2025-12-20T00:00:00-07:00
...THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR IN AND IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE FOOTHILLS, BETWEEN 5500 AND 9000 FEET, FOR BOULDER AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES ON FRIDAY... Strong west winds, sustained 45-55 mph with gusts upwards of 85- 105 mph, are expected in the foothills of Larimer, Boulder and Jefferson Counties beginning early Friday morning. Relative humidity values are expected to drop into the low teens, possibly upper single digits. While Red Flag conditions, critical fire weather, are expected across a larger area in northern Colorado, the most extreme conditions are expected to be along Highway 93 from Jefferson County into Boulder County and along US-36 north of Boulder to the Larimer County line and westward. There will be a high potential for fast moving wildfires, should any new starts occur. Winds toward I-25 and eastward will be slower to develop, and also speeds will be considerably lighter. That said, gusts of 25- 40 mph are still expected to combine with very low humidity and cured grasses to support critical fire weather conditions. Such conditions may be a longer duration than usual, with potential for low humidity to extend well into the evening hours. * AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 238, 240, 241, 242 and 243. * TIMING...From 10 AM this morning to midnight MST tonight. * WINDS...West 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 60 mph possible west of I-25, and gusts to 40 mph possible along and east of I- 25. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 12 percent. * IMPACTS...Conditions will be favorable for rapid fire spread. Avoid outdoor burning and any activity that may produce a spark and start a wildfire.
Summary
Total streamflow across the
Caney River
was last observed at
84
cfs, and is expected to yield approximately
167
acre-ft of water today; about 13%
of normal.
River levels are low and may signify a drought.
Average streamflow for this time of year is
653 cfs,
with recent peaks last observed
on
2019-05-23 when daily discharge volume was observed at
67,240 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the
Caney River Near Ramona
reporting a streamflow rate of 51.3 cfs.
However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the
Caney River Above Coon Creek At Bartlesville
with a gauge stage of 3.11 ft.
This river is monitored from 3 different streamgauging stations along the Caney River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 773 ft, the
Caney R Nr Elgin.
River Details
| Last Updated | 2025-12-19 |
| Discharge Volume | 167 ACRE-FT |
| Streamflow |
84.2 cfs
-3.8 cfs (-4.32%) |
| Percent of Normal | 12.88% |
| Maximum |
67,240.0 cfs
2019-05-23 |
| Seasonal Avg | 653 cfs |
River Streamflow Levels
| Streamgauge | Streamflow | Gauge Stage | 24hr Change (%) | % Normal | Minimum (cfs) | Maximum (cfs) | Air Temp | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Caney R Nr Elgin
USGS 07172000 |
33 cfs | 1.73 ft | 0 | |||||
|
Caney River Above Coon Creek At Bartlesville
USGS 07174400 |
33 cfs | 3.11 ft | 11.99 | |||||
|
Caney River Near Ramona
USGS 07175500 |
51 cfs | 2.76 ft | -6.9 |
Seasonal Discharge Comparison
Maximum Streamflow Discharge
Streamflow Elevation Profile
The Caney River (Lenape: Kènii Sipu ) is a 180-mile-long (290 km) river in southern Kansas and northeastern Oklahoma. The river is a tributary of the Verdigris River, and is usually a flatwater stream.
The Caney forms just north of the town of Grenola in Elk County, Kansas, then moves south into Oklahoma near Elgin, Kansas. It then flows south through Osage County, where it is dammed near Bowring to form Hulah Lake. Downstream of the Hulah dam, the river flows into Washington County through the center of Bartlesville, where it separates the city's downtown from its residential east side. Just south of Bartlesville, the river turns southeast and flows into Rogers County, where it joins the Verdigris River between Collinsville and Claremore.The river is normally flat water, except when there are heavy rainstorms within the drainage area. It is popular for canoeing, both above and below Hulah Lake. However, there are almost no facilities for boaters between Wah-Sha-She State Park (near Hulah Dam) and the confluence with the Verdigris River.The river caused disastrous floods in the Bartlesville area in 1886, 1926 and 1986.The dam at Hulah Lake is operated by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. In October 1986 the Corps was forced to open floodgates at the dam due to above-average rainfall in the Great Plains. The resulting 500-year flood split Bartlesville virtually in half for several days and caused more than US$30 million in property damage.