This page collects the official records from the Saline River’s gauges at Rye and near Warren, both in Bradley County: the highest crests, the biggest and smallest flows, and how much water the river carried each year.
Updated Oct. 18, 2026. We recheck these records when the agencies add new data.
Key facts
- The highest Saline River crest on the National Weather Service list at Rye is 31.4 feet, on May 18, 1968. Flood stage there is 26 feet. (Source: National Weather Service)
- The April 2025 flood crested at 30.7 feet at Rye on April 10, 2025, No. 3 on the list. (Source: National Weather Service)
- The largest flow USGS has recorded at Rye is 90,100 cubic feet per second, on Dec. 29, 2009. (Source: U.S. Geological Survey)
- Across 87 complete water years since 1938, the river has averaged about 2,710 cubic feet per second at Rye. (Source: U.S. Geological Survey)
- The lowest approved daily flow at Rye is 3.8 cubic feet per second, on Sept. 16, 1954. (Source: U.S. Geological Survey)
- In 2026's drought, the provisional daily flow at Rye fell to 10 cubic feet per second on Oct. 10, 2026. Provisional readings can be revised. (Source: U.S. Geological Survey)
How to read these tables
- Crest is the highest water level, in feet, during a flood. It is read on the gauge’s own scale, so a crest of 30 feet does not mean the water was 30 feet deep. Crests from different gauges can’t be compared with each other.
- Flow is how much water passes the gauge, in cubic feet per second (cfs). One cubic foot is about 7.5 gallons.
- Flood stage is the level where the National Weather Service says flooding begins at that spot. “Moderate” and “major” are its higher categories.
- A water year runs from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30 and is named for the year it ends in.
- Crest lists come from the National Weather Service. Flow records come from the U.S. Geological Survey. Recent USGS readings are provisional and can be revised; the record tables use only approved readings unless marked.
Data
| Gauge | County | USGS no. | NWS ID | Records | Flood stage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saline River at Rye | Bradley | 07363500 | RYEA4 | Daily flow since Oct. 1, 1937; yearly peaks since 1927 | 26 ft (moderate 29, major 30) |
| Saline River near Warren | Bradley | 07364000 | WARA4 | Yearly peaks only, 1927-2024 (with gaps) | not set by NWS |
Source: U.S. Geological Survey and National Weather Service. Updated .
| Rank | Date | Crest (feet) | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | May 18, 1968 | 31.4 | - |
| 2 | Dec. 31, 1987 | 30.8 | - |
| 3 | April 10, 2025 | 30.7 | - |
| 4 | April 1927 | 30.5 | exact day not confirmed |
| 5 | Feb. 28, 2018 | 30.22 | - |
| 6 | Dec. 29, 2009 | 30.02 | - |
| 7 | April 25, 1973 | 29.3 | - |
| 8 | June 13, 1974 | 29.1 | - |
| 9 | May 11, 2009 | 28.58 | - |
| 10 | March 14, 1990 | 28.15 | - |
| 11 | Sept. 9, 2008 | 27.99 | - |
| 12 | Feb. 22, 1989 | 27.63 | - |
| 13 | Dec. 31, 1982 | 27.5 | - |
| 14 | Nov. 3, 2009 | 27.49 | - |
| 15 | Jan. 21, 2007 | 27.14 | - |
Source: National Weather Service, National Water Prediction Service. Updated .
| Rank | Date | Peak flow (cfs) | Gauge height (feet) | USGS note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dec. 29, 2009 | 90,100 | 29.97 | - |
| 2 | April 10, 2025 | 82,500 | 30.7 | - |
| 3 | May 18, 1968 | 74,500 | 31.4 | - |
| 4 | April 1927 | 73,000 | 30.5 | historic peak, before regular records |
| 5 | May 3, 1958 | 70,500 | 30.31 | - |
| 6 | Dec. 31, 1987 | 67,800 | 30.76 | - |
| 7 | Feb. 27, 2018 | 64,300 | 30.22 | - |
| 8 | Jan. 31, 1949 | 57,400 | 29.19 | - |
| 9 | Feb. 5, 1969 | 53,800 | 29.2 | - |
| 10 | April 25, 1973 | 53,800 | 29.31 | - |
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Peak Streamflow for the Nation. Updated .
| Rank | Date | Daily average flow (cfs) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sept. 16, 1954 | 3.8 |
| 2 | Nov. 1, 2000 | 4.4 |
| 3 | Oct. 5, 1954 | 5 |
| 4 | Sept. 17, 1980 | 6.2 |
| 5 | Sept. 7, 2000 | 6.6 |
| 6 | Sept. 28, 1943 | 8.1 |
| 7 | Oct. 1, 1943 | 9.1 |
| 8 | Sept. 15, 1987 | 9.9 |
| 9 | Oct. 2, 1956 | 10 |
| 10 | Oct. 16, 1938 | 11 |
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, daily values. Updated .
| Water year | Average flow (cfs) | Peak flow (cfs) | Peak date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,682 | 82,500 | April 10, 2025 |
| 2024 | 2,261 | 24,500 | Jan. 31, 2024 |
| 2023 | 3,753 | 22,000 | May 18, 2023 |
| 2022 | 2,265 | 17,100 | March 30, 2022 |
| 2021 | 3,719 | 26,900 | March 5, 2021 |
| 2020 | 3,899 | 20,600 | Feb. 15, 2020 |
| 2019 | 5,345 | 24,100 | Dec. 20, 2018 |
| 2018 | 3,214 | 64,300 | Feb. 27, 2018 |
| 2017 | 2,034 | 24,300 | May 7, 2017 |
| 2016 | 3,712 | 33,300 | March 14, 2016 |
| 2015 | 3,102 | 20,900 | March 20, 2015 |
| 2014 | 2,414 | 14,200 | Dec. 30, 2013 |
| 2012 | 2,384 | 24,600 | March 27, 2012 |
| 2011 | 1,462 | 38,700 | May 7, 2011 |
| 2010 | 4,609 | 90,100 | Dec. 29, 2009 |
| 2009 | 4,251 | 52,300 | May 11, 2009 |
| 2008 | 3,929 | 46,500 | Sept. 9, 2008 |
| 2007 | 2,166 | 37,800 | Jan. 21, 2007 |
| 2006 | 739 | 7,560 | March 30, 2006 |
| 2005 | 2,743 | 21,200 | Jan. 14, 2005 |
| 2004 | 2,041 | 8,830 | July 2, 2004 |
| 2003 | 2,575 | 18,100 | June 22, 2003 |
| 2002 | 3,729 | 35,600 | Dec. 23, 2001 |
| 2001 | 2,659 | 33,800 | Feb. 22, 2001 |
| 2000 | 706 | 4,550 | May 10, 2000 |
| 1999 | 2,412 | 15,000 | March 21, 1999 |
| 1998 | 1,843 | 13,100 | Feb. 21, 1998 |
| 1997 | 3,808 | 25,900 | April 10, 1997 |
| 1996 | 722 | 5,720 | April 22, 1996 |
| 1995 | 2,280 | 12,000 | Jan. 27, 1995 |
| 1994 | 2,826 | 22,100 | Dec. 11, 1993 |
| 1993 | 1,716 | 7,370 | April 10, 1993 |
| 1992 | 2,232 | 11,700 | March 19, 1992 |
| 1991 | 3,926 | 28,300 | May 4, 1991 |
| 1990 | 3,722 | 43,400 | March 14, 1990 |
| 1989 | 4,593 | 35,200 | Feb. 22, 1989 |
| 1988 | 2,971 | 67,800 | Dec. 31, 1987 |
| 1987 | 1,944 | 18,900 | March 7, 1987 |
| 1986 | 1,872 | 13,200 | April 15, 1986 |
| 1985 | 4,248 | 37,300 | Oct. 26, 1984 |
| 1984 | 2,780 | 28,800 | May 8, 1984 |
| 1983 | 3,872 | 41,000 | Dec. 31, 1982 |
| 1982 | 1,342 | 8,120 | April 23, 1982 |
| 1981 | 1,638 | 13,000 | June 9, 1981 |
| 1980 | 2,960 | 17,000 | March 26, 1980 |
| 1979 | 5,087 | 22,300 | May 10, 1979 |
| 1978 | 1,466 | 9,240 | May 18, 1978 |
| 1977 | 1,593 | 14,100 | April 7, 1977 |
| 1976 | 1,406 | 12,000 | March 18, 1976 |
| 1975 | 4,367 | 20,900 | April 5, 1975 |
| 1974 | 4,928 | 47,500 | June 13, 1974 |
| 1973 | 5,436 | 53,800 | April 25, 1973 |
| 1972 | 704 | 6,140 | Dec. 22, 1971 |
| 1971 | 957 | 4,220 | July 25, 1971 |
| 1970 | 2,390 | 18,100 | May 4, 1970 |
| 1969 | 2,266 | 53,800 | Feb. 5, 1969 |
| 1968 | 3,594 | 74,500 | May 18, 1968 |
| 1967 | 1,600 | 19,000 | May 12, 1967 |
| 1966 | 1,719 | 50,800 | May 2, 1966 |
| 1965 | 1,581 | 22,800 | Feb. 19, 1965 |
| 1964 | 1,722 | 42,200 | April 29, 1964 |
| 1963 | 823 | 6,970 | March 22, 1963 |
| 1962 | 2,975 | 28,000 | March 5, 1962 |
| 1961 | 2,474 | 33,800 | April 4, 1961 |
| 1960 | 2,527 | 14,800 | July 4, 1960 |
| 1959 | 1,947 | 24,000 | Feb. 21, 1959 |
| 1958 | 4,950 | 70,500 | May 3, 1958 |
| 1957 | 3,569 | 37,000 | May 3, 1957 |
| 1956 | 1,642 | 21,300 | Feb. 24, 1956 |
| 1955 | 1,323 | 17,600 | March 29, 1955 |
| 1954 | 858 | 14,600 | May 11, 1954 |
| 1953 | 3,519 | 36,100 | May 19, 1953 |
| 1952 | 2,423 | 14,800 | April 21, 1952 |
| 1951 | 2,152 | 21,000 | Jan. 21, 1951 |
| 1950 | 5,105 | 46,500 | Feb. 18, 1950 |
| 1949 | 3,111 | 57,400 | Jan. 31, 1949 |
| 1948 | 2,655 | 20,400 | March 9, 1948 |
| 1947 | 1,822 | 10,700 | June 26, 1947 |
| 1946 | 4,911 | 37,100 | April 2, 1946 |
| 1945 | 4,529 | 47,600 | April 5, 1945 |
| 1944 | 2,177 | 32,800 | May 8, 1944 |
| 1943 | 1,099 | 10,100 | March 16, 1943 |
| 1942 | 2,486 | 39,600 | April 14, 1942 |
| 1941 | 1,762 | 9,050 | April 28, 1941 |
| 1940 | 756 | 9,040 | July 3, 1940 |
| 1939 | 3,501 | 31,400 | April 23, 1939 |
| 1938 | 3,555 | 42,300 | Jan. 27, 1938 |
Source: U.S. Geological Survey (annual statistics and peak streamflow). Updated .
Timeline
Rye: 30.5-foot crest
The river crested at 30.5 feet at Rye, No. 4 on the National Weather Service's list of highest crests there.
Rye: 31.4-foot crest
The river crested at 31.4 feet at Rye, the highest on the National Weather Service list.
Rye: 30.8-foot crest
The river crested at 30.8 feet at Rye, No. 2 on the National Weather Service's list of highest crests there.
Rye: 30.02-foot crest
The river crested at 30.02 feet at Rye, No. 6 on the National Weather Service's list of highest crests there.
Rye: 30.22-foot crest
The river crested at 30.22 feet at Rye, No. 5 on the National Weather Service's list of highest crests there.
Rye: 30.7-foot crest
The river crested at 30.7 feet at Rye, No. 3 on the National Weather Service's list of highest crests there.
Sources
- Saline River at Rye (RYEA4), National Weather Service. Accessed .
- Saline River at Warren (WARA4), National Weather Service. Accessed .
- USGS 07363500 Saline River near Rye, AR, U.S. Geological Survey. Accessed .
- USGS 07364000 Saline River near Warren, AR: peak streamflow, U.S. Geological Survey. Accessed .
- Peak streamflow, USGS 07363500, U.S. Geological Survey. Accessed .
- Annual statistics, USGS 07363500, U.S. Geological Survey. Accessed .
- Daily values, USGS 07363500, U.S. Geological Survey. Accessed .