Search
Menu

Explore

Hazards

Analysis

Rankings

Reference

Cimarron River near Ripley

Highest listed crest 28.36 ftFlood stage 17.0 ft98 crests since 1988

The Cimarron River near Ripley crested at major flood stage 10 times among the 98 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1988 to 2025. The highest, 28.36 ft on May 10, 1993, was major flooding, 11.36 feet above flood stage. 2 other gauges on the Cimarron River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
28.36 ft
May 10, 1993; 141,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
17.0 ft
Major flooding from 22.0 ft
Crests at major
10
27th of 92 gauges in Oklahoma
Most recent flood crest
June 16, 2025
19.37 ft, minor flooding
Location
Payne County
Near Stillwater (13.5 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Cimarron River near Ripley
Action stage16.028May 25, 2022The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)17.046Jun 16, 2025Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage20.014Jun 7, 2019Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage22.010May 26, 2019Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

98 crests from 1988 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Cimarron River near Ripley, 1988 to 2025 15202530ft Flood stage 17.0 ftMajor 22.0 ft Apr 2, 1988: 20.42 ft, moderate flooding; 52,000 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 1989: 16.28 ft, action stage; 19,800 cubic feet per secondJun 15, 1989: 16.91 ft, action stage; 21,500 cubic feet per secondJun 25, 1989: 16.92 ft, action stage; 21,500 cubic feet per secondAug 15, 1989: 18.31 ft, minor flooding; 31,200 cubic feet per secondSep 14, 1989: 18.23 ft, minor flooding; 31,000 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 1990: 21.43 ft, moderate flooding; 55,200 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 1990: 17.37 ft, minor flooding; 25,100 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 1990: 18.00 ft, minor flooding; 29,300 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 1990: 17.92 ft, minor flooding; 27,900 cubic feet per secondMay 4, 1990: 17.70 ft, minor flooding; 27,000 cubic feet per secondDec 21, 1991: 18.46 ft, minor flooding; 33,100 cubic feet per secondNov 26, 1992: 17.49 ft, minor flooding; 21,500 cubic feet per secondDec 15, 1992: 17.18 ft, minor flooding; 20,500 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 1993: 16.63 ft, action stage; 17,000 cubic feet per secondApr 29, 1993: 19.57 ft, minor flooding; 34,500 cubic feet per secondMay 4, 1993: 22.29 ft, major flooding; 65,700 cubic feet per secondMay 10, 1993: 28.36 ft, major flooding; 141,000 cubic feet per secondMay 14, 1993: 17.48 ft, minor flooding; 149,000 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 1993: 18.11 ft, minor flooding; 27,400 cubic feet per secondJun 27, 1993: 16.51 ft, action stage; 19,600 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 1994: 20.41 ft, moderate flooding; 44,200 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 1994: 18.53 ft, minor flooding; 30,400 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 1994: 16.31 ft, action stage; 18,500 cubic feet per secondNov 21, 1994: 19.89 ft, minor flooding; 40,200 cubic feet per secondMay 8, 1995: 16.31 ft, action stage; 18,500 cubic feet per secondJun 5, 1995: 20.59 ft, moderate flooding; 45,600 cubic feet per secondJun 10, 1995: 25.23 ft, major flooding; 103,000 cubic feet per secondAug 4, 1995: 20.76 ft, moderate flooding; 47,000 cubic feet per secondAug 4, 1996: 16.62 ft, action stage; 20,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 22, 1997: 18.62 ft, minor flooding; 31,400 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 1997: 20.69 ft, moderate flooding; 46,400 cubic feet per secondMay 3, 1997: 16.12 ft, action stage; 17,600 cubic feet per secondDec 25, 1997: 16.65 ft, action stage; 20,200 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 1998: 21.71 ft, moderate flooding; 59,500 cubic feet per secondOct 5, 1998: 17.84 ft, minor flooding; 32,200 cubic feet per secondNov 2, 1998: 22.87 ft, major flooding; 87,900 cubic feet per secondDec 27, 1998: 16.65 ft, action stage; 20,200 cubic feet per secondMar 14, 1999: 16.93 ft, action stage; 26,400 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 1999: 16.83 ft, action stage; 25,900 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 1999: 22.10 ft, major flooding; 70,000 cubic feet per secondJun 11, 1999: 19.48 ft, minor flooding; 44,400 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 1999: 19.43 ft, minor flooding; 43,900 cubic feet per secondJun 30, 1999: 16.70 ft, action stage; 24,200 cubic feet per secondJul 11, 1999: 16.12 ft, action stage; 20,800 cubic feet per secondMar 25, 2000: 19.57 ft, minor flooding; 45,100 cubic feet per secondJun 27, 2000: 18.47 ft, minor flooding; 35,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 25, 2001: 17.32 ft, minor flooding; 28,100 cubic feet per secondMay 30, 2001: 17.76 ft, minor flooding; 31,100 cubic feet per secondSep 20, 2002: 16.09 ft, action stage; 20,200 cubic feet per secondOct 6, 2002: 16.33 ft, action stage; 21,600 cubic feet per secondOct 10, 2003: 16.77 ft, action stage; 23,500 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 2004: 23.04 ft, major flooding; 83,400 cubic feet per secondJun 23, 2004: 17.59 ft, minor flooding; 28,800 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 2005: 16.98 ft, action stage; 21,400 cubic feet per secondAug 23, 2005: 17.70 ft, minor flooding; 24,000 cubic feet per secondOct 5, 2005: 16.35 ft, action stage; 16,700 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 2007: 18.81 ft, minor flooding; 31,900 cubic feet per secondMay 9, 2007: 20.11 ft, moderate flooding; 40,900 cubic feet per secondJun 2, 2007: 16.32 ft, action stage; 16,500 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 2007: 20.41 ft, moderate flooding; 42,800 cubic feet per secondJun 21, 2007: 19.44 ft, minor flooding; 35,000 cubic feet per secondJun 30, 2007: 22.58 ft, major flooding; 81,700 cubic feet per secondJul 14, 2007: 20.78 ft, moderate flooding; 47,200 cubic feet per secondAug 20, 2007: 20.49 ft, moderate flooding; 44,800 cubic feet per secondSep 10, 2007: 16.52 ft, action stage; 19,900 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 2008: 19.86 ft, minor flooding; 42,100 cubic feet per secondMay 9, 2008: 17.79 ft, minor flooding; 28,300 cubic feet per secondJun 11, 2008: 21.26 ft, moderate flooding; 53,300 cubic feet per secondJun 19, 2008: 17.18 ft, minor flooding; 24,000 cubic feet per secondSep 15, 2008: 17.57 ft, minor flooding; 26,000 cubic feet per secondOct 10, 2009: 16.04 ft, action stage; 17,700 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 2010: 18.57 ft, minor flooding; 32,500 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 2010: 17.46 ft, minor flooding; 24,400 cubic feet per secondJun 2, 2013: 19.12 ft, minor flooding; 34,000 cubic feet per secondJul 28, 2013: 16.68 ft, action stage; 19,800 cubic feet per secondAug 1, 2013: 17.95 ft, minor flooding; 20,900 cubic feet per secondMay 7, 2015: 16.27 ft, action stage; 14,500 cubic feet per secondMay 26, 2015: 24.06 ft, major flooding; 79,100 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 2017: 16.91 ft, action stage; 20,800 cubic feet per secondApr 23, 2017: 17.99 ft, minor flooding; 26,700 cubic feet per secondApr 30, 2017: 19.64 ft, minor flooding; 37,600 cubic feet per secondJun 27, 2018: 16.73 ft, action stage; 16,800 cubic feet per secondOct 10, 2018: 19.80 ft, minor flooding; 34,300 cubic feet per secondMay 9, 2019: 20.61 ft, moderate flooding; 40,300 cubic feet per secondMay 22, 2019: 26.60 ft, major flooding; 87,100 cubic feet per secondMay 26, 2019: 26.39 ft, major flooding; 99,400 cubic feet per secondJun 7, 2019: 20.82 ft, moderate flooding; 37,800 cubic feet per secondJun 11, 2019: 19.29 ft, minor flooding; 30,800 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 2019: 18.96 ft, minor flooding; 28,700 cubic feet per secondJun 29, 2021: 18.28 ft, minor flooding; 23,600 cubic feet per secondJul 3, 2021: 17.96 ft, minor flooding; 21,900 cubic feet per secondMay 25, 2022: 16.68 ft, action stage; 16,400 cubic feet per secondJul 12, 2023: 17.60 ft, minor flooding; 17,400 cubic feet per secondNov 10, 2024: 17.05 ft, minor flooding; 16,300 cubic feet per secondApr 30, 2025: 18.15 ft, minor flooding; 21,200 cubic feet per secondJun 8, 2025: 18.24 ft, minor flooding; 21,600 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 2025: 19.37 ft, minor flooding; 28,800 cubic feet per second Highest, 28.36 ft, May 10, 1993 1990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Cimarron River near Ripley 1980s: 3 1990s: 27 27 2000s: 19 2010s: 14 2020s: 7 1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 98 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Cimarron River near Ripley
1May 10, 199328.36+11.36Major141,000
2May 22, 201926.60+9.60Major87,100
3May 26, 201926.39+9.39Major99,400
4Jun 10, 199525.23+8.23Major103,000
5May 26, 201524.06+7.06Major79,100
6Mar 6, 200423.04+6.04Major83,400
7Nov 2, 199822.87+5.87Major87,900
8Jun 30, 200722.58+5.58Major81,700
9May 4, 199322.29+5.29Major65,700
10Apr 26, 199922.10+5.10Major70,000
11Mar 18, 199821.71+4.71Moderate59,500
12Mar 11, 199021.43+4.43Moderate55,200
13Jun 11, 200821.26+4.26Moderate53,300
14Jun 7, 201920.82+3.82Moderate37,800
15Jul 14, 200720.78+3.78Moderate47,200
16Aug 4, 199520.76+3.76Moderate47,000
17Apr 12, 199720.69+3.69Moderate46,400
18May 9, 201920.61+3.61Moderate40,300
19Jun 5, 199520.59+3.59Moderate45,600
20Aug 20, 200720.49+3.49Moderate44,800
21Apr 2, 198820.42+3.42Moderate52,000
22Apr 11, 199420.41+3.41Moderate44,200
23Jun 16, 200720.41+3.41Moderate42,800
24May 9, 200720.11+3.11Moderate40,900
25Nov 21, 199419.89+2.89Minor40,200
26Apr 11, 200819.86+2.86Minor42,100
27Oct 10, 201819.80+2.80Minor34,300
28Apr 30, 201719.64+2.64Minor37,600
29Apr 29, 199319.57+2.57Minor34,500
30Mar 25, 200019.57+2.57Minor45,100
31Jun 11, 199919.48+2.48Minor44,400
32Jun 21, 200719.44+2.44Minor35,000
33Jun 24, 199919.43+2.43Minor43,900
34Jun 16, 202519.37+2.37Minor28,800
35Jun 11, 201919.29+2.29Minor30,800
36Jun 2, 201319.12+2.12Minor34,000
37Jun 17, 201918.96+1.96Minor28,700
38Apr 1, 200718.81+1.81Minor31,900
39Feb 22, 199718.62+1.62Minor31,400
40May 21, 201018.57+1.57Minor32,500
41May 1, 199418.53+1.53Minor30,400
42Jun 27, 200018.47+1.47Minor35,600
43Dec 21, 199118.46+1.46Minor33,100
44Aug 15, 198918.31+1.31Minor31,200
45Jun 29, 202118.28+1.28Minor23,600
46Jun 8, 202518.24+1.24Minor21,600
47Sep 14, 198918.23+1.23Minor31,000
48Apr 30, 202518.15+1.15Minor21,200
49May 21, 199318.11+1.11Minor27,400
50Apr 18, 199018.00+1.00Minor29,300

The worst floods along the Cimarron River

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

May 10, 1993: 28.36 ft here, major flooding

  • DoverOK · May 10, 1993 · 22.49 ft · Major
  • GuthrieOK · May 10, 1993 · 22.73 ft · Moderate

May 22, 2019: 26.60 ft here, major flooding

  • DoverOK · May 22, 2019 · 22.16 ft · Major
  • AmesOK · May 22, 2019 · 11.38 ft · Moderate
  • WaynokaOK · May 26, 2019 · 11.32 ft · Moderate
  • GuthrieOK · May 21, 2019 · 21.79 ft · Minor
  • BuffaloOK · May 27, 2019 · 9.09 ft · Minor

May 26, 2019: 26.39 ft here, major flooding

  • DoverOK · May 22, 2019 · 22.16 ft · Major
  • AmesOK · May 22, 2019 · 11.38 ft · Moderate
  • WaynokaOK · May 26, 2019 · 11.32 ft · Moderate
  • GuthrieOK · May 21, 2019 · 21.79 ft · Minor
  • BuffaloOK · May 27, 2019 · 9.09 ft · Minor

Gauges on the Cimarron River

Flood gauges sharing the river's name, linked within 80 miles of one another.

Flood gauges on the Cimarron River
AmesOK10.012.39 ft, Oct 4, 20180
BuffaloOK9.09.74 ft, May 9, 20190
DoverOK17.026.10 ft, Oct 3, 19866
GuthrieOK18.025.70 ft, Oct 4, 19862
PerkinsOK17.026.75 ft, Oct 4, 19866
Ripley this gaugeOK17.028.36 ft, May 10, 199310
WaynokaOK8.015.10 ft, May 16, 19572

Other gauges in Payne County

Flood gauges in Payne County
Perkins17.026.75 ft, Oct 4, 19866

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge RIPO2, 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.