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Salt Fork Arkansas River at Tonkawa, OK

River level and flood forecast · Kay County

Normal2.7 ftas of Mon 3:30 PM

The river is 14.3 ft below flood stage (17 ft).

Flow: 40 cubic feet per second (USGS).

The last 7 days and the forecast

0510152025TueWedThuFriSatSunMonAction 14 ftFlood 17 ftModerate 20 ftMajor 25 ftNowObserved (ft)NWS forecast

NWS forecast issued Sun, Dec 31, 6 PM. Forecasts change as rain falls and as upstream water arrives.

Flood stages

Major flood stage25 ft
Moderate flood stage20 ft
Flood stage17 ft
Action stage14 ft
Record crest (October 11, 1973)28.98 ft

What floods at each level

From the National Weather Service, highest first.

  • 30 ftFlood depths to about 13 feet move from eastern Grant County... across Kay County... to the confluence with the Arkansas River below Ponca City. The water levels be higher than in October 1973... when Interstate Highway I-35 washed away. Electricity to Tonkawa may be affected when the river stage reaches 28 feet. Road closures include... Interstate Highway I-35 in the vicinity of the river... Fountain Road at U.S. Highway 77 south of Tonkawa... and State Highway 156 between Marland and Ponca City.
  • 29 ftFlood depths to about 12 feet move from eastern Grant County... across Kay County... to the confluence with the Arkansas River below Ponca City. Flood levels will be similar to those in October 1973... when Interstate Highway I-35 washed away. Electricity to Tonkawa may be affected when the river stage reaches 28 feet. Road closures include... Interstate Highway I-35 in the vicinity of the river... Fountain Road at U.S. Highway 77 south of Tonkawa... and State Highway 156 between Marland and Ponca City.
  • 28 ftFlood depths to about 11 feet move from eastern Grant County... across Kay County... to the confluence with the Arkansas River below Ponca City. these water levels be almost as high as the October 1973 flood which washed out Interstate Highway I-35. Electric power to Tonkawa may be affected by substation flooding. Road closures include... Interstate Highway I-35 in the vicinity of the river... Fountain Road at U.S. Highway 77 south of Tonkawa... and State Highway 156 between Marland and Ponca City.
  • 27 ftFlood depths ranging up to about 10 feet move from eastern Grant County... across Kay County... to the confluence with the Arkansas River below Ponca City. Private levees may be overtopped... and farmland and oilfields are flooded hours before the crest. Road closures include... Interstate Highway I-35 in the vicinity of the river... Fountain Road at U.S. Highway 77 south of Tonkawa... and State Highway 156 between Marland and Ponca City.
  • 26 ftFlood depths ranging up to about 9 feet move from eastern Grant County... across Kay County... to the confluence with the Arkansas River below Ponca City. Private levees may be overtopped... and farmland and oilfields are flooded hours before the crest. The southbound lanes of Interstate Highway I-35 may be covered by floodwaters. Road closures include... Fountain Road at U.S. Highway 77 south of Tonkawa... and State Highway 156 between Marland and Ponca City.
  • 25 ftFlood depths ranging up to about 8 feet move from eastern Grant County... across Kay County... to the confluence with the Arkansas River below Ponca City. Private levees may be overtopped... and farmland and oilfields are flooded hours before the crest. The southbound lanes of Interstate Highway I-35 may be threatened by floodwaters. Road closures include... Fountain Road at U.S. Highway 77 south of Tonkawa... and State Highway 156 between Marland and Ponca City.
  • 24 ftFlood depths ranging up to about 7 feet move from eastern Grant County... across Kay County... to the confluence with the Arkansas River below Ponca City. Private levees may be overtopped... and farmland and oilfields are flooded hours before the crest. Road closures include... Fountain Road at U.S. Highway 77 south of Tonkawa... and State Highway 156 between Marland and Ponca City.
  • 23 ftFlood depths ranging up to about 6 feet move from eastern Grant County... across Kay County... to the confluence with the Arkansas River below Ponca City. Farmland and oilfields are flooded hours before the crest. Road closures include... Fountain Road at U.S. Highway 77 south of Tonkawa... and State Highway 156 between Marland and Ponca City.
  • 22 ftFlood depths ranging up to about 5 feet move from eastern Grant County... across Kay County... to the confluence with the Arkansas River below Ponca City. Farmland and oilfields are flooded hours before the crest. Road closures include... Fountain Road at U.S. Highway 77 south of Tonkawa... and State Highway 156 between Marland and Ponca City.
  • 21 ftFlood depths ranging up to about 4 feet move from eastern Grant County... across Kay County... to the confluence with the Arkansas River below Ponca City. Farmland and oilfields are flooded hours before the crest. Fountain Road at U.S. Highway 77 south of Tonkawa... and State Highway 156 between Marland and Ponca City are closed.
  • 20 ftFlood depths ranging up to about 3 feet move from eastern Grant County... across Kay County... to the confluence with the Arkansas River below Ponca City. Farmland and oilfields are flooded hours before the crest. The intersection of Fountain Road and U.S. Highway 77 south of Tonkawa... and State Highway 156 between Marland and Ponca City are closed.
  • 19 ftFlood depths ranging up to about 2 feet move from eastern Grant County... across Kay County... to the confluence with the Arkansas River below Ponca City. Farmland and oilfields are flooded hours before the crest.
  • 18 ftFlood overflows are about a foot deep over unleveed agricultural lands... oilfields... and rural roads along the river in eastern Grant County... through Kay County... to the confluence with the Arkansas River below Ponca City.
  • 17 ftShallow floodwaters move along the river from eastern Grant County... across Kay County... to the confluence with the Arkansas River below Ponca City. Farmland and oilfields may be flooded.
  • 16 ftNear bankfull flows move along the river from eastern Grant County...across Kay County... to the confluence with the Arkansas River below Ponca City. Low-lying farmland and oilfields may be flooded hours before the crest reaches Tonkawa.
  • 15 ftWithin bank flows move along the river from eastern Grant County... across Kay County... to the confluence with the Arkansas River below Ponca City. Some low-lying oilfields may be isolated.

Highest crests on record

  1. 28.98 ft — October 11, 1973
  2. 27.64 ft — August 5, 1995
  3. 27.61 ft — October 3, 1986
  4. 26.8 ft — June 10, 1923
  5. 26.67 ft — May 22, 2019

Recent crests: 16.02 ft (June 18, 2025) · 21.01 ft (June 7, 2025) · 15.03 ft (April 29, 2025) · 15.76 ft (November 9, 2024) · 14.23 ft (March 23, 2021)

Up and down the river, and nearby

See it on the live map →Radar & warnings for Kay CountyNWS gauge pageUSGS gauge 07151000

Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (TONO2); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.