Rivers in Oklahoma
Cimarron River near Ripley
Below flood stage
6.33ftStage
Observed Sun, Sep 20, 3:00 PM CDT
- Flood stage
- 17.00 ft
- Record crest
- 28.36 ft1993
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 22.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 20.00 ft |
| Minor flood | 17.00 ft |
| Action | 16.00 ft |
- 29.00 ftThe Cimarron River valley in Payne County could suffer worse damages than from the great floods in October of 1986 and May 1957 and surpass levels seen in the May 1993 flood. Flood depths up to 12 feet devastate rural lands... oil fields... and other properties... Overflows continue... from many hours before to many hours after the crest passes Ripley.
- 28.00 ftThe Cimarron River valley in Payne County could suffer worse damages than from the great floods in October of 1986 and May 1957 and approach levels seen in the May 1993 flood. Flood depths up to 11 feet devastate rural lands... oil fields... and other properties... Overflows continue... from many hours before to many hours after the crest passes Ripley.
- 27.00 ftThe Cimarron River valley in Payne County could suffer worse damages than from the great floods in October 1986 and May 1957. Flood depths up to 10 feet devastate rural lands... oil fields... and other properties. Overflows continue from many hours before to many hours after the crest passes Ripley.
- 26.00 ftThe Cimarron River valley in Payne County experiences water levels higher than the great floods of May 1957... October 1986... and June 1995. Flood depths up to 9 feet inundate rural areas... from many hours before to many hours after the crest passes Ripley.
- 25.00 ftThe Cimarron River valley in Payne County is covered by flood depths averaging 8 feet... worse than the flooding which occurred in May 1957. The flooding also approaches depths seen in the great floods of October 1986 and June 1995. Rural lands and roads located near the river banks are inundated... from many hours before to many hours after the crest passes Ripley.
- 24.00 ftThe Cimarron River valley in Payne County is covered by flood depths near 7 feet... and the flooding surpasses water levels seen during the floods of November 1998 and March 2004. Rural lands and roads located near the river banks are inundated... from many hours before to many hours after the crest passes Ripley.
- 23.00 ftThe Cimarron River valley in Payne County is covered by flood depths averaging 6 feet... with very hazardous currents. Floodwaters approach level seen in March 2004... and agricultural lands... oil wells... and water wells located near the river banks are inundated... from many hours before to many hours after the crest passes Ripley.
- 22.00 ftThe Cimarron River valley in Payne County is covered by flood depths averaging 5 feet... with very hazardous currents. Agricultural lands... oil wells... and water wells located near the river banks are inundated... from many hours before to many hours after the crest passes Ripley.
- 21.00 ftThe Cimarron River valley in Payne County is covered by flood depths averaging 4 feet... with hazardous currents. Agricultural lands... oil wells... and water wells located near the river banks are inundated or cut off... from several hours before to several hours after the crest passes Ripley.
- 20.00 ftThe Cimarron River valley in Payne County is covered by flood depths averaging 3 feet... with hazardous currents. Agricultural lands... oil wells... and water wells located near the river banks are inundated or cut off... several hours before and after the crest passes Ripley.
- 19.00 ftPlaces along the Cimarron River valley in Payne County are covered by flood depths averaging 2 feet. Agricultural lands... oil wells... and water wells located near the river banks are inundated or cut off for several hours... by water in side channels.
- 18.00 ftPlaces along the Cimarron River valley in Payne County are briefly flooded to depths of about a foot. Agricultural lands and oil wells located near the river banks are inundated or cut off by water in side channels.
- 17.00 ftPlaces along the Cimarron River valley in Payne County are briefly flooded. Agricultural lands and oil wells located near the channel are isolated by water in cutoff channels along the river valley.
- 16.00 ftExpect the Cimarron River to reach bankfull levels through Payne County. Small areas of agricultural land and oil wells located near the channel are isolated by water in cutoff channels along the river valley.
- 15.00 ftExpect the Cimarron River to remain mostly within its banks through Payne County. Small areas of agricultural land and oil wells located near the channel are isolated by water in cutoff channels along the river valley.
Flood outlook
Chance of flooding, September to November
| Category | Chance |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | 10% |
| Moderate flooding | 6% |
| Major flooding | Under 5% |
The three-month chances are the River Forecast Centers’ long-range flood outlook, issued September 17, 2026.
Crest history
109 crests on NOAA’s list since 1988.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | May 10, 1993 | 28.36 ft |
| 2 | May 22, 2019 | 26.60 ft |
| 3 | May 26, 2019 | 26.39 ft |
| 4 | June 10, 1995 | 25.23 ft |
| 5 | May 26, 2015 | 24.06 ft |
| 6 | March 6, 2004 | 23.04 ft |
| 7 | November 2, 1998 | 22.87 ft |
| 8 | June 30, 2007 | 22.58 ft |
| 9 | May 4, 1993 | 22.29 ft |
| 10 | April 26, 1999 | 22.10 ft |
| 11 | March 18, 1998 | 21.71 ft |
| 12 | March 11, 1990 | 21.43 ft |
| 13 | June 11, 2008 | 21.26 ft |
| 14 | April 25, 1999 | 21.24 ft |
| 15 | June 7, 2019 | 20.82 ft |
| 16 | July 14, 2007 | 20.78 ft |
| 17 | August 4, 1995 | 20.76 ft |
| 18 | April 12, 1997 | 20.69 ft |
| 19 | May 9, 2019 | 20.61 ft |
| 20 | June 5, 1995 | 20.59 ft |
| 21 | August 20, 2007 | 20.49 ft |
| 22 | April 2, 1988 | 20.42 ft |
| 23 | June 16, 2007 | 20.41 ft |
| 24 | April 11, 1994 | 20.41 ft |
| 25 | May 9, 2007 | 20.11 ft |
Most recent crests
- June 19, 2025: 18.44 ft
- June 18, 2025: 18.06 ft
- June 16, 2025: 19.37 ft
- June 8, 2025: 18.24 ft
- June 5, 2025: 16.17 ft
- April 30, 2025: 18.15 ft
- April 30, 2025: 16.75 ft
- November 10, 2024: 17.05 ft
- July 12, 2023: 17.60 ft
- July 11, 2023: 16.80 ft
Nearby
Upstream, downstream and the gauges around this one.
What this means
Forecasts by the Arkansas-Red Basin RFC. Forecasts are issued as needed during times of high water, but are not routinely available. River forecasts for this location take into account past precipitation and the precipitation amounts expected approximately 24 hours into the future from the forecast issuance time.
Sources
Stage, flood stages, impacts and crest history from NOAA’s National Water Prediction Service. Streamflow and the daily record from the U.S. Geological Survey.