Arkansas River at Ralston
Oklahoma · Fishing & wading
Measured at USGS 07152500 — Arkansas River at Ralston, OK · NWS forecast point RLSO2
Reading taken Jul 28, 11:00 PM UTC
Up and off-colour — heavier water than usual for wading
At 7,030 CFS, this gauge is running 164% of normal for late July — above the 4,290 CFS median USGS has recorded for this date across 49 years of record (1977–2026).
Data-derived guidance from USGS and NWS published values — not official advice, and not a safety assessment.
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Flood stages at Ralston
Official National Weather Service categories for gauge RLSO2, issued by WFO TSA. Impact statements are the NWS's own wording for this location, reproduced verbatim.
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Major flood 21.0 ft
- 21.0 ft severe 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.
- 22.0 ft severe 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.
- 24.0 ft very 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.
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Moderate flood 18.0 ft
- 18.0 ft moderate inundation of farmlands occurs mainly along the north bank.
- 20.0 ft severe agricultural flooding occurs. The levee around the Ralston sewage treatment plant may need to be patrolled.
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Minor flood 16.0 ft
- 16.0 ft minor agricultural flooding occurs on the north bank.
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Action 16.0 ft
- 16.0 ft minor agricultural flooding occurs on the north bank.
- Right now 6.69 ft
12 months of flow at Ralston
Daily values from USGS gauge 07152500. Provisional data, subject to revision.
Highest crests on record at Ralston
| Stage | Flow | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 23.00 ft | 200,000 CFS | Jun 11, 1923 |
| 22.98 ft | 211,000 CFS | Oct 13, 1973 |
| 22.82 ft | 179,000 CFS | Apr 25, 1944 |
| 22.60 ft | 171,000 CFS | Nov 18, 1964 |
| 22.60 ft | 171,000 CFS | Nov 15, 1964 |
| 22.20 ft | 174,000 CFS | Oct 4, 1986 |
| 22.14 ft | 185,000 CFS | May 23, 2019 |
| 22.03 ft | 182,235 CFS | May 26, 2019 |
| 21.99 ft | 181,275 CFS | May 25, 2019 |
| 21.62 ft | 158,000 CFS | Oct 5, 1959 |
Historical crests published by the National Weather Service for this gauge.
About Arkansas River at Ralston
This gauge sits on Arkansas River at Ralston, Oklahoma, immediately below Kaw Lake. Flow here is controlled by releases from the dam, so it can change by hundreds of CFS within an hour with no rain anywhere in the basin — check it before you go, not the day before.
Raw CFS means little on its own, so every reading on this page is shown against the USGS median for the same calendar day — 4,290 CFS for late July, from 49 years of record.
Because the National Weather Service also operates a forecast point here, the page carries the official flood-category ladder and the NWS's own stage-by-stage impact statements.
Reservoir feeding this stretch
Flow at this gauge is set by releases from Kaw Lake. A full pool usually means more water is on its way down.
Arkansas River at Ralston — common questions
What is the current flow on Arkansas River at Ralston?
As of the last reading on this page, Arkansas River at Ralston was running 7,030 CFS at a gage height of 6.69 ft, or 164% of the USGS median for this date. The number updates automatically from USGS gauge 07152500, which reports every 15 to 60 minutes.
Is that high or low for this time of year?
The USGS median flow for late July at this gauge is 4,290 CFS, calculated from 49 years of record (1977–2026). Comparing today's reading against that median is the only way a raw CFS number tells you anything — 200 CFS is a drought on one river and a flood on another.
How often does this reading update?
USGS transmits from this gauge every 15 to 60 minutes. This page bakes in the most recent reading when it is rebuilt, then refreshes live from USGS when you open it. Readings are provisional and subject to revision by USGS.
Is Arkansas River at Ralston wadeable right now?
That depends on the reach and on your own judgement — riverlvl will not tell you the water is safe to stand in. What it will tell you is whether today's flow is unusually high or low for the date, against a seasonal median of 4,290 CFS, which is the single most useful input to that decision. On a dam tailwater like this one, the bigger risk is a sudden generation release, which can raise the river several feet with little warning.
How do releases from Kaw Lake affect this stretch?
Directly and quickly. When the dam generates or spills, flow at this gauge climbs — often within an hour, often by an order of magnitude. The reservoir level itself is tracked on lakelvl.com, and the link on this page goes straight to it, so you can see whether the pool is high enough that releases are likely.
Where does this data come from?
Flow and gage height are public-domain USGS data from gauge 07152500. Flood categories, impact statements and the forecast come from the NOAA / National Weather Service National Water Prediction Service, gauge RLSO2. riverlvl adds the seasonal comparison and plain-English summary; it is not an official source and does not issue warnings.