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Salt Fork Arkansas River at Tonkawa

Highest listed crest 28.98 ftFlood stage 17.0 ft158 crests since 1923

The Salt Fork Arkansas River at Tonkawa crested at major flood stage 9 times among the 158 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1923 to 2025. The highest, 28.98 ft on October 11, 1973, was major flooding, 11.98 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
28.98 ft
October 11, 1973; 97,300 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
17.0 ft
Major flooding from 25.0 ft
Crests at major
9
30th of 92 gauges in Oklahoma
Most recent flood crest
June 7, 2025
21.01 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Kay County
Near Ponca City (13.9 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Salt Fork Arkansas River at Tonkawa
Action stage14.054Jun 18, 2025The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)17.060Jul 31, 2020Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage20.035Jun 7, 2025Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage25.09May 22, 2019Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

158 crests from 1923 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Salt Fork Arkansas River at Tonkawa, 1923 to 2025 1015202530ft Flood stage 17.0 ftMajor 25.0 ft Jun 10, 1923: 26.80 ft, major floodingJun 1, 1935: 23.00 ft, moderate floodingJun 6, 1936: 15.53 ft, action stage; 11,400 cubic feet per secondJun 10, 1937: 16.62 ft, action stage; 14,000 cubic feet per secondSep 9, 1937: 16.76 ft, action stage; 14,500 cubic feet per secondMay 20, 1938: 22.82 ft, moderate flooding; 40,800 cubic feet per secondMay 24, 1938: 21.94 ft, moderate flooding; 34,500 cubic feet per secondJun 1, 1938: 17.41 ft, minor flooding; 16,300 cubic feet per secondAug 17, 1938: 16.27 ft, action stage; 13,900 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1939: 16.08 ft, action stage; 14,600 cubic feet per secondJun 10, 1941: 15.58 ft, action stage; 12,500 cubic feet per secondOct 27, 1941: 16.06 ft, action stage; 12,200 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 1942: 17.70 ft, minor flooding; 15,500 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 1942: 16.69 ft, action stage; 13,400 cubic feet per secondMay 20, 1943: 17.86 ft, minor flooding; 16,500 cubic feet per secondApr 23, 1944: 19.26 ft, minor flooding; 22,500 cubic feet per secondDec 5, 1944: 18.05 ft, minor flooding; 16,800 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 1945: 20.06 ft, moderate flooding; 23,500 cubic feet per secondSep 30, 1945: 17.35 ft, minor flooding; 14,300 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 1947: 18.53 ft, minor flooding; 16,600 cubic feet per secondMay 16, 1947: 18.35 ft, minor flooding; 16,000 cubic feet per secondMay 10, 1948: 16.58 ft, action stage; 12,700 cubic feet per secondAug 15, 1948: 17.22 ft, minor flooding; 13,300 cubic feet per secondFeb 13, 1949: 17.09 ft, minor flooding; 13,300 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 1949: 16.60 ft, action stage; 12,600 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 1949: 19.33 ft, minor flooding; 19,600 cubic feet per secondMay 29, 1949: 16.85 ft, action stage; 13,000 cubic feet per secondSep 6, 1949: 16.29 ft, action stage; 12,100 cubic feet per secondJul 30, 1950: 14.71 ft, action stage; 9,650 cubic feet per secondMay 22, 1951: 18.71 ft, minor flooding; 17,200 cubic feet per secondJun 26, 1951: 17.43 ft, minor flooding; 13,800 cubic feet per secondJul 2, 1951: 20.14 ft, moderate flooding; 22,600 cubic feet per secondJun 19, 1955: 16.10 ft, action stage; 9,470 cubic feet per secondOct 3, 1955: 17.51 ft, minor flooding; 12,100 cubic feet per secondApr 23, 1957: 16.90 ft, action stage; 11,100 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 1957: 20.82 ft, moderate flooding; 19,600 cubic feet per secondMay 25, 1957: 19.70 ft, minor flooding; 18,500 cubic feet per secondJun 25, 1957: 21.14 ft, moderate flooding; 21,200 cubic feet per secondJul 3, 1957: 19.17 ft, minor flooding; 17,200 cubic feet per secondSep 26, 1959: 16.65 ft, action stage; 10,900 cubic feet per secondOct 5, 1959: 23.48 ft, moderate flooding; 28,400 cubic feet per secondAug 27, 1960: 16.68 ft, action stage; 11,100 cubic feet per secondMay 9, 1961: 17.90 ft, minor flooding; 15,200 cubic feet per secondMay 22, 1961: 16.98 ft, action stage; 13,000 cubic feet per secondSep 13, 1961: 21.17 ft, moderate flooding; 22,600 cubic feet per secondNov 2, 1961: 22.10 ft, moderate flooding; 24,300 cubic feet per secondOct 26, 1964: 17.39 ft, minor flooding; 12,200 cubic feet per secondNov 18, 1964: 21.69 ft, moderate flooding; 21,400 cubic feet per secondAug 19, 1968: 16.02 ft, action stage; 10,300 cubic feet per secondMay 16, 1969: 16.73 ft, action stage; 11,200 cubic feet per secondApr 21, 1970: 20.30 ft, moderate flooding; 20,700 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 1973: 22.03 ft, moderate flooding; 22,800 cubic feet per secondOct 11, 1973: 28.98 ft, major flooding; 97,300 cubic feet per secondNov 5, 1974: 23.06 ft, moderate flooding; 31,300 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 1975: 19.51 ft, minor floodingMay 23, 1977: 14.50 ft, action stage; 7,770 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 1979: 14.73 ft, action stage; 8,060 cubic feet per secondOct 21, 1979: 19.89 ft, minor flooding; 16,700 cubic feet per secondJun 30, 1981: 14.15 ft, action stage; 7,340 cubic feet per secondMay 18, 1982: 19.55 ft, minor flooding; 15,600 cubic feet per secondMar 27, 1983: 17.64 ft, minor flooding; 13,400 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1983: 16.31 ft, action stage; 11,200 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 1984: 19.25 ft, minor flooding; 16,700 cubic feet per secondApr 9, 1984: 17.18 ft, minor flooding; 12,200 cubic feet per secondFeb 23, 1985: 14.51 ft, action stage; 8,600 cubic feet per secondOct 16, 1985: 16.35 ft, action stage; 11,500 cubic feet per secondNov 15, 1985: 20.05 ft, moderate flooding; 18,000 cubic feet per secondOct 3, 1986: 27.61 ft, major flooding; 74,700 cubic feet per secondNov 6, 1986: 16.90 ft, action stage; 11,900 cubic feet per secondFeb 16, 1987: 16.79 ft, action stage; 11,700 cubic feet per secondMar 1, 1987: 19.72 ft, minor flooding; 16,200 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 1987: 17.54 ft, minor flooding; 12,800 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 1987: 19.49 ft, minor flooding; 15,800 cubic feet per secondMay 28, 1987: 25.12 ft, major flooding; 47,000 cubic feet per secondJul 5, 1987: 18.49 ft, minor flooding; 14,700 cubic feet per secondSep 29, 1987: 21.43 ft, moderate flooding; 24,300 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 1988: 19.58 ft, minor flooding; 16,600 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 1988: 19.46 ft, minor flooding; 16,400 cubic feet per secondJun 12, 1989: 17.10 ft, minor flooding; 12,600 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 1990: 14.17 ft, action stage; 8,520 cubic feet per secondAug 6, 1992: 20.58 ft, moderate flooding; 20,100 cubic feet per secondAug 12, 1992: 17.76 ft, minor flooding; 13,600 cubic feet per secondMay 3, 1993: 21.65 ft, moderate flooding; 25,500 cubic feet per secondMay 11, 1993: 25.51 ft, major floodingMay 19, 1993: 19.29 ft, minor flooding; 16,000 cubic feet per secondJul 16, 1993: 16.77 ft, action stage; 12,100 cubic feet per secondApr 30, 1994: 16.00 ft, action stage; 110,000 cubic feet per secondNov 21, 1994: 18.84 ft, minor flooding; 15,300 cubic feet per secondJun 6, 1995: 19.49 ft, minor flooding; 16,400 cubic feet per secondJun 11, 1995: 21.81 ft, moderate flooding; 26,400 cubic feet per secondAug 5, 1995: 27.64 ft, major floodingSep 27, 1996: 19.57 ft, minor flooding; 17,700 cubic feet per secondNov 17, 1996: 18.03 ft, minor flooding; 14,200 cubic feet per secondFeb 22, 1997: 18.14 ft, minor flooding; 14,400 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 1997: 19.57 ft, minor floodingMay 9, 1997: 19.02 ft, minor flooding; 16,100 cubic feet per secondJul 1, 1997: 16.97 ft, action stage; 12,300 cubic feet per secondJul 21, 1997: 18.47 ft, minor flooding; 14,900 cubic feet per secondSep 24, 1997: 20.55 ft, moderate flooding; 20,900 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 1998: 21.43 ft, moderate flooding; 24,700 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 1998: 17.15 ft, minor flooding; 12,700 cubic feet per secondOct 5, 1998: 20.07 ft, moderate flooding; 18,700 cubic feet per secondNov 2, 1998: 26.29 ft, major flooding; 50,800 cubic feet per secondNov 10, 1998: 16.72 ft, action stage; 11,900 cubic feet per secondDec 6, 1998: 14.81 ft, action stageJan 31, 1999: 19.75 ft, minor flooding; 18,100 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1999: 14.11 ft, action stageMar 17, 1999: 16.95 ft, action stage; 12,400 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 1999: 19.95 ft, minor flooding; 18,800 cubic feet per secondApr 23, 1999: 14.78 ft, action stageApr 27, 1999: 20.93 ft, moderate flooding; 22,300 cubic feet per secondMay 18, 1999: 18.27 ft, minor flooding; 14,600 cubic feet per secondJun 14, 1999: 16.50 ft, action stage; 11,700 cubic feet per secondJun 20, 1999: 19.69 ft, minor flooding; 18,100 cubic feet per secondJun 25, 1999: 22.04 ft, moderate flooding; 26,400 cubic feet per secondJul 2, 1999: 18.69 ft, minor flooding; 15,400 cubic feet per secondJul 11, 1999: 18.51 ft, minor flooding; 15,100 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 2000: 19.27 ft, minor flooding; 16,800 cubic feet per secondMar 25, 2000: 21.03 ft, moderate flooding; 21,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 25, 2001: 15.99 ft, action stage; 10,800 cubic feet per secondSep 19, 2002: 17.66 ft, minor flooding; 13,300 cubic feet per secondOct 5, 2002: 18.74 ft, minor flooding; 15,700 cubic feet per secondMar 20, 2003: 16.61 ft, action stage; 11,700 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 2004: 19.44 ft, minor flooding; 18,100 cubic feet per secondApr 25, 2004: 18.04 ft, minor flooding; 15,100 cubic feet per secondJan 5, 2005: 16.17 ft, action stage; 11,600 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 2007: 17.00 ft, minor flooding; 12,400 cubic feet per secondJun 30, 2007: 23.30 ft, moderate flooding; 29,800 cubic feet per secondOct 18, 2007: 15.92 ft, action stage; 11,900 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 2008: 16.32 ft, action stage; 12,600 cubic feet per secondJun 7, 2008: 20.84 ft, moderate flooding; 21,900 cubic feet per secondSep 15, 2008: 25.60 ft, major flooding; 47,300 cubic feet per secondOct 15, 2008: 15.03 ft, action stage; 12,300 cubic feet per secondApr 27, 2009: 24.07 ft, moderate flooding; 35,100 cubic feet per secondMay 2, 2009: 18.56 ft, minor flooding; 17,600 cubic feet per secondAug 18, 2009: 17.01 ft, minor flooding; 13,400 cubic feet per secondMay 20, 2010: 19.07 ft, minor flooding; 18,100 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 2010: 16.96 ft, action stage; 12,800 cubic feet per secondJun 15, 2010: 19.04 ft, minor flooding; 19,400 cubic feet per secondDec 20, 2011: 15.73 ft, action stage; 10,400 cubic feet per secondMay 2, 2012: 24.00 ft, moderate flooding; 34,900 cubic feet per secondMay 25, 2015: 21.82 ft, moderate flooding; 18,800 cubic feet per secondJul 7, 2015: 15.68 ft, action stage; 8,950 cubic feet per secondOct 7, 2016: 22.21 ft, moderate flooding; 19,800 cubic feet per secondMay 4, 2017: 14.52 ft, action stage; 7,860 cubic feet per secondOct 10, 2018: 19.99 ft, minor flooding; 14,900 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 2019: 14.22 ft, action stage; 8,100 cubic feet per secondMay 9, 2019: 21.85 ft, moderate flooding; 17,200 cubic feet per secondMay 22, 2019: 26.67 ft, major flooding; 50,200 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 2019: 24.85 ft, moderate flooding; 33,000 cubic feet per secondJun 7, 2019: 22.24 ft, moderate flooding; 18,300 cubic feet per secondJun 15, 2019: 16.06 ft, action stage; 9,900 cubic feet per secondJul 31, 2020: 17.54 ft, minor flooding; 11,400 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 2021: 14.23 ft, action stage; 8,110 cubic feet per secondNov 9, 2024: 15.76 ft, action stage; 9,600 cubic feet per secondApr 29, 2025: 15.03 ft, action stage; 8,770 cubic feet per secondJun 7, 2025: 21.01 ft, moderate flooding; 16,100 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 2025: 16.02 ft, action stage; 9,840 cubic feet per second Highest, 28.98 ft, Oct 11, 1973 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Salt Fork Arkansas River at Tonkawa 1920s: 1 1930s: 4 1940s: 11 1950s: 9 1960s: 5 1970s: 6 1980s: 15 1990s: 28 28 2000s: 13 2010s: 10 2020s: 2 1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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.
  3. 1 crest measured on an earlier gauge datum is left out: 14.60 ft on Jul 11, 1904.

Highest crests

The 50 highest of 158 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Salt Fork Arkansas River at Tonkawa
1Oct 11, 197328.98+11.98Major97,300
2Aug 5, 199527.64+10.64Major—
3Oct 3, 198627.61+10.61Major74,700
4Jun 10, 192326.80+9.80Major—
5May 22, 201926.67+9.67Major50,200
6Nov 2, 199826.29+9.29Major50,800
7Sep 15, 200825.60+8.60Major47,300
8May 11, 199325.51+8.51Major—
9May 28, 198725.12+8.12Major47,000
10May 27, 201924.85+7.85Moderate33,000
11Apr 27, 200924.07+7.07Moderate35,100
12May 2, 201224.00+7.00Moderate34,900
13Oct 5, 195923.48+6.48Moderate28,400
14Jun 30, 200723.30+6.30Moderate29,800
15Nov 5, 197423.06+6.06Moderate31,300
16Jun 1, 193523.00+6.00Moderate—
17May 20, 193822.82+5.82Moderate40,800
18Jun 7, 201922.24+5.24Moderate18,300
19Oct 7, 201622.21+5.21Moderate19,800
20Nov 2, 196122.10+5.10Moderate24,300
21Jun 25, 199922.04+5.04Moderate26,400
22Mar 11, 197322.03+5.03Moderate22,800
23May 24, 193821.94+4.94Moderate34,500
24May 9, 201921.85+4.85Moderate17,200
25May 25, 201521.82+4.82Moderate18,800
26Jun 11, 199521.81+4.81Moderate26,400
27Nov 18, 196421.69+4.69Moderate21,400
28May 3, 199321.65+4.65Moderate25,500
29Sep 29, 198721.43+4.43Moderate24,300
30Mar 18, 199821.43+4.43Moderate24,700
31Sep 13, 196121.17+4.17Moderate22,600
32Jun 25, 195721.14+4.14Moderate21,200
33Mar 25, 200021.03+4.03Moderate21,600
34Jun 7, 202521.01+4.01Moderate16,100
35Apr 27, 199920.93+3.93Moderate22,300
36Jun 7, 200820.84+3.84Moderate21,900
37May 17, 195720.82+3.82Moderate19,600
38Aug 6, 199220.58+3.58Moderate20,100
39Sep 24, 199720.55+3.55Moderate20,900
40Apr 21, 197020.30+3.30Moderate20,700
41Jul 2, 195120.14+3.14Moderate22,600
42Oct 5, 199820.07+3.07Moderate18,700
43Apr 16, 194520.06+3.06Moderate23,500
44Nov 15, 198520.05+3.05Moderate18,000
45Oct 10, 201819.99+2.99Minor14,900
46Apr 16, 199919.95+2.95Minor18,800
47Oct 21, 197919.89+2.89Minor16,700
48Jan 31, 199919.75+2.75Minor18,100
49Mar 1, 198719.72+2.72Minor16,200
50May 25, 195719.70+2.70Minor18,500

The worst floods along the Salt Fork Arkansas River

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

May 22, 2019: 26.67 ft here, major flooding

  • AlvaOK · May 26, 2019 · 15.49 ft · Minor · its highest

Gauges on the Salt Fork Arkansas River

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

Flood gauges on the Salt Fork Arkansas River
AlvaOK14.515.49 ft, May 26, 20190
Tonkawa this gaugeOK17.028.98 ft, Oct 11, 19739

Other gauges in Kay County

Flood gauges in Kay County
Ponca City17.022.26 ft, May 24, 20191
Blackwell29.035.36 ft, Sep 14, 200828

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge TONO2, 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.