Flash Flooding in Oklahoma, November 1 to 2, 1998

Very heavy rain fell over much of northern Oklahoma during late October and early November. Precipitation totals between 3 and 11 inches were recorded during the three-day period of October 31-November 2, 1998 at locations in west-central, northwestern, central and north-central Oklahoma. Some of the heaviest rain fell over river basins in northern Oklahoma where soil moisture was already very high due to recent precipitation events in early and mid October. Major to record flooding was seen in north-central Oklahoma along the Salt Fork of the Arkansas and Chikaskia Rivers. Moderate to major flooding plagued the Cimarron river basin in northwestern and central Oklahoma while minor flooding was observed along the North Canadian and Canadian Rivers in west-central and central Oklahoma. Crests above flood stage were recorded at a total of 16 forecast points and 6 data points in the HSA. In total, 17 counties were affected. All of the river crests occurred on the 1st and 2nd of November. The river gage site at Blackwell on the Chikaskia River recorded a new record crest of 34.40 feet at 1630 CST on November 2. Flood stage is 29 feet. The previous record was 34.31 feet set on May 10, 1993. The Salt Fork of the Arkansas River at Tonkawa crested at 26.29 feet, which is the fifth highest crest at the site.One fatality and one injury occurred during the flood event in Alfalfa County. A 19 year-old woman drowned when floodwaters from Eagle Chief Creek swept her car off of State Highway 8B just east of Aline in southwestern Alfalfa County. The victim was eight months pregnant at the time of the accident. The accident occurred at about 2200 CST on Saturday, October 31st, while heavy rain was falling in the area. The driver, who was the 45 year-old mother of the flood victim, managed to take refuge in a tree and was not rescued until 0900 CST on Monday, November 2nd. She sustained leg and arm injuries and was also treated for hypothermia.Emergency management officials said that a total 35 homes in the counties of Kay and Grant received major damage, while 22 homes incurred minor damage. Fifty-one of these homes were located in the city of Blackwell in Kay County while the remaining 6 homes were located in Grant County in the city of Jefferson near the Salt Fork of the Arkansas River. Approximately 166 residents were evacuated from the eastern and northern portions Blackwell during the event. Another 15 people were evacuated from areas in Kay County including the area south of White Eagle near the Salt Fork of the Arkansas River. Seven families were evacuated near the city of Tonkawa.In northwestern Alfalfa County, rainfall amounts of 8 to 13.5 inches caused a diversion dike on Stink Creek to break along the northwestern and southern sections of the town of Burlington at 0230 CST on Sunday, November 1st. Approximately 50 people from 25 houses were forced to evacuate to the Burlington City Hall and the Burlington Little Gym. Residents were unable to leave Burlington for most of Sunday as State Highway 8 was flooded. Some unofficial storm total amounts included 13.5 inches 1 mile west of Burlington, 12 inches just north of Burlington and 11.5 inches in Burlington.In Kay County, numerous farm roads were washed away, and 4 bridges were destroyed. In Alfalfa County, a highway detour on State Highway 11 just west of Burlington was washed away for the second time in 1998 when 10 inches of rain fell in the area. Numerous county bridges were also washed out near Burlington, and the bridge approach on State Highway 11 west of Cherokee in Alfalfa County was destroyed. At about 0600 CST on November 1st, a truck pulling a trailer filled with more than 100 cattle drove off the State Highway 8 bridge at Driftwood Creek, about 4 miles west-northwest of Burlington in northwestern Alfalfa County. The driver survived, but almost all of the cattle drowned.In Kingfisher County, the Gould Bridge was washed out 12 miles northeast of Kingfisher, and the county road leading to the bridge was heavily damaged. In the city of Kingfisher, sewer drain damage occurred, and four business buildings and homes sustained damage. In Payne County, floodwaters from the Cimarron River and its tributaries destroyed several bridge approaches and flooded many secondary roads near the cities of Stillwater, Perkins and Ripley. Some of the major rivers and creeks which flooded in central and northern Oklahoma include the Cottonwood and Kingfisher Creeks, and the Canadian, Chikaskia, Cimarron, Deep Fork, North Canadian, and Salt Fork of the Arkansas Rivers. In addition, other minor tributaries and streams also overflowed their banks in some areas of the HSA and produced minor to moderate flooding. These streams include the Black Bear, Bloody, Deer, Driftwood, Dead Indian, Eagle Chief, Red Rock, Skeleton and Stink Creeks in Oklahoma.Many local, state and federal highways were closed in portions of Oklahoma due to the flooding, and widespread areas of agricultural lands and rural roads were also inundated. Some of the road and highway closures included:Alfalfa CountyState Highway 11 - U.S. 64 junction closed east of Cherokee to State Highway 38State Highway 8B from Cherokee to AlineState Highway 8 in Burlington Grant CountyState Highway 74 south of LamontU.S. 60 between Lamont and Pond CreekState Highway 132 closed 5 miles north of the State Highway 11 junctionU.S. 81 north of Pond CreekKay CountyOld U.S. 60 near TonkawaU.S. 177 between Blackwell and the Kansas State lineHubbard Road between Ponca City and BlackwellState Highway 156 south of U.S. 6013th Street and Hubbard between Tonkawa and BlackwellU.S. 77 and Fountain Road south of TonkawaOld U.S. Highway 60 to State Highway 156156 extension between old and new U.S. 60Interstate 35 - traffic reduced to one lane in the southbound lanes for 12 hours from 4 a.m. to 4 p.m. 11/2/1998State Highway 156 between Ponca City and Marland, OKKingfisher CountyState Highway 51 between Hennessey and Okeene at the Cimarron RiverState Highway 33 in KingfisherU.S. Highway 81 north of KingfisherCounty Line Road west of OkarcheLogan CountyState Highway 33 west from GuthrieU.S. 77 north of GuthrieBroadway between Guthrie and EdmondNoble CountyState highway 15 near Red Rock CreekOklahoma CountyWaterloo Road and May AvenueU.S. 74 in northwest Oklahoma County (4 feet of water over the road)Payne County12th Street in StillwaterIntersection of 21st and Sangre in Stillwater100 Block of Knoblock in StillwaterPrairie Road 1.5 miles south of State Highway 51River Road east of PerkinsRange Road 1.5 miles north of State Highway 33