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Caney River River Levels

Last Updated: December 16, 2025

The Caney River is a 180-mile long river in northeastern Oklahoma.


Summary

Total streamflow across the Caney River was last observed at 150 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 297 acre-ft of water today; about 37% of normal. River levels are low and may signify a drought. Average streamflow for this time of year is 408 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 Above Coon Creek At Bartlesville reporting a streamflow rate of 65.6 cfs. This is also the highest stage along the Caney River, with a gauge stage of 3.13 ft at this location. 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 2025-12-16
Discharge Volume 297 ACRE-FT
Streamflow 149.8 cfs
+6.4 cfs (+4.46%)
Percent of Normal 36.71%
Maximum 67,240.0 cfs
2019-05-23
Seasonal Avg 408 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
66 cfs 3.13 ft 4.46
Caney River Near Ramona
USGS 07175500
51 cfs 2.76 ft 7.55
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.