Illinois River at Gore
Oklahoma · Fishing & wading
Measured at USGS 07198000 — Illinois River near Gore, OK · NWS forecast point GORO2
Reading taken Jul 28, 11:30 PM UTC
High and likely stained — not a wading flow
At 4,320 CFS, this gauge is running 524% of normal for late July — above the 825 CFS median USGS has recorded for this date across 72 years of record (1954–2026).
Data-derived guidance from USGS and NWS published values — not official advice, and not a safety assessment.
Sponsor Illinois River
Put your outfitter, guide service, cabin rental or shuttle in front of everyone checking this stretch before they drive out. One exclusive sponsor per river.
Cancel anytime · Questions?
Flood stages at Gore
Official National Weather Service categories for gauge GORO2, issued by WFO TSA. Impact statements are the NWS's own wording for this location, reproduced verbatim.
-
Minor flood 23.0 ft
-
Action 19.0 ft
- Right now 11.56 ft
12 months of flow at Gore
Daily values from USGS gauge 07198000. Provisional data, subject to revision.
Highest crests on record at Gore
| Stage | Flow | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 30.20 ft | 180,000 CFS | May 11, 1950 |
| 25.38 ft | 118,000 CFS | Apr 15, 1945 |
| 24.50 ft | 110,000 CFS | May 11, 1943 |
| 23.81 ft | — | Dec 30, 2015 |
| 17.96 ft | 15,600 CFS | May 24, 1990 |
| 16.18 ft | 43,900 CFS | Apr 20, 1941 |
| 15.09 ft | 40,200 CFS | Aug 16, 1948 |
| 14.95 ft | 38,900 CFS | Nov 1, 1941 |
| 14.10 ft | 7,310 CFS | Jan 15, 1991 |
| 13.70 ft | 18,100 CFS | Jun 9, 1957 |
Historical crests published by the National Weather Service for this gauge.
About Illinois River at Gore
This gauge sits on Illinois River at Gore, Oklahoma, immediately below Lake Tenkiller. 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 — 825 CFS for late July, from 72 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 Lake Tenkiller. A full pool usually means more water is on its way down.
Illinois River at Gore — common questions
What is the current flow on Illinois River at Gore?
As of the last reading on this page, Illinois River at Gore was running 4,320 CFS at a gage height of 11.56 ft, or 524% of the USGS median for this date. The number updates automatically from USGS gauge 07198000, 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 825 CFS, calculated from 72 years of record (1954–2026). 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 Illinois River at Gore 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 825 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 Lake Tenkiller 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 07198000. Flood categories, impact statements and the forecast come from the NOAA / National Weather Service National Water Prediction Service, gauge GORO2. riverlvl adds the seasonal comparison and plain-English summary; it is not an official source and does not issue warnings.