Table 1.—Cubic Feet Per Second of Water Discharged at Gauging Stations in Chautauqua, Elk, Montgomery, and Cowley Counties for Years Prior to 1951.

Gauging stationDrainage area (sq. mi.)Avg dischargeMaximum dischargeDateMinimum dischargeDate
Arkansas River at Arkansas City43,7131,630103,000June 10, 19231October 9, 1921
Walnut River at Winfield1,840738105,000April 23, 194401928, 1936
Big Caney River at Elgin44526435,500April 10, 194401939, 1940, 1946, 1947
Elk River near Elk City57539339,200April 16, 194501939, 1940, 1946
Fall River near Fall River59135945,600April 16, 194501939, 1940, 1946
Verdigris River at Independence2,8921,649117,000April 17, 194501932, 1934, 1936, 1939, 1940

Something of the effect that drought and flash-flood have had on Big Caney River is shown by the monthly means of daily discharge from October, 1954, to September, 1956, at the stream-gauging station near Elgin, Kansas (Table 2). Within these monthly variations there are also pronounced daily fluctuations; on Big Caney River approximately ¼ mile south of Elgin, Kansas, discharge in cubic feet per second for May, 1944, ranged from .7 to 9,270.0 and for May, 1956, from .03 to 20.0.