Arkansas · Ponca, AR
Buffalo National River float season
Gauge 07055660 on the Upper river, Ponca to Kyles Landing. America's first national river at its most dramatic — spring rains bring the water that slides canoes beneath 500-foot Big Bluff and past Hemmed-in Hollow falls.
Right now at this gauge
loading CFS
Checking the live gauge…
Well above typical for this date
Live reading from the USGS gauge page for Buffalo National River. Provisional data — subject to revision.
The year on this river
In a typical year at the Ponca gauge, the Buffalo National River runs fullest Mar–May and leanest Aug–Oct. Where today's reading falls inside that rhythm matters more than the raw number — the same flow that feels thin in spring can be the summer norm. Half of all past April days at this gauge ran above 260 CFS; the September median is 5.8 CFS.
| Month | Typical flow (CFS) | Relative volume |
|---|---|---|
| January | 102 | |
| February | 148 | |
| March | 248 | |
| April | 260 | |
| May | 206 | |
| June | 44 | |
| July | 11 | |
| August | 11 | |
| September | 5.8 | |
| October | 9.7 | |
| November | 31 | |
| December | 76 |
Record context
This gauge has measured daily flow since 2009 — 15 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 12,300 CFS, in April 2011. Rivers do that sometimes; it's why the safety panel above isn't decoration.
Planning dates? The trip-window checker shows what flows have historically looked like on any week you pick for this river, or see what a CFS actually looks like.
More Arkansas float rivers
-
Buffalo National River
Middle river through Tyler Bend and Gilbert
Fullest: Mar–May
-
Caddo River
Caddo Gap through Glenwood to Amity
Fullest: Feb–Apr
-
Kings River
Trigger Gap toward the Highway 62 bridge near Berryville
Fullest: Mar–May
-
Mulberry River
Turner Bend to Mill Creek along the Pig Trail
Fullest: Mar–May
-
Spring River
Dam 3 at Mammoth Spring down to Hardy
Fullest: Mar–May
-
White River
Bull Shoals tailwater trout water down through Calico Rock
Fullest: Mar–May
Common questions
When is the Buffalo National River usually at its fullest?
At the Ponca gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Mar–May, with the single highest monthly median in April (about 260 CFS). The leanest months are usually Aug–Oct.
What is a typical summer flow on the Buffalo National River?
The July median at this gauge is about 11 CFS — half of past Julys ran higher, half lower. Late summer is this river's lean season, so expect readings to drift down as the season goes on.
Is the Buffalo National River safe to float right now?
No flow number can answer that, and this site never labels a river safe. What the data can tell you is how today's reading compares with 16 years of this date's history — well above typical means pushier, colder, faster water. Pair that context with a PFD, a look at the river from the bank, and a call to a local outfitter before you commit.
Which USGS gauge does this page use?
USGS gauge 07055660 (Buffalo River at Ponca, AR), chosen because it best represents the Upper river, Ponca to Kyles Landing. Daily records here reach back to 2009.
Data: USGS gauge 07055660, approved daily records 2009–2024, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.