River Conditions
Illustrated map of Beaver Lake

River stage

Arkadelphia, Ouachita River

River level
5.25 ft
Status
Below flood stage
Action stage
16.00 ft
Flood stage
17.00 ft
Record crest
30.30 ft

Last reported 2026-10-13 | NWS AKDA4

Record crest
30.30 ft
Flood stage
17.00 ft
Moderate flood
24.00 ft
Major flood
27.00 ft
Crest date
1945-03-30

In brief

The Ouachita River at Arkadelphia, AR read 5.25 ft on Oct 13, 2026, 10.75 ft below action stage.

Source: National Weather Service gauge AKDA4

Stage threshold profile

Action stage 16.00 ftMinor flooding 17.00 ftModerate flooding 24.00 ftMajor flooding 27.00 ft CURRENT 5.25 ft

Highest crests on record

RankCrestDate
1 30.30 ft 1945-03-30
2 30.08 ft 1968-05-14
3 29.20 ft 1927-05-21
4 28.97 ft 1938-02-19
5 28.87 ft 1939-04-17
6 28.30 ft 1923-05-15
7 28.15 ft 1949-01-27
8 28.02 ft 1969-01-31

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

What happens at each level

  1. 17.00 ft

    Farmland along the river begins to flood. Water over State Highway 7 and 51 at railroad underpass.

  2. 19.00 ft

    State Highway 7 and 51 railroad underpass flooded. Fields and timber along the river flooded.

  3. 21.00 ft

    State Highway 7 and 51 east of Arkadelphia flooded. Railroad underpass closed.

  4. 22.00 ft

    Roads are flooding, including, Nix's Ferry, Clark County roads 9 and 28, and State Highway 7 and 51 east of Arkadelphia.

  5. 24.00 ft

    Flooding near Hemphill Road and Maddox Branch. Fringe of airport begins to flood. Roads impacted by high water include, Clark County roads 9, 17, 19, 21, 28, 138, and 304 and State Highways 7 and 51.

  6. 25.00 ft

    Arkadelphia Airport may be closed. Flooding in portions of Arkadelphia. State Highway 7 east of Arkadelphia flooded. Railroad underpass flooded. Clark County roads 9, 17, 19, 21, 28, 138, and 304 flooded. Long detours around flooded areas.

  7. 27.00 ft

    Flooding in druid hills and portions of Southern and Southeastern Arkadelphia. Airport possibly closed by high water. State Highway 7 east of Arkadelphia flooded. Railroad underpass flooded. Numerous Clark County roads flooded.

  8. 28.50 ft

    Evacuations may be needed. Widespread flooding in Clark County. Numerous county roads flooded. State Highway 7 flooded east of Arkadelphia. Long detours around flooded areas. Ouachita River crested just over 28 feet in January 1969 and over 30 feet in May 1968.

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

Frequently asked questions

Is the Ouachita River flooding at Arkadelphia?

No. The Ouachita River at Arkadelphia is at 5.25 ft, 10.75 ft below action stage.

What is the flood stage at Arkadelphia?

The National Weather Service sets action stage 16 ft, minor flooding 17 ft, moderate flooding 24 ft and major flooding 27 ft.

What is the highest the Ouachita River has been at Arkadelphia?

The highest crest on record is 30.3 ft, on 1945-03-30.

Stage and flood information from the NOAA National Weather Service (gauge AKDA4); daily history from the U.S. Geological Survey (site 07360000). Last reading 2026-10-13. For flood safety decisions always follow official National Weather Service warnings.