Lower Mountain Fork River at Broken Bow
Oklahoma · Fishing & wading
Measured at USGS 07339000 — Mountain Fork near Eagletown, OK · NWS forecast point EAGO2
Reading taken Jul 28, 11:30 PM UTC
High and likely stained — not a wading flow
At 2,910 CFS, this gauge is running 380% of normal for late July — above the 765 CFS median USGS has recorded for this date across 56 years of record (1970–2026).
Data-derived guidance from USGS and NWS published values — not official advice, and not a safety assessment.
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Flood stages at Broken Bow
Official National Weather Service categories for gauge EAGO2, issued by WFO SHV. Impact statements are the NWS's own wording for this location, reproduced verbatim.
-
Major flood 14.0 ft · 20,000 CFS
- 14.0 ft Major flooding begins as some camps and cabins along the lower Mountain Fork near its confluence with the Little River become cutoff by high water. Very turbulent and swift water develops and all recreational activities near and on the water are highly discouraged.
- 17.0 ft Major flooding develops as the Mountain Fork is very swift and turbulent due to reservoir releases from Broken Bow Dam. Boating becomes very diffucult. Bank erosion expected at these stages. Trails next to the Mountain Fork damaged by high water. A cabin complex becomes cutoff by high water.
- 20.0 ft Expect major flooding equal very similar to the December 28 of 2015 flood with major damage to trails, access roads, and driveways. Numerous homes and cabins are cutoff by high water. The Mountain Fork is extremely swift and turbulent with large breaking waves upwards of eight feet in height.
-
Moderate flood 12.0 ft · 16,900 CFS
- 12.0 ft Moderate lowland flooding. Bank erosion issues are possible. Flows from Broken Bow Dam approach 20,000 cubic feet per second. The Mountain Fork becomes swift and turbulent.
- 13.0 ft Moderate lowland flooding. The Mountain Fork is very swift and turbulent. Flows from Broken Bow Dam approach 25,000 cubic feet per second.
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Minor flood 11.0 ft · 13,800 CFS
- 11.0 ft Streamflows on the Mountain Fork become swift and turbulent. Recreational users such as swimmers, boaters, kayakers, and inner tube floaters should exercise extreme caution.
-
Action 9.0 ft · 9,400 CFS
- 9.0 ft Streamflows on the Mountain Fork become swift at stages near and above nine feet. Recreational users such as swimmers, boaters, kayakers, and inner tube floaters should exercise caution.
- Right now 4.43 ft
12 months of flow at Broken Bow
Daily values from USGS gauge 07339000. Provisional data, subject to revision.
Highest crests on record at Broken Bow
| Stage | Flow | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 26.73 ft | 101,000 CFS | May 20, 1960 |
| 26.40 ft | 92,500 CFS | Aug 15, 1915 |
| 25.80 ft | 88,500 CFS | Mar 29, 1945 |
| 25.70 ft | 87,800 CFS | Aug 28, 1947 |
| 25.66 ft | 91,500 CFS | Feb 12, 1950 |
| 25.00 ft | 69,300 CFS | Jan 24, 1938 |
| 24.77 ft | 81,400 CFS | Jan 24, 1949 |
| 23.50 ft | — | Feb 18, 1938 |
| 23.30 ft | 71,100 CFS | May 25, 1946 |
| 23.00 ft | 59,500 CFS | Apr 17, 1938 |
Historical crests published by the National Weather Service for this gauge.
About Lower Mountain Fork River at Broken Bow
This gauge sits on Lower Mountain Fork River at Broken Bow, Oklahoma, immediately below Broken Bow 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.
Oklahoma's only true trout tailwater; Beavers Bend.
Raw CFS means little on its own, so every reading on this page is shown against the USGS median for the same calendar day — 765 CFS for late July, from 56 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 Broken Bow Lake. A full pool usually means more water is on its way down.
Lower Mountain Fork River at Broken Bow — common questions
What is the current flow on Lower Mountain Fork River at Broken Bow?
As of the last reading on this page, Lower Mountain Fork River at Broken Bow was running 2,910 CFS at a gage height of 4.43 ft, or 380% of the USGS median for this date. The number updates automatically from USGS gauge 07339000, 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 765 CFS, calculated from 56 years of record (1970–2026). 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 Lower Mountain Fork River at Broken Bow 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 765 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 Broken Bow 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 07339000. Flood categories, impact statements and the forecast come from the NOAA / National Weather Service National Water Prediction Service, gauge EAGO2. riverlvl adds the seasonal comparison and plain-English summary; it is not an official source and does not issue warnings.