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Cottonwood Creek (OK) near Seward

Highest listed crest 39.47 ftFlood stage 30.0 ft27 crests since 1990

The Cottonwood Creek (OK) near Seward crested above flood stage 21 times among the 27 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1990 to 2025. The highest, 39.47 ft on June 9, 1995, was moderate flooding, 9.47 feet above flood stage. 1 other gauge on the Cottonwood Creek (OK) crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
39.47 ft
June 9, 1995; 43,500 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
30.0 ft
Major flooding from 40.0 ft
Crests at major
0
21 above flood stage
Most recent flood crest
May 21, 2019
37.26 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Logan County
Near Guthrie (5.8 mi), Edmond (10.3 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Cottonwood Creek (OK) near Seward
Action stage28.06May 1, 2025The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)30.015May 9, 2019Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage35.06May 21, 2019Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage40.00—Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

27 crests from 1990 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Cottonwood Creek (OK) near Seward, 1990 to 2025 28303234363840ft Flood stage 30.0 ftMajor 40.0 ft Mar 11, 1990: 35.77 ft, moderate flooding; 25,300 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 1990: 31.89 ft, minor flooding; 6,210 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1990: 33.85 ft, minor flooding; 12,900 cubic feet per secondDec 20, 1991: 33.50 ft, minor flooding; 11,400 cubic feet per secondJun 19, 1992: 29.11 ft, action stage; 3,850 cubic feet per secondJul 24, 1992: 28.65 ft, action stage; 3,680 cubic feet per secondApr 29, 1993: 29.33 ft, action stage; 3,960 cubic feet per secondMay 3, 1993: 31.51 ft, minor flooding; 5,600 cubic feet per secondMay 9, 1993: 37.74 ft, moderate flooding; 31,500 cubic feet per secondJun 4, 1995: 35.65 ft, moderate flooding; 21,700 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 1995: 39.47 ft, moderate flooding; 43,500 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 1997: 31.59 ft, minor flooding; 10,600 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 1998: 32.00 ft, minor flooding; 11,500 cubic feet per secondNov 1, 1998: 34.41 ft, minor flooding; 17,700 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 1999: 29.83 ft, action stage; 7,760 cubic feet per secondSep 19, 2001: 28.12 ft, action stage; 8,340 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 2007: 33.66 ft, minor floodingJun 30, 2007: 34.47 ft, minor floodingJul 10, 2007: 34.14 ft, minor floodingAug 19, 2007: 35.12 ft, moderate floodingJun 14, 2010: 33.30 ft, minor floodingJun 1, 2013: 34.90 ft, minor floodingMay 24, 2015: 34.30 ft, minor floodingApr 30, 2017: 33.05 ft, minor flooding; 14,000 cubic feet per secondMay 9, 2019: 30.16 ft, minor flooding; 11,000 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 2019: 37.26 ft, moderate flooding; 27,500 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 2025: 29.45 ft, action stage; 12,900 cubic feet per second Highest, 39.47 ft, Jun 9, 1995 1990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Cottonwood Creek (OK) near Seward 1990s: 11 11 2000s: 4 2010s: 6 2020s: 0 1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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

Highest listed crests, Cottonwood Creek (OK) near Seward
1Jun 9, 199539.47+9.47Moderate43,500
2May 9, 199337.74+7.74Moderate31,500
3May 21, 201937.26+7.26Moderate27,500
4Mar 11, 199035.77+5.77Moderate25,300
5Jun 4, 199535.65+5.65Moderate21,700
6Aug 19, 200735.12+5.12Moderate—
7Jun 1, 201334.90+4.90Minor—
8Jun 30, 200734.47+4.47Minor—
9Nov 1, 199834.41+4.41Minor17,700
10May 24, 201534.30+4.30Minor—
11Jul 10, 200734.14+4.14Minor—
12Apr 17, 199033.85+3.85Minor12,900
13Mar 31, 200733.66+3.66Minor—
14Dec 20, 199133.50+3.50Minor11,400
15Jun 14, 201033.30+3.30Minor—
16Apr 30, 201733.05+3.05Minor14,000
17Mar 17, 199832.00+2.00Minor11,500
18Mar 15, 199031.89+1.89Minor6,210
19Apr 12, 199731.59+1.59Minor10,600
20May 3, 199331.51+1.51Minor5,600
21May 9, 201930.16+0.16Minor11,000
22Apr 26, 199929.83−0.17Action7,760
23May 1, 202529.45−0.55Action12,900
24Apr 29, 199329.33−0.67Action3,960
25Jun 19, 199229.11−0.89Action3,850
26Jul 24, 199228.65−1.35Action3,680
27Sep 19, 200128.12−1.88Action8,340

The worst floods along the Cottonwood Creek (OK)

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

June 9, 1995: 39.47 ft here, moderate flooding

  • GuthrieOK · Jun 9, 1995 · 27.90 ft · Major

May 9, 1993: 37.74 ft here, moderate flooding

  • GuthrieOK · May 9, 1993 · 29.60 ft · Major

May 21, 2019: 37.26 ft here, moderate flooding

  • GuthrieOK · May 22, 2019 · 27.40 ft · Major

Gauges on the Cottonwood Creek (OK)

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

Flood gauges on the Cottonwood Creek (OK)
GuthrieOK22.030.00 ft, Oct 20, 198311
Seward this gaugeOK30.039.47 ft, Jun 9, 19950

Other gauges in Logan County

Flood gauges in Logan County
Guthrie18.025.70 ft, Oct 4, 19862
Guthrie22.030.00 ft, Oct 20, 198311

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge SWDO2, 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.