Illinois River level at Tahlequah
Oklahoma · Tubing & floating
Measured at USGS 07196500 — Illinois River near Tahlequah, OK · NWS forecast point TALO2
Reading taken · as of 33 min ago
Right around its normal summer float level
At 226 CFS, this gauge is running 112% of normal for mid-September — close to the 201 CFS median USGS has recorded for this date across 90 years of record (1936–2026).
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Flood stages at Tahlequah
National Weather Service categories for gauge TALO2, WFO TSA. Impact wording is the NWS's own, verbatim.
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Major flood 18.0 ft
- 18.0 ft severe flooding occurs from near Hanging Rock downstream towards Tahlequah. Highway 10 near Hanging Rock northeast of Tahlequah is impassable. Some cabins and parks are severely flooded. This is a very dangerous situation. Extreme turbulence makes the river too hazardous for floating.
- 19.0 ft severe flooding occurs from near Hanging Rock downstream towards Tahlequah. State Highway 10 near Hanging Rock and near No Head Hollow north of the intersection with Highway 62 is impassable. Some cabins and parks are severely flooded. This is a very dangerous situation.
- 21.0 ft very severe flooding occurs from near Hanging Rock downstream towards Tahlequah. State Highway 10 is closed between Hanging Rock and No Head Hollow north of the Highway 10 intersection with Highway 62. Several cabins and parks are severely flooded and many others are isolated. This is a very dangerous and life threatening situation.
- 23.0 ft extremely severe flooding occurs along the Illinois River from near Hanging Rock to the headwaters of Lake Tenkiller. State Highway 10 is closed northeast of its intersection with Highway 62. Several cabins and parks are severely flooded and many others are isolated for an extended duration. This is a very dangerous and life threatening situation.
- 25.0 ft devastating flooding occurs along the Illinois River from near Hanging Rock to the headwaters of Lake Tenkiller. State Highway 10 is closed northeast of its intersection with Highway 51. Many cabins and parks are severely flooded or are totally isolated for an extended duration. This is a very dangerous and life threatening situation. This will approach the April 2011 flood, which reached 26 feet.
- 27.0 ft devastating flooding occurs along the Illinois River from near Hanging Rock to the headwaters of Lake Tenkiller. State Highway 10 is closed northeast of its intersection with Highway 51. Many cabins and parks are severely flooded or are totally isolated for an extended duration. This is a very dangerous and life threatening situation. This will exceed the April 2011 flood of 26 feet and approach the May 1950 flood of 27.9 feet.
- 29.0 ft devastating flooding occurs along the Illinois River from near Hanging Rock to the headwaters of Lake Tenkiller. State Highway 10 is closed northeast of its intersection with Highway 51. Many cabins and parks are severely flooded or are totally isolated for an extended duration. This is a very dangerous and life threatening situation. This will approach the record flood of 30.7 feet in December 2015.
- 31.0 ft devastating flooding occurs along the Illinois River from near Hanging Rock to the headwaters of Lake Tenkiller. Impacts will be similar to the record flood of 30.7 feet in December 2015. State Highway 10 is closed northeast of its intersection with Highway 51. Many cabins and parks are severely flooded or are totally isolated for an extended duration. This is a very dangerous and life threatening situation.
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Moderate flood 14.0 ft
- 14.0 ft moderate flooding occurs from Hanging Rock downstream towards Tahlequah. Access roads east of the Combs Bridge near Eagles Bluff will be impassable. Extreme turbulence makes the river too hazardous for floating.
- 15.0 ft moderate flooding occurs from Hanging Rock downstream towards Tahlequah. Access roads east of the Combs Bridge near Eagles Bluff are impassable. Some cabins and parks may begin to flood. Extreme turbulence makes the river too hazardous for floating.
- 17.0 ft severe flooding occurs from Hanging Rock downstream towards Tahlequah. Access roads east of Combs Bridge near Eagles Bluff are impassable. Some cabins and parks may be flooded to a depth of a couple of feet. Extreme turbulence makes the river too hazardous for floating.
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Minor flood 11.0 ft
- 11.0 ft minor flooding occurs from near Hanging Rock downstream towards Tahlequah. Floating the river is too hazardous due to strong turbulence.
- 12.0 ft minor flooding occurs from near Hanging Rock downstream towards Tahlequah. Extreme turbulence makes the river too hazardous for floating.
- 13.0 ft minor flooding occurs from near Hanging Rock downstream towards Tahlequah. Access roads east of the Combs Bridge near Eagles Bluff may be threatened. Extreme turbulence makes the river too hazardous for floating.
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Action 9.0 ft
- 9.0 ft no flooding occurs but all recreational floating along the Illinois River ceases at and above 9.5 feet.
- Right now 4.74 ft
NWS forecast: 4.80 ft by .
Flow history at Tahlequah
Daily values from USGS 07196500, updated every 15 to 60 minutes; NWS forecast for TALO2 reissued through the day. Provisional.
Highest crests on record at Tahlequah
12 on record
| Stage | Flow | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 30.69 ft | 126,000 CFS | Dec 28, 2015 |
| 29.29 ft | 108,000 CFS | Apr 30, 2017 |
| 27.94 ft | 150,000 CFS | May 10, 1950 |
| 27.53 ft | 94,884 CFS | May 6, 2022 |
| 26.00 ft | — | Jan 1, 1916 |
| 25.97 ft | 85,400 CFS | Apr 26, 2011 |
| 25.37 ft | 93,200 CFS | May 11, 1943 |
| 23.60 ft | 68,800 CFS | Apr 15, 1945 |
| 23.02 ft | 66,400 CFS | Jun 9, 1974 |
| 22.54 ft | 56,800 CFS | Oct 1, 1986 |
Crests published by the National Weather Service.
About Illinois River at Tahlequah
In Oklahoma — the reading paddlers, anglers and outfitters here check before committing to a shuttle. Largest float economy in Oklahoma; 10+ outfitters.
Illinois River at Tahlequah — common questions
3 questions
Does rain upstream change Illinois River at Tahlequah 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 Illinois River at Tahlequah high or low for this time of year?
The USGS median flow for mid-September here is 201 CFS, from 90 years of record (1936–2026). Today is 112% 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 07196500 every 15 to 60 minutes, and the National Weather Service reissues the flood forecast for TALO2 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.