Cimarron River near Buffalo water level

Name: Cimarron River near Buffalo water level (U.S. Geological Survey)
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
License: https://www.usgs.gov/information-policies-and-instructions/copyrights-and-credits

River gauge, Cimarron River, Oklahoma, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

3.28ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 08:30 AM CDT (51 min ago)

Flow: 6.1 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The gauge at Cimarron River near Buffalo reads 3.28 ft, a normal level.

It is 5.72 ft below the flood stage of 9.00 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 3.21 ft and 3.32 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.

Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels

Key numbers

Highest on record: 9.74 ftMay 9, 2019

What the stage means on the water

A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 9.00 ft, still 5.72 ft away.

What happens at each level

12.00 ft: Flood depths up to three feet cover croplands... pastures... and other low-lying areas near the river. Areas affected extend from near the Oklahoma-Kansas state line... downstream to near Freedom. Cattle and other property should be relocated to places which are higher than nearby river banks... to avoid being isolated by deep water in side channels.
11.00 ft: Flood depths up to two feet cover croplands... pastures... and other low-lying areas near the river. Areas affected extend from near the Oklahoma-Kansas state line... downstream to near Freedom. Cattle and other property should be relocated to places which are higher than nearby river banks... to avoid being isolated by deep water in side channels.
10.00 ft: Flood depths up to a foot affect croplands... pastures... and other low-lying areas near the river. Areas affected extend from near the Oklahoma-Kansas state line... downstream to near Freedom. Cattle and other property should be relocated to places which are higher than nearby river banks... to avoid being isolated by deep water in side channels.
9.00 ft: Shallow flooding affects croplands... pastures... and other low-lying areas near the river. Areas affected extend from near the Oklahoma-Kansas state line... downstream to near Freedom. Cattle and other property should be relocated to places which are higher than nearby river banks... to avoid being isolated for several hours by water in side channels.
8.00 ft: Some inundation of low-lying areas may occur near the river. Areas affected extend from near the Oklahoma-Kansas state line... downstream to near Freedom.
3.28 ft: Right now

Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.

Highest crests on record

Chance of at least minor flooding in October to December: < 5 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	9.74 ft	May 9, 2019
2	9.09 ft	May 27, 2019
3	9.04 ft	May 27, 1987
4	8.82 ft	April 24, 1987
5	8.71 ft	May 8, 2007
6	8.63 ft	June 12, 1989
7	8.56 ft	May 22, 2019
8	8.43 ft	May 2, 1993
9	8.41 ft	April 29, 1985
10	8.34 ft	May 18, 1989

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.07 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

18 Sun 67° 39° – Wind 16 mph

19 Mon 71° 46° – Wind 14 mph

20 Tue 74° 56° – Wind 18 mph

21 Wed 83° 61° – Wind 17 mph

22 Thu 87° 64° – Wind 16 mph

23 Fri 81° 68° 0.00 in Wind 19 mph

24 Sat 71° 57° 0.20 in, 32% Wind 17 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:48 AM Sunset 06:58 PM Daylight 11 hr, 10 min First quarter 50%

Map

Other gauges on the Cimarron River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Cimarron River near ForganRiver gauge, Cimarron River	2.57 ft	Below flood stage	±0	66 mi
Cimarron River near WaynokaRiver gauge, Cimarron River	5.55 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	33 mi
Cimarron River near DoverRiver gauge, Cimarron River	9.45 ft	Below flood stage	−0.15 ft	100 mi
Cimarron River near GuthrieRiver gauge, Cimarron River	8.05 ft	Below flood stage	−1.44 ft	123 mi
Cimarron River near RipleyRiver gauge, Cimarron River	11.05 ft	Below flood stage	−3.59 ft	146 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Cimarron R near ButtermilkRiver gauge, Cimarron R	1.4 cfs	Normal	±0	15 mi
Bluff Creek near ButtermilkRiver gauge, Bluff Creek	1.2 cfs	Low	−1.3 cfs	15 mi
North Canadian River at WoodwardRiver gauge, North Canadian River	2.31 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	29 mi
Salt Fork Arkansas River near AlvaRiver gauge, Salt Fork Arkansas River	2.37 ft	Below flood stage	−0.07 ft	37 mi
Wolf Creek near GageRiver gauge, Wolf Creek	5.2 cfs	Normal	+0.1 cfs	44 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Cimarron River near Buffalo?

The official flood stage is 9.00 ft. The level is currently 5.72 ft below it.

Is gage height the same as water depth?

No. Gage height is measured from a fixed reference point chosen by the agency, so a reading of 10 ft does not mean the river is 10 ft deep.

What is the water level of Cimarron River near Buffalo today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 08:30 AM CDT, the water level was 3.28 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Cimarron River near Buffalo rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Cimarron River near Buffalo normal?

Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Cimarron River near Buffalo?

The highest level on record is 9.74 ft on May 9, 2019.

How often is this data updated?

The U.S. Geological Survey publishes a new reading every 15 minutes. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:07157950 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 36.85197, -99.31539 (WGS84)
Vertical datum: NAVD88
Update interval: every 15 minutes
Licence: Public domain. Data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), provisional data subject to revision

Published series

Parameter	Last value	Time (UTC)	Quality
Water level	3.28 ft	2026-10-18 13:30	Provisional
Flow	6.1 cfs	2026-10-18 13:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Cimarron River near Buffalo (usgs:07157950). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/oklahoma/cimarron-river-near-buffalo

How we check values

Each reading is stored as published. We hold back values that jump faster than physically plausible and show the measurement time with every value.

Readings are provisional, can be delayed or wrong and are not a flood warning. Read the disclaimer