Cimarron River (Arkansas River tributary)
The Cimarron River (/ˈsɪmərɒn, -roʊn/ SIM-ə-ro(h)n; Iowa-Oto: Ñíxgu or Ñíhgu, meaning 'Salt River'; Cheyenne: Hotóao'hé'e) 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 corner of southeastern 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).
| Cimarron River | |
|---|---|
The Cimarron River, near Forgan, Oklahoma | |
Map of the Arkansas River basin with the Cimarron River highlighted. | |
| Etymology | Río de los Carneros Cimarrones (Spanish for 'River of the Wild Sheep') |
| Native name | |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma |
| Cities | Cushing, Oklahoma, Mannford, Oklahoma, Guthrie, Oklahoma |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Confluence of Dry Cimarron River and Carrizozo Creek |
| • location | Kenton, Cimarron County, Oklahoma |
| • coordinates | 36°54′24″N 102°59′12″W |
| • elevation | 4,318 ft (1,316 m) |
| Mouth | Arkansas River |
• location | Keystone Lake, at Westport, Pawnee County, Oklahoma |
• coordinates | 36°10′14″N 96°16′19″W |
• elevation | 722 ft (220 m) |
| Length | 698 mi (1,123 km) |
| Basin size | 18,950 sq mi (49,100 km2) |
| Discharge | |
| • location | Guthrie, Oklahoma, 65 miles (105 km) from the mouth |
| • average | 1,163 cu ft/s (32.9 m3/s) |
| • minimum | 0.3 cu ft/s (0.0085 m3/s) |
| • maximum | 158,000 cu ft/s (4,500 m3/s) |