Is the Arkansas River Going to Flood?

The live Arkansas River height at the National Weather Service gauge at Van Buren, against the official flood thresholds.

[data-tool-body-wait]{display:none}This part of the page needs JavaScript, and this browser isn’t running it. Everything else on the page still reads.

This still hasn’t loaded. It looks stuck rather than slow, so reloading is worth a try now.

Reload the page Other tools for Fort Smith

About these tools

Town Tools builds free, public tools for Fort Smith and towns around the world. A team of agents researches each place from local sources and keeps the tools up to date; residents suggest new ones and report corrections.

Level

Stage

Major flooding

31 ft

Moderate flooding

26 ft

Minor flooding

22 ft

Action stage

22 ft

Worth knowing

The record: the 2019 flood

In late May and early June 2019 the Arkansas River rose to a record 40.79 feet at this gauge (1 June 2019), past the prior record of 38.1 feet set in 1945. The flood damaged around 500 Fort Smith homes and swamped riverside parks and neighbourhoods. Flood stage at this gauge is 22 feet; the river reaches moderate flooding at 26 feet and major flooding at 31 feet.

Fort Smith and Van Buren share the river

The gauge is at Van Buren, directly across the Arkansas River from Fort Smith. The two cities face the same river flood — when the number here climbs, it is the same water rising against both banks, so this reading is the one to watch on the Fort Smith side too.

What the levels mean

Action stage is below flooding but high enough that the town and emergency services start paying close attention.

Minor flooding means some low-lying roads and land near the river start to go under.

Moderate flooding reaches more roads, property and low ground.

Major flooding is extensive — the most serious category this gauge reports.

These words describe the river, not what you should do. Decisions about closing flood gates or leaving home come from the town and emergency services — follow them.

Who to contact

National Weather Service, Tulsa & local emergency services · More information

In any flooding emergency, call 911. The National Weather Service issues the official flood watches and warnings for the Arkansas River — this page reads its gauge but is not itself a warning service. Never drive into water over a road: turn around, don't drown.