Buffalo National River level at St. Joe
Arkansas · Tubing & floating
Measured at USGS 07056000 — Buffalo River near St. Joe, AR · NWS forecast point SJOA4
Reading taken · as of 18 min ago
Right around its normal summer float level
At 53 CFS, this gauge is running 91% of normal for mid-September — close to the 59 CFS median USGS has recorded for this date across 86 years of record (1940–2026).
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Flood stages at St. Joe
National Weather Service categories for gauge SJOA4, WFO LZK. Impact wording is the NWS's own, verbatim.
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Major flood 50.0 ft
- 50.0 ft Water is near U.S. 65 Highway Bridge lower steel. Recreational facilities in the lower lying areas along the river in the vicinity of Gilbert will flood. Buffalo river crested at 49.4 feet March 19 2008. There has been three crest over 49 feet since 1915, December 1982 crest of 53.8 feet, August 1915 crest of 50.5 feet and the March 2008 crest of 49.4 feet.
- 53.8 ft The crest of record is 53.8 feet which occurred December 3rd 1982. Incredible flooding experienced with the bridges or approach roads to the bridges on U.S. Highway 65 and State Highway 14 overtopped. Lower lying portion of the town of Gilbert may flood.
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Moderate flood 35.0 ft
- 35.0 ft All of Tyler Bend Access Area is flooded. Backwater up Bear, Mill, and Calf Creeks flood an extensive area of the valley. River has crested above 35 feet at the U.S. Highway 65 gage at least nineteen times since 1915.
- 42.0 ft River crested in May 1990 at this level. Expect similar damages and impacts. River has crested above 42 feet at the gage on U.S. Highway 65 bridge eight times since 1915.
- 45.0 ft Buffalo River has crested over 45 feet at the U.S. Highway 65 gage six times since 1915. These events occurred in August 1915, November 1973, December 1982, April 2004, March 2008, and December 2015. River is swift, dangerous, and carrying a large amount of debris. Activities on and around the river should be avoided.
- 46.5 ft Crest of April 25 2004 was 46.51 feet. Primary impacts are to the recreational facilities of the National Park Service, such as Tyler Bend Campground near U.S. Highway 65. River is swift and dangerous and may be carrying a tremendous amount of debris. Floating and other recreational activities on and along the river should be avoided.
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Minor flood 27.0 ft
- 27.0 ft Tyler Bend Access Area begins to flood. Some campsites are under water and Comfort Station is flooded.
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Action 20.0 ft
- 20.0 ft Limited impacts due to the lack of private property along the river. Some access points and public facilities will be effected. The National Park Service has recommended that float activities stop well below this flow level and conditions are dangerous to recreational floaters. Floodplain along the North Bank begins to flood.
- Right now 2.80 ft
NWS forecast: 3.20 ft by .
Flow history at St. Joe
Daily values from USGS 07056000, updated every 15 to 60 minutes; NWS forecast for SJOA4 reissued through the day. Provisional.
Highest crests on record at St. Joe
12 on record
| Stage | Flow | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 53.75 ft | 158,000 CFS | Dec 3, 1982 |
| 50.50 ft | 142,000 CFS | Aug 1, 1915 |
| 49.41 ft | 134,000 CFS | Mar 19, 2008 |
| 46.51 ft | 118,771 CFS | Apr 25, 2004 |
| 45.58 ft | — | Dec 28, 2015 |
| 45.41 ft | 111,000 CFS | Nov 25, 1973 |
| 43.40 ft | 102,000 CFS | Dec 10, 1971 |
| 42.02 ft | — | May 3, 1990 |
| 41.00 ft | 100,000 CFS | Apr 15, 1945 |
| 39.70 ft | 96,900 CFS | May 10, 1943 |
Crests published by the National Weather Service.
About Buffalo National River at St. Joe
In Arkansas — the reading paddlers, anglers and outfitters here check before committing to a shuttle. Lower-middle Buffalo; runnable year-round question.
Buffalo National River at St. Joe — common questions
3 questions
Does rain upstream change Buffalo National River at St. Joe quickly?
Yes. It is free-flowing, so rain upstream moves it directly. Several feet in a few hours is normal after a heavy storm.
Is Buffalo National River at St. Joe high or low for this time of year?
The USGS median flow for mid-September here is 59 CFS, from 86 years of record (1940–2026). Today is 91% of it. The comparison is what makes the raw number mean anything: the same reading is a drought on one river and a flood on another.
How often does this reading update?
USGS transmits from gauge 07056000 every 15 to 60 minutes, and the National Weather Service reissues the flood forecast for SJOA4 a few times a day — more often when the river is rising. This page refreshes from both when you open it. The timestamp is in the gauge's local time.