River Levels
South Dakota river levels
Live streamflow for 79 gauged South Dakota reaches, highest first. Where a gauge has a long enough record, the reading is placed against its own history for today's date.
56% of gauged South Dakota rivers are running in their normal range for the date, as of October 25, 2026.
Of 34 gauged reaches with a long enough USGS record, 14 are below normal (8 of them much below), 19 are in the normal range, and 1 are above normal (0 of them much above). Normal means the middle half of that gauge's own history for this calendar date.
To cite: Boating Hubs analysis of USGS streamflow, boatinghubs.com/flows/south-dakota.
| River | Flow | Usually today | Vs normal | NWS flood status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Sioux RiverBig Sioux River near Jefferson, SD | 767 cfs9.20 ft | 949 cfs | Normal39th percentile · 11 yr record | Below flood stageFlood stage 31 ft. NWS reads 9.2 ft here. |
| James RiverJames River near Redfield, SD | 419 cfs5.40 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| James RiverJames River at Huron, SD | 377 cfs9.49 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| James RiverJames River near Stratford, SD | 342 cfs8.78 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| Big Sioux RiverBig Sioux R at North Cliff Ave at Sioux Falls, SD | 148 cfs5.03 ft | 188 cfs | Normal41st percentile · 55 yr record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| Inlet CanalInlet Canal above Belle Fourche Reservoir, SD | 141 cfs4.91 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| Redwater RiverRedwater River above Belle Fourche, SD | 134 cfs3.08 ft | 147 cfs | Normal39th percentile · 81 yr record | Below flood stageFlood stage 9 ft. NWS reads 3.09 ft here. |
| James RiverJames River at Columbia, SD | 133 cfs6.14 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| White RiverWhite River near Oacoma, SD | 133 cfs7.96 ft | 112 cfs | Normal56th percentile · 98 yr record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| James RiverJames River near Forestburg, SD | 120 cfs4.79 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| James RiverJames River near Scotland, SD | 116 cfs4.10 ft | 72 cfs | Normal53rd percentile · 98 yr record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| James RiverJames River near Yankton, SD | 109 cfs3.35 ft | 364 cfs | Normal27th percentile · 45 yr record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| Big Sioux RiverBig Sioux River near Dell Rapids, SD | 105 cfs3.17 ft | 90 cfs | Normal51st percentile · 78 yr record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| Little White RiverLittle White River near Rosebud, SD | 100 cfs4.12 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | Below flood stageFlood stage 10 ft. NWS reads 4.12 ft here. |
| Little White RiverLittle White River below White River, SD | 99 cfs1.92 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| Big Sioux RiverBig Sioux River at Sioux Falls, SD | 83 cfs1.53 ft | 84 cfs | Normal49th percentile · 83 yr record | Below flood stageFlood stage 8 ft. NWS reads 1.5 ft here. |
| Cheyenne RiverCheyenne River near Wasta, SD | 80 cfs0.44 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| Grand RiverGrand River at Little Eagle, SD | 57 cfs2.67 ft | 55 cfs | Normal51st percentile · 68 yr record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| Keya Paha RiverKeya Paha River at Wewela, SD | 54 cfs2.26 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| Cheyenne RiverCheyenne River near Scenic, SD | 50 cfs6.21 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| Cheyenne RiverCheyenne River near Plainview, SD | 48 cfs8.13 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| Cheyenne RiverCheyenne River at Red Shirt, SD | 46 cfs9.43 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | Below flood stageFlood stage 20 ft. NWS reads 9.43 ft here. |
| Big Sioux RiverBig Sioux River near Castlewood, SD | 44 cfs4.99 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| Belle Fourche RiverBelle Fourche River near Sturgis, SD | 37 cfs2.47 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| White RiverWhite River near Interior, SD | 35 cfs3.70 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| Grand RiverGrand River near Thunder Hawk, SD | 34 cfs5.06 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| Rapid CreekRapid CR near Farmingdale, SD | 33 cfs5.61 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | Below flood stageFlood stage 11 ft. NWS reads 5.57 ft here. |
| White RiverWhite River near White River, SD | 32 cfs3.33 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| Rapid CreekRapid Creek above Pactola Res at Silver City, SD | 31 cfs4.73 ft | 28 cfs | Normal55th percentile · 73 yr record | Below flood stageFlood stage 13 ft. NWS reads 4.73 ft here. |
| Fall RiverFall River at Hot Springs, SD | 27 cfs0.85 ft | 26 cfs | Normal64th percentile · 57 yr record | Below flood stageFlood stage 4.5 ft. NWS reads 0.85 ft here. |
| Keya Paha RiverKeya Paha River near Keyapaha, SD | 25 cfs4.48 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| Little White RiverLittle White River near Vetal, SD | 24 cfs3.21 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| Vermillion RiverVermillion River near Vermillion,sd | 21 cfs1.54 ft | 75 cfs | Below normal16th percentile · 43 yr record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| White RiverWhite River near Kadoka, SD | 19 cfs3.82 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| Flandreau CreekFlandreau Creek above Flandreau, SD | 18 cfs4.43 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| Split Rock CreekSplit Rock Creek at Corson, SD | 17 cfs1.81 ft | 29 cfs | Normal30th percentile · 61 yr record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| Little White RiverLittle White River near Martin, SD | 14 cfs0.90 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| Belle Fourche RiverBelle Fourche River near Elm Springs, SD | 14 cfs3.75 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| White RiverWhite River near Oglala, SD | 12 cfs6.53 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | Below flood stageFlood stage 19 ft. NWS reads 6.51 ft here. |
| Little Spearfish CreekLittle Spearfish Creek near Lead, SD | 12 cfs4.75 ft | 17 cfs | Below normal11th percentile · 38 yr record | Below flood stageFlood stage 7.5 ft. NWS reads 4.75 ft here. |
| North Fork Whetstone RiverWhetstone River near Big Stone City, SD | 10 cfs1.39 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| South Fork Grand RiverSouth Fork Grand River near Cash, SD | 9.1 cfs0.70 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| Bad RiverBad River near Fort Pierre, SD | 9.0 cfs1.11 ft | 0.0 cfs | Above normal86th percentile · 98 yr record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| Elm RiverElm River at Westport, SD | 8.4 cfs4.20 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| Rapid CreekCleghorn Springs at Rapid City, SD | 8.4 cfs2.61 ft | 12 cfs | Much below normal5th percentile · 34 yr record | No NWS flood stage |
| Medicine CreekMedicine Creek near Lower Brule, SD | 8.2 cfs9.57 ft | 0.2 cfs | Normal75th percentile · 12 yr record | No NWS flood stage |
| South Fork Castle CreekCastle CR above Deerfield Res near Hill City, SD | 7.7 cfs2.76 ft | 11 cfs | Below normal18th percentile · 78 yr record | Below flood stageFlood stage 6 ft. NWS reads 2.76 ft here. |
| Belle Fourche RiverBelle Fourche River near Fruitdale, SD | 7.0 cfs1.55 ft | 7.2 cfs | Normal47th percentile · 73 yr record | Below flood stageFlood stage 12 ft. NWS reads 1.55 ft here. |
| Bear-in-the-Lodge CreekBear IN the Lodge Creek near Wanblee, SD | 6.7 cfs1.59 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | Below flood stageFlood stage 8 ft. NWS reads 1.58 ft here. |
| Moreau RiverMoreau River near Faith, SD | 6.5 cfs0.63 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| Little Minnesota RiverLittle Minnesota River near Peever, SD | 6.2 cfs9.80 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| East Fork Vermillion RiverEast Fork Vermillion River near Parker, SD | 3.7 cfs5.97 ft | 14 cfs | Much below normal5th percentile · 31 yr record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| Boxelder CreekBoxelder Creek near Nemo, SD | 3.5 cfs1.15 ft | 7.8 cfs | Below normal18th percentile · 60 yr record | Below flood stageFlood stage 8 ft. NWS reads 1.15 ft here. |
| Beaver CreekBeaver Creek near Buffalo Gap, SD | 3.3 cfs3.69 ft | 9.2 cfs | Much below normal9th percentile · 88 yr record | Below flood stageFlood stage 7.5 ft. NWS reads 3.69 ft here. |
| Battle CreekBattle Creek at Hermosa, SD | 2.9 cfs2.58 ft | 6.0 cfs | Normal25th percentile · 77 yr record | Below flood stageFlood stage 8 ft. NWS reads 2.58 ft here. |
| Antelope CreekAntelope CR near Mission, SD | 2.3 cfs1.33 ft | 2.3 cfs | No historical record | Below flood stageFlood stage 6 ft. NWS reads 1.33 ft here. |
| Little Missouri RiverLittle Missouri River at Camp Crook, SD | 2.3 cfs1.71 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| Big Sioux RiverBig Sioux River at Watertown, SD | 1.8 cfs3.16 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| French CreekFrench Creek above Fairburn, SD | 1.5 cfs0.63 ft | 4.3 cfs | Much below normal10th percentile · 44 yr record | No NWS flood stage |
| Whitewood CreekWhitewood Creek near Whitewood, SD | 1.2 cfs5.46 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | Below flood stageFlood stage 13 ft. NWS reads 5.46 ft here. |
Streamflow from the U.S. Geological Survey, updated hourly. "Usually today" is the median for this calendar date over the gauge's full record. A gauge tells you how much water is moving, not whether a stretch is safe to run: check the channel, the hazards and a current local notice before you launch. Flood stages and forecasts: NOAA National Weather Service; "Vs normal" is our comparison with the USGS record, not a National Weather Service product.
All state river levels·Browse every mapped South Dakota river
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104 gauges
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162 gauges
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37 gauges
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78 gauges
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14 gauges
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44 gauges
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142 gauges
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78 gauges
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