20 ft, minor flooding; 9,000 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 1987: 15.80 ft, minor flooding; 13,300 cubic feet per secondDec 20, 1987: 18.47 ft, moderate flooding; 17,400 cubic feet per secondDec 26, 1987: 21.83 ft, moderate flooding; 27,000 cubic feet per secondMar 3, 1988: 12.75 ft, below flood stage; 8,910 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 1988: 18.00 ft, moderate flooding; 16,400 cubic feet per secondFeb 14, 1989: 13.49 ft, minor flooding; 9,840 cubic feet per secondJan 20, 1990: 10.97 ft, below flood stage; 6,820 cubic feet per secondFeb 16, 1990: 15.01 ft, minor flooding; 11,900 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 1990: 19.21 ft, moderate flooding; 19,000 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1990: 14.00 ft, minor flooding; 10,500 cubic feet per secondApr 21, 1990: 12.61 ft, below flood stage; 8,730 cubic feet per secondMay 3, 1990: 25.08 ft, major flooding; 58,500 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 1990: 11.12 ft, below flood stage; 6,990 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 1991: 14.16 ft, minor flooding; 10,700 cubic feet per secondDec 21, 1991: 12.90 ft, below flood stageJun 7, 1992: 16.07 ft, minor floodingDec 15, 1992: 20.79 ft, moderate flooding; 8,857 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 1993: 16.13 ft, minor flooding; 8,661 cubic feet per secondMay 10, 1993: 17.29 ft, moderate flooding; 8,527 cubic feet per secondSep 15, 1993: 14.34 ft, minor flooding; 8,563 cubic feet per secondNov 14, 1993: 16.26 ft, minor flooding; 8,697 cubic feet per secondJan 14, 1995: 15.48 ft, minor flooding; 12,200 cubic feet per secondApr 20, 1995: 16.79 ft, minor flooding; 14,200 cubic feet per secondMay 8, 1995: 19.24 ft, moderate flooding; 18,900 cubic feet per secondJun 10, 1995: 16.81 ft, minor flooding; 14,500 cubic feet per secondMay 11, 1996: 13.70 ft, minor flooding; 9,370 cubic feet per secondSep 27, 1996: 20.10 ft, moderate flooding; 20,900 cubic feet per secondNov 7, 1996: 19.10 ft, moderate flooding; 18,500 cubic feet per secondNov 25, 1996: 17.70 ft, moderate flooding; 15,800 cubic feet per secondFeb 21, 1997: 19.25 ft, moderate flooding; 19,000 cubic feet per secondJan 5, 1998: 21.70 ft, moderate flooding; 25,700 cubic feet per secondMar 20, 1998: 14.90 ft, minor flooding; 7,210 cubic feet per secondJul 1, 1999: 20.60 ft, moderate flooding; 22,100 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 2000: 17.00 ft, moderate flooding; 16,100 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 2000: 22.00 ft, moderate flooding; 30,000 cubic feet per secondJun 29, 2000: 21.40 ft, moderate flooding; 25,700 cubic feet per secondFeb 24, 2001: 19.10 ft, moderate flooding; 23,200 cubic feet per secondDec 17, 2001: 17.80 ft, moderate flooding; 17,900 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 2002: 18.94 ft, moderate flooding; 20,300 cubic feet per secondApr 24, 2004: 22.73 ft, moderate flooding; 34,700 cubic feet per secondJul 3, 2004: 18.53 ft, moderate flooding; 19,400 cubic feet per secondJan 6, 2005: 16.33 ft, minor flooding; 14,900 cubic feet per secondJan 13, 2005: 15.54 ft, minor floodingDec 1, 2006: 17.26 ft, moderate flooding; 16,700 cubic feet per secondJan 14, 2007: 14.79 ft, minor flooding; 12,300 cubic feet per secondFeb 17, 2008: 15.40 ft, minor flooding; 13,100 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 2008: 13.00 ft, minor flooding; 9,640 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 2008: 24.73 ft, major flooding; 53,200 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 2008: 18.42 ft, moderate flooding; 18,900 cubic feet per secondApr 10, 2008: 22.77 ft, moderate flooding; 37,100 cubic feet per secondApr 24, 2008: 14.49 ft, minor flooding; 11,600 cubic feet per secondSep 14, 2008: 16.25 ft, minor flooding; 14,500 cubic feet per secondMay 4, 2009: 13.42 ft, minor flooding; 10,100 cubic feet per secondOct 9, 2009: 22.00 ft, moderate floodingOct 30, 2009: 14.40 ft, minor floodingApr 26, 2011: 28.60 ft, major flooding; 97,400 cubic feet per secondMay 2, 2011: 12.37 ft, below flood stage; 8,740 cubic feet per secondMay 24, 2011: 25.19 ft, major flooding; 56,700 cubic feet per secondMay 10, 2013: 18.77 ft, moderate floodingAug 9, 2013: 13.08 ft, minor floodingMay 24, 2015: 15.11 ft, minor floodingJun 19, 2015: 19.28 ft, moderate flooding; 22,111 cubic feet per secondJul 10, 2015: 13.48 ft, minor flooding; 11,292 cubic feet per secondNov 28, 2015: 13.23 ft, minor flooding; 10,905 cubic feet per secondDec 28, 2015: 28.64 ft, major flooding; 110,000 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 2017: 19.41 ft, moderate flooding; 23,957 cubic feet per secondApr 30, 2017: 30.12 ft, major flooding; 128,000 cubic feet per secondMay 20, 2017: 17.32 ft, moderate flooding; 19,048 cubic feet per secondFeb 24, 2018: 21.70 ft, moderate flooding; 33,250 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 2018: 17.90 ft, moderate flooding; 21,632 cubic feet per secondMay 4, 2018: 15.79 ft, minor flooding; 16,652 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 2019: 16.69 ft, minor flooding; 18,942 cubic feet per secondJun 7, 2019: 17.48 ft, moderate flooding; 20,783 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 2019: 19.99 ft, moderate flooding; 27,772 cubic feet per secondOct 6, 2019: 24.11 ft, major flooding; 50,000 cubic feet per secondOct 11, 2019: 16.63 ft, minor flooding; 17,812 cubic feet per secondOct 25, 2019: 14.04 ft, minor flooding; 12,750 cubic feet per secondNov 7, 2019: 17.06 ft, moderate flooding; 18,074 cubic feet per secondDec 1, 2019: 13.68 ft, minor flooding; 11,735 cubic feet per secondJan 11, 2020: 17.90 ft, moderate flooding; 19,755 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 2020: 14.33 ft, minor flooding; 13,068 cubic feet per secondMar 20, 2020: 22.00 ft, moderate flooding; 34,693 cubic feet per secondMay 26, 2020: 13.30 ft, minor flooding; 11,350 cubic feet per secondApr 28, 2021: 23.98 ft, major flooding; 49,000 cubic feet per secondDec 18, 2021: 16.72 ft, minor flooding; 18,206 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 2022: 14.42 ft, minor flooding; 13,686 cubic feet per secondApr 25, 2022: 14.87 ft, minor flooding; 14,523 cubic feet per secondMay 5, 2022: 27.50 ft, major flooding; 87,251 cubic feet per secondMar 3, 2023: 14.03 ft, minor flooding; 12,993 cubic feet per secondMar 25, 2023: 13.07 ft, minor flooding; 11,324 cubic feet per secondNov 5, 2024: 13.44 ft, minor flooding; 11,956 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 2025: 19.48 ft, moderate flooding; 24,971 cubic feet per secondApr 20, 2025: 16.76 ft, minor flooding; 18,284 cubic feet per secondMay 20, 2025: 13.42 ft, minor flooding; 11,918 cubic feet per secondMay 26, 2025: 13.52 ft, minor flooding; 12,094 cubic feet per secondJun 7, 2025: 18.09 ft, moderate flooding; 21,228 cubic feet per secondSep 24, 2025: 14.42 ft, minor flooding; 13,682 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 2026: 13.37 ft, minor flooding; 11,824 cubic feet per second Highest, 30.12 ft, Apr 30, 2017 1960197019801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Illinois River (AR OK) near Watts 1950s: 10 1960s: 16 1970s: 26 26 1980s: 20 1990s: 23 2000s: 22 2010s: 23 2020s: 19 1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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

The 50 highest of 182 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Illinois River (AR OK) near Watts
1Apr 30, 201730.12+17.12Major128,000
2Dec 28, 201528.64+15.64Major110,000
3Apr 26, 201128.60+15.60Major97,400
4May 5, 202227.50+14.50Major87,251
5Jul 25, 196025.96+12.96Major68,000
6May 24, 201125.19+12.19Major56,700
7May 3, 199025.08+12.08Major58,500
8Apr 3, 195724.73+11.73Major53,000
9Mar 19, 200824.73+11.73Major53,200
10Oct 1, 198624.47+11.47Major42,300
11May 7, 196124.32+11.32Major51,600
12Oct 6, 201924.11+11.11Major50,000
13Apr 28, 202123.98+10.98Major49,000
14Nov 25, 197323.96+10.96Major47,600
15Jun 16, 198222.91+9.91Moderate35,400
16Apr 10, 200822.77+9.77Moderate37,100
17Apr 24, 200422.73+9.73Moderate34,700
18Apr 20, 197622.38+9.38Moderate31,700
19Jun 22, 200022.00+9.00Moderate30,000
20Oct 9, 200922.00+9.00Moderate—
21Mar 20, 202022.00+9.00Moderate34,693
22Jun 9, 197421.99+8.99Moderate—
23Nov 19, 198521.94+8.94Moderate26,100
24May 23, 195721.93+8.93Moderate31,400
25Jan 30, 196921.90+8.90Moderate31,400
26Dec 26, 198721.83+8.83Moderate27,000
27Jan 5, 199821.70+8.70Moderate25,700
28Feb 24, 201821.70+8.70Moderate33,250
29May 6, 196021.56+8.56Moderate—
30Nov 4, 197421.50+8.50Moderate25,500
31Jun 29, 200021.40+8.40Moderate25,700
32Apr 8, 198621.21+8.21Moderate23,100
33Feb 23, 198521.01+8.01Moderate23,600
34Dec 15, 199220.79+7.79Moderate8,857
35Apr 12, 197920.76+7.76Moderate22,400
36Jul 1, 199920.60+7.60Moderate22,100
37May 20, 196120.55+7.55Moderate—
38Feb 9, 196620.54+7.54Moderate26,800
39Mar 24, 197820.54+7.54Moderate22,500
40Dec 21, 198420.50+7.50Moderate22,400
41Oct 27, 197020.48+7.48Moderate25,200
42Sep 27, 199620.10+7.10Moderate20,900
43Jun 24, 201919.99+6.99Moderate27,772
44Mar 30, 198519.52+6.52Moderate20,300
45Apr 6, 202519.48+6.48Moderate24,971
46Apr 22, 201719.41+6.41Moderate23,957
47May 1, 197019.37+6.37Moderate21,100
48Jun 19, 201519.28+6.28Moderate22,111
49Feb 21, 199719.25+6.25Moderate19,000
50May 8, 199519.24+6.24Moderate18,900

The worst floods along the Illinois River (AR OK)

For this gauge's highest crests, the other gauges on the Illinois River (AR OK) that crested above flood stage within a week.

April 30, 2017: 30.12 ft here, major flooding

  • CheweyOK · Apr 30, 2017 · 32.65 ft · Major · its highest
  • TahlequahOK · Apr 30, 2017 · 29.29 ft · Major

December 28, 2015: 28.64 ft here, major flooding

  • CheweyOK · Dec 28, 2015 · 32.35 ft · Major
  • TahlequahOK · Dec 28, 2015 · 30.69 ft · Major · its highest
  • GoreOK · Dec 30, 2015 · 23.81 ft · Minor

April 26, 2011: 28.60 ft here, major flooding

  • CheweyOK · Apr 26, 2011 · 29.54 ft · Major
  • TahlequahOK · Apr 26, 2011 · 25.97 ft · Major

Gauges on the Illinois River (AR OK)

In USGS station-number order, which runs downstream within a river basin.

Flood gauges on the Illinois River (AR OK)
Watts this gaugeOK13.030.12 ft, Apr 30, 201714
CheweyOK12.032.65 ft, Apr 30, 20179
TahlequahOK11.030.69 ft, Dec 28, 201535
GoreOK23.030.20 ft, May 11, 19500

Other gauges in Adair County

Flood gauges in Adair County
Chewey12.032.65 ft, Apr 30, 20179

Adair County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Oklahoma

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge WTTO2, 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.