Salt Fork Arkansas River at Tonkawa

1. 30.00 ftFlood depths to about 13 feet move from eastern Grant County... across Kay County... to the confluence with the Arkansas River below Ponca City. The water levels be higher than in October 1973... when Interstate Highway I-35 washed away. Electricity to Tonkawa may be affected when the river stage reaches 28 feet. Road closures include... Interstate Highway I-35 in the vicinity of the river... Fountain Road at U.S. Highway 77 south of Tonkawa... and State Highway 156 between Marland and Ponca City.
2. 29.00 ftFlood depths to about 12 feet move from eastern Grant County... across Kay County... to the confluence with the Arkansas River below Ponca City. Flood levels will be similar to those in October 1973... when Interstate Highway I-35 washed away. Electricity to Tonkawa may be affected when the river stage reaches 28 feet. Road closures include... Interstate Highway I-35 in the vicinity of the river... Fountain Road at U.S. Highway 77 south of Tonkawa... and State Highway 156 between Marland and Ponca City.
3. 28.00 ftFlood depths to about 11 feet move from eastern Grant County... across Kay County... to the confluence with the Arkansas River below Ponca City. these water levels be almost as high as the October 1973 flood which washed out Interstate Highway I-35. Electric power to Tonkawa may be affected by substation flooding. Road closures include... Interstate Highway I-35 in the vicinity of the river... Fountain Road at U.S. Highway 77 south of Tonkawa... and State Highway 156 between Marland and Ponca City.
4. 27.00 ftFlood depths ranging up to about 10 feet move from eastern Grant County... across Kay County... to the confluence with the Arkansas River below Ponca City. Private levees may be overtopped... and farmland and oilfields are flooded hours before the crest. Road closures include... Interstate Highway I-35 in the vicinity of the river... Fountain Road at U.S. Highway 77 south of Tonkawa... and State Highway 156 between Marland and Ponca City.
5. 26.00 ftFlood depths ranging up to about 9 feet move from eastern Grant County... across Kay County... to the confluence with the Arkansas River below Ponca City. Private levees may be overtopped... and farmland and oilfields are flooded hours before the crest. The southbound lanes of Interstate Highway I-35 may be covered by floodwaters. Road closures include... Fountain Road at U.S. Highway 77 south of Tonkawa... and State Highway 156 between Marland and Ponca City.
6. 25.00 ftFlood depths ranging up to about 8 feet move from eastern Grant County... across Kay County... to the confluence with the Arkansas River below Ponca City. Private levees may be overtopped... and farmland and oilfields are flooded hours before the crest. The southbound lanes of Interstate Highway I-35 may be threatened by floodwaters. Road closures include... Fountain Road at U.S. Highway 77 south of Tonkawa... and State Highway 156 between Marland and Ponca City.
7. 24.00 ftFlood depths ranging up to about 7 feet move from eastern Grant County... across Kay County... to the confluence with the Arkansas River below Ponca City. Private levees may be overtopped... and farmland and oilfields are flooded hours before the crest. Road closures include... Fountain Road at U.S. Highway 77 south of Tonkawa... and State Highway 156 between Marland and Ponca City.
8. 23.00 ftFlood depths ranging up to about 6 feet move from eastern Grant County... across Kay County... to the confluence with the Arkansas River below Ponca City. Farmland and oilfields are flooded hours before the crest. Road closures include... Fountain Road at U.S. Highway 77 south of Tonkawa... and State Highway 156 between Marland and Ponca City.
9. 22.00 ftFlood depths ranging up to about 5 feet move from eastern Grant County... across Kay County... to the confluence with the Arkansas River below Ponca City. Farmland and oilfields are flooded hours before the crest. Road closures include... Fountain Road at U.S. Highway 77 south of Tonkawa... and State Highway 156 between Marland and Ponca City.
10. 21.00 ftFlood depths ranging up to about 4 feet move from eastern Grant County... across Kay County... to the confluence with the Arkansas River below Ponca City. Farmland and oilfields are flooded hours before the crest. Fountain Road at U.S. Highway 77 south of Tonkawa... and State Highway 156 between Marland and Ponca City are closed.
11. 20.00 ftFlood depths ranging up to about 3 feet move from eastern Grant County... across Kay County... to the confluence with the Arkansas River below Ponca City. Farmland and oilfields are flooded hours before the crest. The intersection of Fountain Road and U.S. Highway 77 south of Tonkawa... and State Highway 156 between Marland and Ponca City are closed.
12. 19.00 ftFlood depths ranging up to about 2 feet move from eastern Grant County... across Kay County... to the confluence with the Arkansas River below Ponca City. Farmland and oilfields are flooded hours before the crest.
13. 18.00 ftFlood overflows are about a foot deep over unleveed agricultural lands... oilfields... and rural roads along the river in eastern Grant County... through Kay County... to the confluence with the Arkansas River below Ponca City.
14. 17.00 ftShallow floodwaters move along the river from eastern Grant County... across Kay County... to the confluence with the Arkansas River below Ponca City. Farmland and oilfields may be flooded.
15. 16.00 ftNear bankfull flows move along the river from eastern Grant County...across Kay County... to the confluence with the Arkansas River below Ponca City. Low-lying farmland and oilfields may be flooded hours before the crest reaches Tonkawa.
16. 15.00 ftWithin bank flows move along the river from eastern Grant County... across Kay County... to the confluence with the Arkansas River below Ponca City. Some low-lying oilfields may be isolated.

Chance of flooding, September to November

The three-month chances are the River Forecast Centers’ long-range flood outlook, issued September 21, 2026.

Most recent crests

• June 18, 2025: 16.02 ft
• June 7, 2025: 21.01 ft
• April 29, 2025: 15.03 ft
• November 9, 2024: 15.76 ft
• March 23, 2021: 14.23 ft
• July 31, 2020: 17.54 ft
• June 18, 2019: 15.83 ft
• June 15, 2019: 16.06 ft
• June 7, 2019: 22.24 ft
• May 27, 2019: 24.85 ft

• UpstreamSalt Fork Arkansas River at Great Salt Plains Lake
• Chikaskia River at Blackwell
• Arkansas River at Ponca City
• Eastern Oklahoma Lakes at Kaw Lake
• Arkansas River at Arkansas City
• Walnut River at Arkansas City
• Skeleton Creek at Enid
• Arkansas River at Ralston
• Grouse Creek Near Silverdale

Forecasts by the Arkansas-Red Basin RFC. Forecasts are issued as needed during times of high water, but are not routinely available. River forecasts for this location take into account past precipitation and the precipitation amounts expected approximately 24 hours into the future from the forecast issuance time.

Stage, flood stages, impacts and crest history from NOAA’s National Water Prediction Service. Streamflow and the daily record from the U.S. Geological Survey.