Rivermatics

3 USGS Streamgages · Colorado River system

Oak Creek flows and levels

Oak Creek is gauged at 3 USGS streamgages in Arizona, each tracked by Rivermatics. The mainstem runs about 62 miles (100 km) from headwaters to outlet. It drains into the Colorado River system. Drainage area at the gauges ranges from 143 square miles at Oak Creek at Slide Rock below SR 89A near Sedona, AZ up to 355 at Oak Creek near Cornville, AZ. The gauged reach falls about 1,413 feet, from 4,883 feet down to 3,470. Rivermatics issues a daily machine-learned 14-day flow outlook at 2 of them.

Gauges on this river, upstream to downstream

Ordered by drainage area, which is how far down the river each gauge sits. April and July figures are long-term median daily flows for that month from the USGS record — historical normals, not a forecast and not today's reading.

USGS streamgages on this river, ordered upstream to downstream
Gauge State Drainage sq mi Elevation ft April p50 cfs July p50 cfs Forecast
Oak Creek at Slide Rock below SR 89A near Sedona, AZ AZ 143 4,883 — — —
Oak Creek near Sedona, AZ AZ 233 4,173 34.5 28.7 14-day + temp
Oak Creek near Cornville, AZ AZ 355 3,470 39.2 20.4 14-day

Typical flow by month at Oak Creek near Cornville, AZ

The furthest-downstream gauge on this river, so the fullest flow it carries here. Long-term daily discharge percentiles from the USGS record (up to 86 years of data), averaged within each month. These describe the historical normal range — they are not a forecast and not today's reading.

Historical monthly discharge percentiles in cubic feet per second
Month Low p10 Typical p50 High p90 Range
January 34.1 40.5 157.9
February 33.8 51.2 337.1
March 33.3 90.4 566
April 27.8 39.2 365.8
May 20.3 25.5 41.2
June 15.3 19.5 26
July 14.9 20.4 35.4
August 17.4 23.9 50.4
September 19.2 25.1 45.9
October 22.9 28.1 42.6
November 28.9 34 50.5
December 32.6 37.6 96.3

All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).

Common questions

When does the Oak Creek run highest?
March, on the long-term record at Oak Creek near Cornville, AZ — the furthest-downstream gauge Rivermatics tracks on this river. Median daily flow there is about 90.4 cfs that month, against 19.5 cfs in June, the lowest. Upstream gauges peak on their own schedule; the table on this page gives April and July for each.
How many gauges are on the Oak Creek?
Rivermatics tracks 3 USGS streamgages on the Oak Creek, across Arizona. Each has its own page with the site's full flow record and monthly normals. The river may carry other gauges that publish neither daily values nor discharge statistics; those are not tracked here.
Is there a flow forecast for the Oak Creek?
Yes, at 2 of the 3 gauges. Rivermatics trains a machine-learned model — a temporal-fusion transformer — on each basin's observed flows, weather and snowpack, and issues a daily outlook reaching 14 days ahead: a median estimate inside a confidence band, not a single number to bet on. Every forecast is scored against days the model never trained on, and that track record is published on each gauge's live screen.
What river system is the Oak Creek part of?
The Oak Creek drains into the Colorado River system — it is a tributary somewhere in that chain, following the flowpath down to its terminal river. Rivermatics builds this from the USGS/geoconnex reference-mainstem network rather than from names.
Can I use Oak Creek data for flood or safety decisions?
No. Rivermatics provides estimates, not guarantees, and the readings and forecasts here may be delayed, inaccurate, or wrong. Do not use them for navigation or for any safety, rescue, or emergency decision. Check the National Weather Service and USGS directly, and use your own judgment.

Other rivers in the Colorado River system

Browse nearby gauges by state