River Conditions
Illustrated map of Beaver Lake

River stage

Ponca City, Arkansas River

River level
1.43 ft
Status
Below flood stage
Action stage
17.00 ft
Flood stage
17.00 ft
Record crest
22.26 ft

Last reported 2026-10-13 | NWS PCYO2

Record crest
22.26 ft
Flood stage
17.00 ft
Moderate flood
19.00 ft
Major flood
21.00 ft
Crest date
2019-05-24

In brief

The Arkansas River at Ponca City, OK read 1.43 ft on Oct 13, 2026, 15.57 ft below action stage.

Source: National Weather Service gauge PCYO2

Stage threshold profile

Action stage 17.00 ftMinor flooding 17.00 ftModerate flooding 19.00 ftMajor flooding 21.00 ft CURRENT 1.43 ft

Highest crests on record

RankCrestDate
1 22.26 ft 2019-05-24
2 20.11 ft 1993-05-14
3 17.68 ft 2019-05-22
4 16.35 ft 2019-05-13
5 15.45 ft 1995-06-01
6 13.97 ft 1989-09-07
7 13.40 ft 1984-03-30
8 13.30 ft 1986-10-16

Flood crests recorded at this gauge by the National Weather Service.

What happens at each level

  1. 17.00 ft

    widespread lowland flooding occurs.

  2. 19.00 ft

    in Ponca City, portions of the residential area south of South Avenue between 12th and 14th Streets may be flooded. Other areas along the Arkansas River outside of Ponca City may see a couple of feet of swiftly moving water.

  3. 21.00 ft

    in Ponca City, the west approach of the South Avenue access road to the old Highway 60 bridge is threatened. Businesses along Lake Road are threatened. The lower areas south of South Avenue between 12th and 14th Streets are inundated. This is a dangerous and life threatening situation.

  4. 23.00 ft

    serious flooding occurs in areas of Ponca City south of South Avenue between 12th and 14th Streets. The old Highway 60 bridge is not accessible via Pecan Road. Businesses along Lake Road are flooded. This is an extremely dangerous and life threatening situation.

  5. 25.00 ft

    very serious flooding occurs in Ponca City south of South Avenue. The old Highway 60 brdige is not accessible via Pecan Road. Businesses along Lake Road are severely flooded. This is an extremely dangerous and life threatening situation.

  6. 27.00 ft

    the west approach to the old Highway 60 bridge along the South Avenue extension is closed. Very severe flooding occurs in the residential area south of South Avenue between 12th and 14th Streets. This is an extremely dangerous and life threatening situation.

  7. 29.00 ft

    the west approach to the old Highway 60 bridge along the South Avenue extension is closed. The old Highway 60 bridge may be overtopped. This is an extremely dangerous and life threatening situation.

  8. 31.00 ft

    near catastrophic flooding occurs along the Arkansas River valley around Ponca City. In Ponca City, the Arkansas River overflows the old Highway 60 bridge. This is an extremely dangerous and life threatening situation.

Written by the local National Weather Service forecast office for this exact gauge.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Arkansas River flooding at Ponca City?

No. The Arkansas River at Ponca City is at 1.43 ft, 15.57 ft below action stage.

What is the flood stage at Ponca City?

The National Weather Service sets action stage 17 ft, minor flooding 17 ft, moderate flooding 19 ft and major flooding 21 ft.

What is the highest the Arkansas River has been at Ponca City?

The highest crest on record is 22.26 ft, on 2019-05-24.

Stage and flood information from the NOAA National Weather Service (gauge PCYO2); daily history from the U.S. Geological Survey (site 07148140). Last reading 2026-10-13. For flood safety decisions always follow official National Weather Service warnings.