Arkansas River at Ralston, OK
River level and flood forecast · Pawnee County
Normal3.3 ftas of Mon 2 PM
The river is 12.7 ft below flood stage (16 ft).
Flow: 354 cubic feet per second (USGS).
The last 7 days and the forecast
NWS forecast issued Sun, Dec 31, 6 PM. Forecasts change as rain falls and as upstream water arrives.
Flood stages
| Major flood stage | 21 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 18 ft |
| Flood stage | 16 ft |
| Action stage | 16 ft |
| Record crest (June 11, 1923) | 23 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 24 ftvery severe flooding occurs. The Ralston sewage treatment plant levees may be overtopped when the stage reaches 24 feet. This is an extremely dangerous and life threatening situation.
- 22 ftsevere agricultural flooding occurs. Water levels are within 2 feet of topping the Ralston sewage treatment levees when the stage reaches 22 feet. This is a dangerous situation.
- 21 ftsevere agricultural flooding occurs. Water levels need to be patrolled as the levees around the Ralston sewage treatment plant are topped when the stage reaches 24 feet. This is a dangerous situation.
- 20 ftsevere agricultural flooding occurs. The levee around the Ralston sewage treatment plant may need to be patrolled.
- 18 ftmoderate inundation of farmlands occurs mainly along the north bank.
- 16 ftminor agricultural flooding occurs on the north bank.
Highest crests on record
- 23 ft — June 11, 1923
- 22.98 ft — October 13, 1973
- 22.82 ft — April 25, 1944
- 22.6 ft — November 18, 1964
- 22.6 ft — November 15, 1964
Recent crests: 16.47 ft (June 25, 2026) · 16.5 ft (June 18, 2025) · 15.27 ft (June 9, 2025) · 22.03 ft (May 26, 2019) · 21.99 ft (May 25, 2019)
Up and down the river, and nearby
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (RLSO2); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.