Loading live river data…
Loading live river data…
Stage (gage height, ft) is the water-surface height at the gauge relative to a local reference point. It is not the river’s depth, and 3 ft at one gauge means something completely different from 3 ft at another.
Flow (discharge, cfs) is how much water passes per second. USGS computes it from stage using a rating curve that is periodically re-checked, so flow is provisional too.
NPS floating ranges are written in feet of stage for a specific gauge, so that’s what we use for every status label on this site.
The Buffalo is mostly rain-fed, with no large springs or dams to buffer it. A strong storm in the steep upper watershed can raise the river by several feet within hours, and that surge travels downstream — NPS warns it can reach you in the Middle or Lower District without a cloud overhead.
It also falls quickly: the upper river often drops out of range a few days after a rain, which is why the season moves downstream as summer goes on.
Buffalo River near Boxley · USGS 07055646
1.73 ft · 6.24 cfs
Reading as of 6:30 AM CT (1 h 2 min ago) · USGS 07055646
No NPS floating ranges are published for this gauge — use it as a trend reference.
Buffalo River at Ponca · USGS 07055660
3.49 ft · 44.7 cfs
Reading as of 7:15 AM CT (17 min ago) · USGS 07055660
| Too low | < 2 ft |
| Low | 2–2.5 ft |
| Good | 2.5–5 ft |
| High (experienced) | 5–6 ft |
| Flood | > 6 ft |
NPS: unsafe above 1,600 cfs.
Used for: Boxley to Ponca, Ponca to Steel Creek, Ponca to Kyle's Landing, Steel Creek to Kyle's Landing
Buffalo River at Pruitt (Hwy 7) · USGS 07055680
3.35 ft · 53.7 cfs
Reading as of 7:15 AM CT (17 min ago) · USGS 07055680
| Too low | < 4.4 ft |
| Low | 4.4–4.8 ft |
| Good | 4.8–6.7 ft |
| High (experienced) | 6.7–8 ft |
| Flood | > 8 ft |
NPS: unsafe above 2,000 cfs.
Used for: Kyle's Landing to Erbie, Erbie to Ozark, Ozark to Pruitt, Kyle's Landing to Pruitt, Pruitt to Hasty, Hasty to Carver, Hasty to Mt. Hersey
Buffalo River at Carver Access nr Hasty · USGS 07055780
⚠️ USGS data unavailable (no reading) — do not rely on this page. Check USGS/NPS directly.
No NPS floating ranges are published for this gauge — use it as a trend reference.
Buffalo River near St. Joe (Hwy 65) · USGS 07056000
2.80 ft · 46.3 cfs
Reading as of 6:45 AM CT (47 min ago) · USGS 07056000
| Too low | < 3.3 ft |
| Low | 3.3–3.83 ft |
| Good | 3.83–7.94 ft |
| High (experienced) | 7.94–11.76 ft |
| Flood | > 11.76 ft |
NPS: unsafe above 8,000 cfs.
Used for: Carver to Mt. Hersey, Mt. Hersey to Woolum, Woolum to Baker Ford, Baker Ford to Tyler Bend, Tyler Bend to Grinder's Ferry, Tyler Bend to Gilbert, Grinder's Ferry to Gilbert, Gilbert to North Maumee
Buffalo River near Harriet (Hwy 14) · USGS 07056700
3.16 ft · 72.2 cfs
Reading as of 6:45 AM CT (47 min ago) · USGS 07056700
| Too low | < 2 ft |
| Low | 2–3.5 ft |
| Good | 3.5–6 ft |
| High (experienced) | 6–10 ft |
| Flood | > 10 ft |
NPS: unsafe above 9,370 cfs.
Used for: South Maumee to Spring Creek, Spring Creek to Dillard's Ferry, Dillard's Ferry to Buffalo Point, Buffalo Point to Rush, Rush to Buffalo City
Ranges: NPS recommended floating levels (as republished by NPS concessioner Wild Bill’s Outfitter) and unsafe flows from the NPS paddling page. There is no active USGS real-time gauge near Buffalo City.
Gage height (ft), last 14 days, USGS provisional data. No published NPS thresholds for this gauge.
Gage height (ft), last 14 days, USGS provisional data. Shaded bands = NPS recommended floating levels (too low / low / good / high / flood).
Gage height (ft), last 14 days, USGS provisional data. Shaded bands = NPS recommended floating levels (too low / low / good / high / flood).
Gage height (ft), last 14 days, USGS provisional data. Shaded bands = NPS recommended floating levels (too low / low / good / high / flood).
Gage height (ft), last 14 days, USGS provisional data. Shaded bands = NPS recommended floating levels (too low / low / good / high / flood).