Guides · Waterfront Homeowners
Lake & River Flood Alerts for Waterfront Homeowners in Arkansas
When you live on the water, the level is not a fishing detail — it is your dock, your boathouse, and sometimes your yard. This is how to keep an eye on the water near your property and get warned early enough to act.
Know your two numbers
Watch the level that matters for your spot. On a lake, that is the pool elevation and how far above the normal (conservation) pool it is climbing. On a river, it is the stage at the nearest gauge and how close it is to flood stage. Learn what elevation starts to affect your dock, your bank, and your lowest structure — that is your personal line.
Rising water gives you a head start — if you are watching
Floods rarely arrive without warning in the data. Upstream rain, dam releases, and a steady climb in stage all show up on the gauges hours before the water reaches your property. The homeowners who move a boat, pull a lift, or clear a lower level in time are the ones who saw it coming.
Set it once, get warned automatically
GaugeKeep lets you track the lake or river gauge nearest your home and set an alert at the level you care about. When a report crosses your line, you get an email — day or night — so you are not refreshing a website during a storm. Track the gauge once and let it watch the water for you.
Frequently asked
How can I tell if my lake is flooding?
Watch the live pool elevation against the normal (conservation) pool and the top of flood pool on GaugeKeep. A level climbing above conservation pool means the lake is storing flood water; set an alert at the elevation that affects your property so you are warned early.
Can I get an alert when the river near my house rises?
Yes. Track the nearest river gauge with a free GaugeKeep account and set a threshold on stage. You get an email the moment a report crosses your line, well before the water reaches most property.
What level should I set my alert at?
Set it a comfortable margin below the level that first affects your lowest structure — your dock, lift, or bank — so you have time to act. You can adjust it any time.
Keep going
Get the alert before the water moves
Track any Arkansas gauge with a free GaugeKeep account and get an email the moment the level crosses the line you care about. No card needed.
Data: official USGS, National Weather Service, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers telemetry, decoded by GaugeKeep. Educational information only — not a substitute for official navigation, flood, or safety guidance. Conditions below dams change without warning.