Lee Creek near Van Buren LCR

1. 417.00 ftmajor flooding occurs downstream from the Lee Creek Reservoir. Residences approximately one quarter mile downstream of the dam are inundated by a couple of feet of water. Residences approximately two-thirds of a mile downstream of the dam are inundated to a depth of several feet. The recreational campground near Rena Road is severely flooded. Rena Road is inundated by high water. The flood of record is 417.5 feet, which occurred on December 28, 2015. This is a dangerous and life-threatening situation.
2. 414.00 ftmajor flooding occurs downstream from the Lee Creek Reservoir. Residences approximately one quarter mile downstream of the reservoir begin to be impacted by flood water. Residences approximately two-thirds of a mile downstream of the reservoir are inundated to a depth of several feet. The recreational campground near Rena Road is severely flooded. Rena Road is inundated by high water. The flood of record is 417.5 feet, which occurred on December 28, 2015. This is a dangerous and life-threatening situation.
3. 411.00 ftmajor flooding occurs downstream from the Lee Creek Reservoir. The recreational campground near Rena Road is severely flooded. Rena Road is inundated by high water. Several residences along Lee Creek downstream from the reservoir are flooded. This is a dangerous and life-threatening situation.
4. 408.00 ftmajor flooding occurs downstream from the Lee Creek Reservoir. The recreational campground near Rena Road is severely flooded. Rena Road is inundated by high water. Several residences along Lee Creek downstream from the reservoir are flooded. Flooding is comparable to the flooding which occurred on April 24, 2004. This is a dangerous and life-threatening situation.
5. 405.00 ftTailwater Park is inundated by high water. Permanent structures in the park are damaged. Flood waters begin to affect residences approximately two-thirds of a mile downstream from the dam. Flood waters reach a permanent residence at the campground near Rena Road and recreational vehicles in the campground may be flooded. Rena Road is inundated by high water. This is a dangerous situation.
6. 404.00 ftTailwater Park is inundated. Some permanent structures in the park are flooded. A recreational vehicle campground near Rena Road may be flooded. Rena Road is inundated by high water just east of the bridge over Lee Creek.
7. 402.00 ftthe access road into Tailwater Park may be impassable due to high water. The recreational vehicle campground near Rena Road is affected by high water.
8. 401.00 ftwater may begin to cover an access road into Tailwater Park. The recreational vehicle campground near Rena Road begins to be affected by high water.
9. 399.00 ftfaster flows are expected along the river but no flooding occurs. Interests near the river, Tailwater Park, and the recreational vehicle campground should continue to monitor later forecasts.

Most recent crests

• June 16, 2025: 399.00 ft
• May 26, 2025: 399.80 ft
• April 5, 2025: 404.70 ft
• April 5, 2025: 409.40 ft
• November 5, 2024: 400.30 ft
• April 29, 2024: 400.00 ft
• June 10, 2022: 400.00 ft
• June 9, 2022: 399.20 ft
• May 6, 2022: 402.00 ft
• May 5, 2022: 401.50 ft

• Arkansas River at Van Buren
• Northwest Arkansas Lakes at Barling Lock and Dam
• Eastern Oklahoma Lakes at W.D. Mayo Lock and Dam
• Mulberry River (AR) at Mulberry
• James Fork at Hackett
• Eastern Oklahoma Lakes at R.S. Kerr Lock and Dam
• Poteau River at Panama
• Poteau River at Poteau

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.