Cimarron River River Levels

Last Updated: April 1, 2026

The Cimarron River is a 698-mile long river that flows from the northeastern corner of New Mexico through Oklahoma and into Kansas.


Summary

Total streamflow across the Cimarron River was last observed at 966 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 1,917 acre-ft of water today; about 43% of normal. River levels are low and may signify a drought. Average streamflow for this time of year is 2,256 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2019-05-22 when daily discharge volume was observed at 217,928 cfs.

Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Cimarron River Near Ripley reporting a streamflow rate of 321 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Cimarron River Near Dover with a gauge stage of 9.61 ft. This river is monitored from 8 different streamgauging stations along the Cimarron River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 4,282 ft, the Cimarron River Near Kenton.




15-Day Weather Outlook


River Details

Last Updated 2026-04-01
Discharge Volume 1,917 ACRE-FT
Streamflow 966.4 cfs
+25.0 cfs (+2.66%)
Percent of Normal 42.84%
Maximum 217,928.0 cfs
2019-05-22
Seasonal Avg 2,256 cfs
       
River Streamflow Levels
Streamgauge Streamflow Gauge Stage 24hr Change (%) % Normal Minimum (cfs) Maximum (cfs) Air Temp Elevation
Cimarron River Near Kenton
USGS 07154500
0 cfs 4.77 ft None
Cimarron River Near Forgan
USGS 07156900
17 cfs 2.38 ft 0
Cimarron R Near Buttermilk
USGS 07157740
14 cfs 7.53 ft -4.83
Cimarron River Near Buffalo
USGS 07157950
65 cfs 3.77 ft 13.04
Cimarron River Near Waynoka
USGS 07158000
78 cfs 5.86 ft -10.14
Cimarron River Near Dover
USGS 07159100
142 cfs 9.61 ft -2.74
Cimarron River Near Guthrie
USGS 07160000
278 cfs 5.78 ft 8.17
Cimarron River Near Ripley
USGS 07161450
321 cfs 7.19 ft 3.22
Seasonal Discharge Comparison
Maximum Streamflow Discharge
Streamflow Elevation Profile

The Cimarron River () extends 698 miles (1,123 km) across New Mexico, Oklahoma, Colorado, and Kansas. The headwaters flow from Johnson Mesa west of Folsom in northeastern New Mexico. Much of the river's length lies in Oklahoma, where it either borders or passes through eleven counties. There are no major cities along its route. The river enters the Oklahoma Panhandle near Kenton, Oklahoma, crosses the southeastern corner of Colorado into Kansas, reenters the Oklahoma Panhandle, reenters Kansas, and finally returns to Oklahoma where it joins the Arkansas River at Keystone Reservoir west of Tulsa, Oklahoma, its only impoundment. The Cimarron drains a basin that encompasses about 18,927 square miles (49,020 km2).