Will Buffalo be floatable on Saturday, March 24?

[flatlander44]

My brother and I were planning on floating from Ponca to Kyles Landing on Saturday. I'm in KS and have been watching the Weather Channel site for Ponca and the sites with the gauges. It would seem the Ponca gauge is out of action. I tried calling Buffalo Canoes but got the answering machine.

I'm leaving for Branson on Thursday afternoon and wondering if it is going to be feasable to float Class I on the Buffalo come Saturday. My canoe has minimal rocker and my brother and I are not looking for "adventure" in the white water sense. His requests are for scenery and "dry side up." Is the water going to be too high if the current predictions prove true?

Are there other sections of the Buffalo, upstream of Hwy 65, that will fit our description? The truck and canoe get left at home on Thursday if I can't find some Class I for Saturday.

Hope I can get some good news. I've been looking forward to this float for months.

Thanks for any help you can provide.

[Wildwood]

We are also planning, HOPING, for the level to go down before Saturday. It's at 19.15 now at Harriet gage. If it quits raining now, it's possible . . .

[AR-Nimrod]

Check out this link. It's a good one for Buffalo River levels.

http://ar.water.usgs.gov/buffaloriver/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Ponca guage does seem to be malfunctioning. I bet if the rain stops Ponca will be a go on Sat. Hwy. 14 will probably be a few more days getting right. Options might be Hasty area or Tyler Bend area.

[flatlander44]

Thanks for the comments. It looks like the Ponca gauge is working again and has a reading of 9.73 and rising, at this time.

I guess my question should be how long it takes for the Buffalo (at Ponca) to get to "optimal" levels once the rain stops and the river crests? The forecast I'm looking at now has rain going into Friday.

I hate the idea of being so close but not being able to paddle.

[Owl]

The upper river drops rather quickly once the rains stop. I think there's a chance that it will be down to reasonable levels by the weekend if we don't get a lot more rain based on my analysis of past information. I wasn't able to find historical data for the Ponca gauge earlier than this year but found data going back several years for the gauge at Boxley which is upstream from the Ponca gauge.

[painterbob]

ponca to kyle's is based on the take out @ kyle's. not the ponca bridge!.. the water needs to be lower for a take out and the park service makes that call . below 65 hwy is out for much longer due to all the feeder creeks along the way just look @ St.Joe's gauge @20 ft

[Owl]

ponca to kyle's is based on the take out @ kyle's. not the ponca bridge!.. the water needs to be lower for a take out and the park service makes that call..

Thanks, Bob. I didn't know the NPS used the level at Kyles (which isn't an electronic gauge). Sounds like we'll just have to wait and see...

[Deuce]

If one is to believe the HWY 14 gauge it has crested and is on its way down. That said, it's got a lot of work to get down to a safe level. I'd check in periodically with Aaron at BRFS and keep an eye on the gauge.

[R_Corter]

Its falling fast at Ponca, 5.82 @10:15am thats under flood stage but just under, I think it will be floatable by Friday. Wish I could go!!!!!!!!

[JB2012]

Buffalo will be good for the weekend. Load your boats!

[Jaredpcci]

Are y'all doing Ponca/Steel to Kyles tomorrow?

[Eric Esche]

I will be going over to run with Bill Corley and we are meeting at Ponca @10AM.

Eric Esche