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North Canadian River at Woodward

Highest listed crest 15.85 ftFlood stage 10.0 ft84 crests since 1920

The North Canadian River at Woodward crested at major flood stage 6 times among the 84 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1920 to 2007. The highest, 15.85 ft on October 12, 1923, was major flooding, 5.85 feet above flood stage. 2 other gauges on the North Canadian River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 2 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
15.85 ft
October 12, 1923
Flood stage
10.0 ft
Major flooding from 13.0 ft
Crests at major
6
43rd of 92 gauges in Oklahoma
Most recent flood crest
June 2, 2007
10.38 ft, minor flooding
Location
Woodward County
Near Woodward (1.7 mi)
Identifiers
NWS WDWO2
No USGS station

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, North Canadian River at Woodward
Action stage9.051Jun 2, 1978The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)10.018Jun 2, 2007Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage12.07May 22, 1989Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage13.06May 18, 1951Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

84 crests from 1920 to 2007. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the North Canadian River at Woodward, 1920 to 2007 810121416ft Flood stage 10.0 ftMajor 13.0 ft Sep 8, 1920: 12.90 ft, moderate floodingOct 22, 1920: 14.40 ft, major floodingMar 15, 1922: 12.60 ft, moderate floodingJun 10, 1923: 14.90 ft, major floodingOct 12, 1923: 15.85 ft, major floodingJun 14, 1925: 9.00 ft, action stageSep 6, 1926: 9.00 ft, action stageSep 4, 1927: 10.12 ft, minor floodingJun 16, 1928: 9.00 ft, action stageNov 17, 1928: 9.00 ft, action stageJun 7, 1930: 9.60 ft, action stageOct 13, 1930: 9.00 ft, action stageJun 17, 1932: 11.80 ft, minor floodingMay 7, 1933: 12.00 ft, moderate floodingJun 17, 1934: 10.00 ft, minor floodingMay 18, 1935: 15.40 ft, major floodingJun 6, 1936: 12.80 ft, moderate floodingJun 16, 1937: 11.80 ft, minor floodingSep 7, 1938: 10.30 ft, minor flooding; 11,400 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1939: 9.78 ft, action stage; 9,320 cubic feet per secondJun 25, 1939: 9.40 ft, action stage; 10,500 cubic feet per secondJul 3, 1939: 9.40 ft, action stage; 10,500 cubic feet per secondMay 19, 1940: 9.10 ft, action stage; 4,960 cubic feet per secondJun 7, 1940: 9.00 ft, action stage; 4,600 cubic feet per secondJun 11, 1940: 9.10 ft, action stage; 8,940 cubic feet per secondAug 9, 1940: 9.44 ft, action stage; 10,300 cubic feet per secondMay 4, 1941: 9.52 ft, action stage; 7,780 cubic feet per secondMay 24, 1941: 10.40 ft, minor flooding; 18,000 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 1941: 9.80 ft, action stage; 8,240 cubic feet per secondJul 7, 1941: 9.40 ft, action stage; 12,200 cubic feet per secondSep 25, 1941: 9.20 ft, action stage; 8,240 cubic feet per secondOct 23, 1941: 12.70 ft, moderate flooding; 31,000 cubic feet per secondApr 24, 1942: 9.60 ft, action stage; 6,000 cubic feet per secondJun 10, 1942: 9.15 ft, action stage; 8,250 cubic feet per secondOct 3, 1942: 9.60 ft, action stage; 6,000 cubic feet per secondOct 20, 1942: 9.00 ft, action stage; 3,780 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 1944: 9.82 ft, action stage; 6,600 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 1944: 9.54 ft, action stage; 6,030 cubic feet per secondApr 30, 1944: 9.24 ft, action stage; 4,260 cubic feet per secondJul 26, 1944: 9.70 ft, action stage; 5,530 cubic feet per secondOct 5, 1944: 9.22 ft, action stage; 4,180 cubic feet per secondJun 27, 1945: 9.31 ft, action stage; 4,020 cubic feet per secondSep 28, 1946: 9.10 ft, action stage; 3,170 cubic feet per secondOct 10, 1946: 14.80 ft, major flooding; 42,000 cubic feet per secondMay 16, 1947: 9.76 ft, action stage; 5,630 cubic feet per secondMay 23, 1947: 9.63 ft, action stage; 4,280 cubic feet per secondJun 27, 1947: 9.48 ft, action stage; 6,930 cubic feet per secondJun 28, 1948: 9.55 ft, action stage; 8,410 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 1949: 10.98 ft, minor flooding; 9,790 cubic feet per secondMay 25, 1949: 9.25 ft, action stage; 3,770 cubic feet per secondJun 5, 1949: 9.60 ft, action stage; 7,900 cubic feet per secondJun 10, 1949: 9.40 ft, action stage; 7,250 cubic feet per secondJun 14, 1949: 9.60 ft, action stage; 7,900 cubic feet per secondJun 25, 1949: 9.48 ft, action stage; 5,190 cubic feet per secondJul 12, 1949: 9.98 ft, action stage; 6,550 cubic feet per secondJul 6, 1950: 9.67 ft, action stage; 5,320 cubic feet per secondJul 13, 1950: 9.73 ft, action stage; 5,190 cubic feet per secondJul 23, 1950: 11.50 ft, minor flooding; 10,500 cubic feet per secondJul 28, 1950: 11.68 ft, minor flooding; 10,900 cubic feet per secondAug 3, 1950: 12.06 ft, moderate flooding; 13,900 cubic feet per secondAug 30, 1950: 9.02 ft, action stage; 6,410 cubic feet per secondSep 6, 1950: 9.38 ft, action stage; 4,930 cubic feet per secondSep 12, 1950: 9.77 ft, action stage; 5,850 cubic feet per secondSep 28, 1950: 9.38 ft, action stage; 4,930 cubic feet per secondMay 18, 1951: 13.70 ft, major flooding; 35,000 cubic feet per secondMay 23, 1951: 9.08 ft, action stage; 4,630 cubic feet per secondJun 12, 1951: 9.55 ft, action stage; 5,320 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 1951: 9.00 ft, action stage; 3,940 cubic feet per secondJun 25, 1951: 9.58 ft, action stage; 5,710 cubic feet per secondAug 22, 1958: 10.10 ft, minor floodingMay 17, 1965: 10.80 ft, minor floodingJun 15, 1965: 11.30 ft, minor floodingJun 11, 1968: 11.40 ft, minor floodingOct 19, 1968: 11.50 ft, minor floodingJun 13, 1969: 11.29 ft, minor floodingNov 20, 1971: 10.80 ft, minor floodingMay 14, 1972: 9.58 ft, action stageApr 1, 1973: 8.87 ft, below flood stageMay 24, 1977: 9.38 ft, action stageJun 2, 1978: 9.78 ft, action stageMay 18, 1979: 10.10 ft, minor floodingMay 22, 1989: 12.40 ft, moderate floodingSep 26, 1996: 8.34 ft, below flood stageJun 2, 2007: 10.38 ft, minor flooding Highest, 15.85 ft, Oct 12, 1923 19201940196019802000

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, North Canadian River at Woodward 1920s: 6 1930s: 7 7 1940s: 4 1950s: 5 1960s: 5 1970s: 2 1980s: 1 1990s: 0 2000s: 1 1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s
  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 84 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, North Canadian River at Woodward
1Oct 12, 192315.85+5.85Major—
2May 18, 193515.40+5.40Major—
3Jun 10, 192314.90+4.90Major—
4Oct 10, 194614.80+4.80Major42,000
5Oct 22, 192014.40+4.40Major—
6May 18, 195113.70+3.70Major35,000
7Sep 8, 192012.90+2.90Moderate—
8Jun 6, 193612.80+2.80Moderate—
9Oct 23, 194112.70+2.70Moderate31,000
10Mar 15, 192212.60+2.60Moderate—
11May 22, 198912.40+2.40Moderate—
12Aug 3, 195012.06+2.06Moderate13,900
13May 7, 193312.00+2.00Moderate—
14Jun 17, 193211.80+1.80Minor—
15Jun 16, 193711.80+1.80Minor—
16Jul 28, 195011.68+1.68Minor10,900
17Jul 23, 195011.50+1.50Minor10,500
18Oct 19, 196811.50+1.50Minor—
19Jun 11, 196811.40+1.40Minor—
20Jun 15, 196511.30+1.30Minor—
21Jun 13, 196911.29+1.29Minor—
22May 17, 194910.98+0.98Minor9,790
23May 17, 196510.80+0.80Minor—
24Nov 20, 197110.80+0.80Minor—
25May 24, 194110.40+0.40Minor18,000
26Jun 2, 200710.38+0.38Minor—
27Sep 7, 193810.30+0.30Minor11,400
28Sep 4, 192710.12+0.12Minor—
29Aug 22, 195810.10+0.10Minor—
30May 18, 197910.10+0.10Minor—
31Jun 17, 193410.000.00Minor—
32Jul 12, 19499.98−0.02Action6,550
33Apr 11, 19449.82−0.18Action6,600
34Jun 9, 19419.80−0.20Action8,240
35Apr 6, 19399.78−0.22Action9,320
36Jun 2, 19789.78−0.22Action—
37Sep 12, 19509.77−0.23Action5,850
38May 16, 19479.76−0.24Action5,630
39Jul 13, 19509.73−0.27Action5,190
40Jul 26, 19449.70−0.30Action5,530
41Jul 6, 19509.67−0.33Action5,320
42May 23, 19479.63−0.37Action4,280
43Jun 7, 19309.60−0.40Action—
44Apr 24, 19429.60−0.40Action6,000
45Oct 3, 19429.60−0.40Action6,000
46Jun 5, 19499.60−0.40Action7,900
47Jun 14, 19499.60−0.40Action7,900
48Jun 25, 19519.58−0.42Action5,710
49May 14, 19729.58−0.42Action—
50Jun 28, 19489.55−0.45Action8,410

The worst floods along the North Canadian River

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

October 12, 1923: 15.85 ft here, major flooding

May 18, 1935: 15.40 ft here, major flooding

  • El RenoOK · May 21, 1935 · 20.82 ft · Moderate

June 10, 1923: 14.90 ft here, major flooding

Gauges on the North Canadian River

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

Flood gauges on the North Canadian River
Britton Road at Oklahoma CityOK17.024.80 ft, May 9, 19930
NW10th Street at Oklahoma CityOK24.040.90 ft, Oct 15, 19235
Woodward this gaugeOK10.015.85 ft, Oct 12, 19236
El RenoOK17.023.33 ft, Aug 20, 20073
HarrahOK14.021.90 ft, May 9, 199311
SeilingOK11.016.40 ft, Oct 13, 19235
ShawneeOK18.020.90 ft, May 10, 19930
WatongaOK15.019.70 ft, Aug 19, 20073
WetumkaOK24.031.40 ft, Apr 15, 19450
WoodwardOK9.010.72 ft, May 23, 19890
YukonOK14.019.20 ft, Jun 10, 19951

Other gauges in Woodward County

Flood gauges in Woodward County
Woodward9.010.72 ft, May 23, 19890

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge WDWO2, 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.