River stage
Tahlequah, Illinois River
- River level
- 4.76 ft
- Status
- Below flood stage
- 7-day change
- -0.11 ft
- Recent high
- 10.86 ft
- Recent low
- 4.69 ft
Last reported 2026-10-13 | NWS TALO2
- 30-day change
- -0.21 ft
- Average
- 5.54 ft
- Readings
- 122
- Data span
- 122 days
- Record crest
- 30.69 ft
In brief
The Illinois River at Tahlequah, OK read 4.76 ft on Oct 13, 2026, 4.24 ft below action stage. That is 0.21 ft lower than 30 days earlier.
Source: National Weather Service gauge TALO2
River level timeline
Stage threshold profile
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Crest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 30.69 ft | 2015-12-28 |
| 2 | 29.29 ft | 2017-04-30 |
| 3 | 27.94 ft | 1950-05-10 |
| 4 | 27.53 ft | 2022-05-06 |
| 5 | 26.00 ft | 1916-01-01 |
| 6 | 25.97 ft | 2011-04-26 |
| 7 | 25.37 ft | 1943-05-11 |
| 8 | 23.60 ft | 1945-04-15 |
Flood crests recorded at this gauge by the National Weather Service.
What happens at each level
- 9.00 ft
no flooding occurs but all recreational floating along the Illinois River ceases at and above 9.5 feet.
- 11.00 ft
minor flooding occurs from near Hanging Rock downstream towards Tahlequah. Floating the river is too hazardous due to strong turbulence.
- 12.00 ft
minor flooding occurs from near Hanging Rock downstream towards Tahlequah. Extreme turbulence makes the river too hazardous for floating.
- 13.00 ft
minor flooding occurs from near Hanging Rock downstream towards Tahlequah. Access roads east of the Combs Bridge near Eagles Bluff may be threatened. Extreme turbulence makes the river too hazardous for floating.
- 14.00 ft
moderate flooding occurs from Hanging Rock downstream towards Tahlequah. Access roads east of the Combs Bridge near Eagles Bluff will be impassable. Extreme turbulence makes the river too hazardous for floating.
- 15.00 ft
moderate flooding occurs from Hanging Rock downstream towards Tahlequah. Access roads east of the Combs Bridge near Eagles Bluff are impassable. Some cabins and parks may begin to flood. Extreme turbulence makes the river too hazardous for floating.
- 17.00 ft
severe flooding occurs from Hanging Rock downstream towards Tahlequah. Access roads east of Combs Bridge near Eagles Bluff are impassable. Some cabins and parks may be flooded to a depth of a couple of feet. Extreme turbulence makes the river too hazardous for floating.
- 18.00 ft
severe flooding occurs from near Hanging Rock downstream towards Tahlequah. Highway 10 near Hanging Rock northeast of Tahlequah is impassable. Some cabins and parks are severely flooded. This is a very dangerous situation. Extreme turbulence makes the river too hazardous for floating.
- 19.00 ft
severe flooding occurs from near Hanging Rock downstream towards Tahlequah. State Highway 10 near Hanging Rock and near No Head Hollow north of the intersection with Highway 62 is impassable. Some cabins and parks are severely flooded. This is a very dangerous situation.
- 21.00 ft
very severe flooding occurs from near Hanging Rock downstream towards Tahlequah. State Highway 10 is closed between Hanging Rock and No Head Hollow north of the Highway 10 intersection with Highway 62. Several cabins and parks are severely flooded and many others are isolated. This is a very dangerous and life threatening situation.
Written by the local National Weather Service forecast office for this exact gauge.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Illinois River flooding at Tahlequah?
No. The Illinois River at Tahlequah is at 4.76 ft, 4.24 ft below action stage.
What is the flood stage at Tahlequah?
The National Weather Service sets action stage 9 ft, minor flooding 11 ft, moderate flooding 14 ft and major flooding 18 ft.
What is the highest the Illinois River has been at Tahlequah?
The highest crest on record is 30.69 ft, on 2015-12-28.
Is the Illinois River high or low right now at Tahlequah?
At 4.76 ft it is higher than 10% of readings over the last 122 days.
Stage and flood information from the NOAA National Weather Service (gauge TALO2); daily history from the U.S. Geological Survey (site 07196500). Last reading 2026-10-13. For flood safety decisions always follow official National Weather Service warnings.