CANEY RIVER

RIVER LEVELS
February 17, 2025


TOTAL RIVER DISCHARGE

Total streamflow across the Caney River was last observed at 146 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 290 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 391 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 106 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 3.18 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.

The Caney River is a 180-mile long river in northeastern Oklahoma. It was named by the Osage Nation after the caney grass that grows along its banks. The river originates in the Flint Hills of Kansas and flows through Bartlesville, Skiatook, and Tulsa before joining the Verdigris River. The Caney River is a tributary of the Arkansas River and provides water to several reservoirs, including Kaw Lake, Sooner Lake, and Oologah Lake. These reservoirs are used for flood control, drinking water supply, and recreation. The river and its tributaries also support agriculture, with crops such as soybeans, wheat, and corn grown on its floodplain. The Caney River has a rich history, with Native American tribes and early settlers using the river for transportation and trade. Today, it remains an important resource for the region's economy and recreation.

Last Updated 2025-02-17
Discharge Volume 290 ACRE-FT
Streamflow 146.4 cfs
+18.9 cfs (+14.82%)
Percent of Normal 37.44%
Maximum 67,240.0 cfs
2019-05-23
Seasonal Avg 391 cfs

YEAR OVER YEAR DISCHARGE (CFS)

Streamflow Conditions
Streamgauge Streamflow Gauge Stage 24hr Change (%) % Normal Minimum (cfs) Maximum (cfs) Air Temp Elevation
Caney R Nr Elgin
USGS 07172000
11 cfs 1.59 ft -9.68
Caney River Above Coon Creek At Bartlesville
USGS 07174400
29 cfs 3.18 ft -5.5
Caney River Near Ramona
USGS 07175500
106 cfs 2.94 ft 25.89
History of the River

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.

       

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