Search
Menu

Explore

Hazards

Analysis

Rankings

Reference

Bird Creek near Sperry

Highest listed crest 32.60 ftFlood stage 21.0 ft172 crests since 1939

The Bird Creek near Sperry crested at major flood stage 15 times among the 172 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1939 to 2025. The highest, 32.60 ft on October 3, 1959, was major flooding, 11.60 feet above flood stage. 1 other gauge on the Bird Creek crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
32.60 ft
October 3, 1959; 90,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
21.0 ft
Major flooding from 29.0 ft
Crests at major
15
12th of 92 gauges in Oklahoma
Most recent flood crest
June 19, 2025
26.18 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Tulsa County
Near Owasso (6.6 mi), Tulsa (10.8 mi), Sand Springs (14.0 mi)

Flood stages

The thresholds the National Weather Service uses for this gauge today, and how many listed crests reached each.

Flood categories, Bird Creek near Sperry
Action stage21.00—The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)21.058Jun 15, 2025Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage24.080Jun 19, 2025Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage29.015May 22, 2019Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

172 crests from 1939 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Bird Creek near Sperry, 1939 to 2025 010203040ft Flood stage 21.0 ftMajor 29.0 ft May 13, 1939: 17.48 ft, below flood stage; 10,100 cubic feet per secondSep 5, 1940: 19.53 ft, below flood stage; 11,300 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 1941: 19.86 ft, below flood stage; 11,500 cubic feet per secondJun 11, 1941: 28.46 ft, moderate flooding; 23,000 cubic feet per secondOct 5, 1941: 22.79 ft, minor flooding; 12,800 cubic feet per secondOct 17, 1941: 25.77 ft, moderate flooding; 16,200 cubic feet per secondOct 25, 1941: 24.19 ft, moderate flooding; 14,200 cubic feet per secondOct 31, 1941: 30.14 ft, major flooding; 45,700 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 1942: 28.56 ft, moderate flooding; 24,000 cubic feet per secondApr 20, 1942: 28.93 ft, moderate flooding; 27,500 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 1942: 29.31 ft, major flooding; 31,900 cubic feet per secondSep 19, 1942: 23.28 ft, minor flooding; 13,300 cubic feet per secondMay 10, 1943: 30.25 ft, major flooding; 52,100 cubic feet per secondMay 18, 1943: 31.68 ft, major flooding; 72,200 cubic feet per secondJun 5, 1943: 26.68 ft, moderate flooding; 17,700 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 1944: 23.49 ft, minor flooding; 13,500 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 1944: 28.22 ft, moderate flooding; 22,000 cubic feet per secondDec 6, 1944: 23.16 ft, minor flooding; 13,200 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 1945: 25.17 ft, moderate flooding; 15,200 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 1945: 26.74 ft, moderate flooding; 17,500 cubic feet per secondJul 2, 1945: 28.73 ft, moderate flooding; 25,200 cubic feet per secondSep 26, 1945: 22.65 ft, minor flooding; 11,900 cubic feet per secondOct 1, 1945: 28.84 ft, moderate flooding; 24,300 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 1947: 22.32 ft, minor flooding; 11,000 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 1947: 25.48 ft, moderate flooding; 14,200 cubic feet per secondJun 23, 1948: 27.29 ft, moderate flooding; 16,600 cubic feet per secondJun 27, 1948: 23.62 ft, minor flooding; 11,400 cubic feet per secondJul 17, 1948: 24.77 ft, moderate flooding; 12,400 cubic feet per secondMay 20, 1949: 26.55 ft, moderate flooding; 15,000 cubic feet per secondMay 11, 1950: 26.65 ft, moderate flooding; 15,000 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 1950: 26.10 ft, moderate flooding; 14,100 cubic feet per secondAug 2, 1950: 22.20 ft, minor flooding; 10,400 cubic feet per secondJun 23, 1951: 25.58 ft, moderate flooding; 13,400 cubic feet per secondJul 1, 1951: 23.50 ft, minor flooding; 11,300 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 1952: 19.33 ft, below flood stage; 8,790 cubic feet per secondMay 13, 1953: 20.90 ft, below flood stage; 9,640 cubic feet per secondMay 3, 1954: 23.10 ft, minor flooding; 11,800 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 1955: 20.40 ft, below flood stage; 10,600 cubic feet per secondOct 5, 1955: 4.70 ft, below flood stage; 1,930 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 1957: 21.90 ft, minor flooding; 11,200 cubic feet per secondMay 18, 1957: 26.89 ft, moderate flooding; 15,500 cubic feet per secondMay 22, 1957: 27.20 ft, moderate flooding; 17,100 cubic feet per secondMay 26, 1957: 28.46 ft, moderate flooding; 24,700 cubic feet per secondJun 2, 1957: 24.83 ft, moderate flooding; 13,600 cubic feet per secondJun 13, 1957: 29.03 ft, major flooding; 31,400 cubic feet per secondJun 19, 1957: 22.72 ft, minor flooding; 11,800 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 1957: 28.35 ft, moderate flooding; 23,800 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 1958: 15.84 ft, below flood stage; 7,180 cubic feet per secondJul 16, 1959: 20.20 ft, below flood stage; 10,300 cubic feet per secondOct 3, 1959: 32.60 ft, major flooding; 90,000 cubic feet per secondMay 7, 1960: 24.50 ft, moderate flooding; 13,500 cubic feet per secondMay 10, 1961: 28.15 ft, moderate flooding; 22,300 cubic feet per secondJul 16, 1961: 28.09 ft, moderate flooding; 19,400 cubic feet per secondAug 15, 1961: 27.60 ft, moderate flooding; 18,800 cubic feet per secondSep 15, 1961: 29.09 ft, major flooding; 32,100 cubic feet per secondSep 16, 1962: 24.81 ft, moderate flooding; 13,800 cubic feet per secondJul 27, 1963: 8.09 ft, below flood stage; 3,810 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1964: 26.29 ft, moderate flooding; 15,700 cubic feet per secondSep 22, 1964: 22.24 ft, minor flooding; 11,500 cubic feet per secondSep 22, 1965: 22.24 ft, minor flooding; 11,500 cubic feet per secondSep 5, 1966: 15.63 ft, below flood stage; 6,750 cubic feet per secondJul 26, 1967: 22.88 ft, minor flooding; 11,000 cubic feet per secondMar 20, 1968: 27.01 ft, moderate flooding; 15,700 cubic feet per secondMar 25, 1969: 25.34 ft, moderate flooding; 12,500 cubic feet per secondJun 29, 1969: 24.30 ft, moderate flooding; 12,000 cubic feet per secondOct 14, 1969: 26.23 ft, moderate flooding; 13,900 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 1970: 28.63 ft, moderate flooding; 18,900 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1971: 23.29 ft, minor flooding; 12,300 cubic feet per secondSep 7, 1971: 29.02 ft, major flooding; 18,900 cubic feet per secondSep 19, 1971: 22.53 ft, minor flooding; 11,800 cubic feet per secondOct 21, 1971: 27.43 ft, moderate flooding; 14,600 cubic feet per secondDec 16, 1971: 28.23 ft, moderate flooding; 16,800 cubic feet per secondNov 14, 1972: 25.15 ft, moderate flooding; 12,200 cubic feet per secondJan 1, 1973: 24.35 ft, moderate flooding; 11,500 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 1973: 26.13 ft, moderate flooding; 13,900 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 1973: 27.08 ft, moderate flooding; 15,200 cubic feet per secondMar 26, 1973: 25.48 ft, moderate flooding; 13,300 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1973: 28.58 ft, moderate flooding; 21,000 cubic feet per secondJun 20, 1973: 23.94 ft, minor flooding; 11,800 cubic feet per secondNov 26, 1973: 27.69 ft, moderate flooding; 16,700 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 1974: 30.75 ft, major flooding; 45,600 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 1974: 23.96 ft, minor flooding; 11,800 cubic feet per secondSep 3, 1974: 24.03 ft, moderate flooding; 11,100 cubic feet per secondSep 21, 1974: 26.26 ft, moderate flooding; 13,900 cubic feet per secondOct 29, 1974: 25.13 ft, moderate flooding; 12,200 cubic feet per secondNov 4, 1974: 31.45 ft, major flooding; 54,700 cubic feet per secondFeb 1, 1975: 26.72 ft, moderate flooding; 14,500 cubic feet per secondMay 15, 1975: 27.39 ft, moderate flooding; 16,500 cubic feet per secondJul 4, 1976: 21.11 ft, minor flooding; 8,870 cubic feet per secondMay 22, 1977: 23.42 ft, minor flooding; 10,500 cubic feet per secondFeb 14, 1978: 22.10 ft, minor flooding; 10,100 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1979: 23.29 ft, minor flooding; 12,300 cubic feet per secondApr 27, 1980: 26.59 ft, moderate flooding; 14,700 cubic feet per secondJun 15, 1981: 15.89 ft, below flood stage; 7,100 cubic feet per secondMay 26, 1982: 21.71 ft, minor flooding; 9,830 cubic feet per secondFeb 1, 1983: 24.00 ft, moderate flooding; 11,200 cubic feet per secondMay 14, 1983: 24.35 ft, moderate flooding; 11,900 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 1984: 23.16 ft, minor flooding; 10,900 cubic feet per secondJan 1, 1985: 25.35 ft, moderate flooding; 13,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 23, 1985: 29.49 ft, major flooding; 28,400 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 1985: 27.24 ft, moderate flooding; 16,200 cubic feet per secondJun 12, 1985: 29.16 ft, major flooding; 25,000 cubic feet per secondNov 14, 1985: 24.33 ft, moderate flooding; 10,400 cubic feet per secondOct 1, 1986: 30.82 ft, major flooding; 31,500 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 1988: 28.17 ft, moderate flooding; 18,800 cubic feet per secondAug 20, 1989: 25.73 ft, moderate flooding; 13,300 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 1990: 28.66 ft, moderate flooding; 20,300 cubic feet per secondJun 7, 1991: 22.15 ft, minor flooding; 10,000 cubic feet per secondDec 21, 1991: 23.60 ft, minor floodingDec 14, 1992: 23.96 ft, minor floodingMay 10, 1993: 29.84 ft, major flooding; 30,600 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 1994: 28.93 ft, moderate flooding; 21,700 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 1994: 23.94 ft, minor floodingNov 21, 1994: 22.45 ft, minor floodingMay 8, 1995: 27.30 ft, moderate flooding; 16,200 cubic feet per secondJun 5, 1995: 21.53 ft, minor floodingJun 10, 1995: 27.75 ft, moderate flooding; 17,400 cubic feet per secondJul 4, 1995: 27.92 ft, moderate flooding; 17,900 cubic feet per secondNov 7, 1996: 23.90 ft, minor flooding; 11,400 cubic feet per secondNov 17, 1996: 23.70 ft, minor flooding; 11,300 cubic feet per secondFeb 22, 1997: 22.20 ft, minor flooding; 10,100 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 1997: 21.80 ft, minor flooding; 9,820 cubic feet per secondDec 24, 1997: 22.30 ft, minor flooding; 10,700 cubic feet per secondJan 4, 1998: 22.70 ft, minor flooding; 10,600 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 1998: 26.00 ft, moderate flooding; 13,900 cubic feet per secondApr 28, 1998: 27.90 ft, moderate flooding; 18,400 cubic feet per secondOct 5, 1998: 24.80 ft, moderate flooding; 13,300 cubic feet per secondJan 31, 1999: 22.17 ft, minor flooding; 9,860 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 1999: 28.90 ft, moderate flooding; 21,500 cubic feet per secondMay 5, 1999: 26.80 ft, moderate flooding; 13,700 cubic feet per secondMay 23, 1999: 23.30 ft, minor flooding; 8,830 cubic feet per secondMay 6, 2000: 26.20 ft, moderate flooding; 12,700 cubic feet per secondMay 10, 2000: 22.90 ft, minor flooding; 12,700 cubic feet per secondMar 20, 2003: 21.50 ft, minor floodingMar 6, 2004: 27.78 ft, moderate flooding; 19,000 cubic feet per secondJan 6, 2005: 21.94 ft, minor flooding; 12,100 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 2007: 21.85 ft, minor flooding; 6,390 cubic feet per secondMay 8, 2007: 23.83 ft, minor flooding; 13,800 cubic feet per secondJul 1, 2007: 25.87 ft, moderate flooding; 16,700 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 2008: 28.21 ft, moderate flooding; 19,600 cubic feet per secondMay 8, 2008: 24.41 ft, moderate flooding; 14,500 cubic feet per secondJun 10, 2008: 28.76 ft, moderate flooding; 25,000 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 2008: 21.05 ft, minor flooding; 11,900 cubic feet per secondMar 20, 2012: 22.50 ft, minor floodingMay 31, 2013: 24.43 ft, moderate floodingMay 24, 2015: 24.39 ft, moderate flooding; 14,829 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 2015: 22.02 ft, minor flooding; 12,518 cubic feet per secondJul 10, 2015: 18.41 ft, below flood stageDec 27, 2015: 27.02 ft, moderate floodingApr 18, 2017: 20.30 ft, below flood stage; 10,486 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 2017: 23.33 ft, minor flooding; 13,264 cubic feet per secondApr 30, 2017: 26.00 ft, moderate flooding; 17,100 cubic feet per secondMay 4, 2017: 22.10 ft, minor flooding; 11,961 cubic feet per secondMay 13, 2017: 24.66 ft, moderate flooding; 15,014 cubic feet per secondOct 5, 2017: 22.05 ft, minor flooding; 11,914 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 2019: 21.06 ft, minor flooding; 11,300 cubic feet per secondMay 22, 2019: 31.55 ft, major flooding; 42,100 cubic feet per secondMay 26, 2019: 23.72 ft, minor flooding; 13,551 cubic feet per secondMay 30, 2019: 19.65 ft, below flood stage; 9,903 cubic feet per secondJun 7, 2019: 19.70 ft, below flood stage; 9,942 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 2019: 18.84 ft, below flood stage; 9,278 cubic feet per secondJan 11, 2020: 16.39 ft, below flood stage; 8,078 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 2020: 23.13 ft, minor flooding; 12,985 cubic feet per secondMay 28, 2021: 23.01 ft, minor flooding; 15,731 cubic feet per secondMay 5, 2022: 20.85 ft, below flood stage; 13,639 cubic feet per secondMay 25, 2022: 21.20 ft, minor flooding; 13,861 cubic feet per secondApr 20, 2025: 21.19 ft, minor flooding; 14,143 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 2025: 26.95 ft, moderate flooding; 21,110 cubic feet per secondMay 25, 2025: 25.80 ft, moderate flooding; 18,507 cubic feet per secondJun 7, 2025: 22.45 ft, minor flooding; 15,109 cubic feet per secondJun 15, 2025: 22.94 ft, minor flooding; 15,485 cubic feet per secondJun 19, 2025: 26.18 ft, moderate flooding; 19,198 cubic feet per second Highest, 32.60 ft, Oct 3, 1959 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Bird Creek near Sperry 1930s: 0 1940s: 26 26 1950s: 15 1960s: 14 1970s: 26 1980s: 13 1990s: 25 2000s: 12 2010s: 13 2020s: 9 1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  1. These are the crests the local National Weather Service office lists for the gauge: the highest on record and recent crests. Lesser floods between them may be missing, so counts by decade are a floor.
  2. Categories use today's flood stages. Levees, dams and channel changes since a crest can make old and new stages not directly comparable.

Highest crests

The 50 highest of 172 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Bird Creek near Sperry
1Oct 3, 195932.60+11.60Major90,000
2May 18, 194331.68+10.68Major72,200
3May 22, 201931.55+10.55Major42,100
4Nov 4, 197431.45+10.45Major54,700
5Oct 1, 198630.82+9.82Major31,500
6Mar 12, 197430.75+9.75Major45,600
7May 10, 194330.25+9.25Major52,100
8Oct 31, 194130.14+9.14Major45,700
9May 10, 199329.84+8.84Major30,600
10Feb 23, 198529.49+8.49Major28,400
11Jun 22, 194229.31+8.31Major31,900
12Jun 12, 198529.16+8.16Major25,000
13Sep 15, 196129.09+8.09Major32,100
14Jun 13, 195729.03+8.03Major31,400
15Sep 7, 197129.02+8.02Major18,900
16Apr 20, 194228.93+7.93Moderate27,500
17Apr 12, 199428.93+7.93Moderate21,700
18Apr 26, 199928.90+7.90Moderate21,500
19Oct 1, 194528.84+7.84Moderate24,300
20Jun 10, 200828.76+7.76Moderate25,000
21Jul 2, 194528.73+7.73Moderate25,200
22Mar 12, 199028.66+7.66Moderate20,300
23May 1, 197028.63+7.63Moderate18,900
24Apr 17, 197328.58+7.58Moderate21,000
25Apr 8, 194228.56+7.56Moderate24,000
26Jun 11, 194128.46+7.46Moderate23,000
27May 26, 195728.46+7.46Moderate24,700
28Jun 24, 195728.35+7.35Moderate23,800
29Dec 16, 197128.23+7.23Moderate16,800
30Apr 11, 194428.22+7.22Moderate22,000
31Apr 11, 200828.21+7.21Moderate19,600
32Apr 2, 198828.17+7.17Moderate18,800
33May 10, 196128.15+7.15Moderate22,300
34Jul 16, 196128.09+7.09Moderate19,400
35Jul 4, 199527.92+6.92Moderate17,900
36Apr 28, 199827.90+6.90Moderate18,400
37Mar 6, 200427.78+6.78Moderate19,000
38Jun 10, 199527.75+6.75Moderate17,400
39Nov 26, 197327.69+6.69Moderate16,700
40Aug 15, 196127.60+6.60Moderate18,800
41Oct 21, 197127.43+6.43Moderate14,600
42May 15, 197527.39+6.39Moderate16,500
43May 8, 199527.30+6.30Moderate16,200
44Jun 23, 194827.29+6.29Moderate16,600
45May 1, 198527.24+6.24Moderate16,200
46May 22, 195727.20+6.20Moderate17,100
47Mar 11, 197327.08+6.08Moderate15,200
48Dec 27, 201527.02+6.02Moderate—
49Mar 20, 196827.01+6.01Moderate15,700
50May 1, 202526.95+5.95Moderate21,110

The worst floods along the Bird Creek

For this gauge's highest crests, the other gauges on the Bird Creek that crested above flood stage within a week.

October 3, 1959: 32.60 ft here, major flooding

  • AvantOK · Oct 2, 1959 · 31.40 ft · Major

May 22, 2019: 31.55 ft here, major flooding

  • AvantOK · May 21, 2019 · 36.31 ft · Major · its highest
  • OwassoOK · May 23, 2019 · 29.40 ft · Major

November 4, 1974: 31.45 ft here, major flooding

  • AvantOK · Nov 3, 1974 · 29.78 ft · Major

Gauges on the Bird Creek

In USGS station-number order, which runs downstream within a river basin.

Flood gauges on the Bird Creek
AvantOK17.036.31 ft, May 21, 20197
Sperry this gaugeOK21.032.60 ft, Oct 3, 195915
OwassoOK18.034.00 ft, Oct 25, 19089

Other gauges in Tulsa County

Flood gauges in Tulsa County
Tulsa18.025.21 ft, Oct 5, 19864
Owasso18.034.00 ft, Oct 25, 19089
Collinsville26.039.80 ft, May 21, 19437
Tulsa 12SE / 101st St. Bridge16.022.77 ft, May 21, 20190
Jenks17.025.00 ft, Jun 8, 19742

Tulsa County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Oklahoma

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge SPEO2, retrieved October 30, 2026. Stages in feet on the gauge's own datum, not elevation. Crests are as the National Weather Service lists them; preliminary values may be revised.