River Levels

South Dakota river levels

Live streamflow for 80 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.

53% of gauged South Dakota rivers are running in their normal range for the date, as of October 26, 2026.

Of 34 gauged reaches with a long enough USGS record, 14 are below normal (5 of them much below), 18 are in the normal range, and 2 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: Angling Hubs analysis of USGS streamflow, anglinghubs.com/flows/south-dakota.

River	Flow	Usually today	Vs normal	NWS flood status
Big Sioux RiverBig Sioux River near Jefferson, SD	752 cfs9.17 ft	926 cfs	Normal39th percentile · 11 yr record	Below flood stageFlood stage 31 ft. NWS reads 9.16 ft here.
James RiverJames River at Huron, SD	427 cfs9.55 ft	Not recorded	No historical record	No NWS flood stage
James RiverJames River near Redfield, SD	415 cfs5.38 ft	Not recorded	No historical record	Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water.
James RiverJames River near Stratford, SD	313 cfs8.53 ft	Not recorded	No historical record	Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water.
James RiverJames River near Forestburg, SD	208 cfs5.16 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	154 cfs5.05 ft	186 cfs	Normal42nd percentile · 55 yr record	Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water.
Inlet CanalInlet Canal above Belle Fourche Reservoir, SD	139 cfs4.90 ft	Not recorded	No historical record	No NWS flood stage
Redwater RiverRedwater River above Belle Fourche, SD	136 cfs3.09 ft	152 cfs	Normal39th percentile · 81 yr record	Below flood stageFlood stage 9 ft. NWS reads 3.09 ft here.
James RiverJames River at Columbia, SD	132 cfs6.12 ft	Not recorded	No historical record	No NWS flood stage
White RiverWhite River near Oacoma, SD	129 cfs7.94 ft	110 cfs	Normal54th percentile · 98 yr record	Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water.
James RiverJames River near Scotland, SD	118 cfs4.11 ft	71 cfs	Normal54th percentile · 98 yr record	Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water.
Little White RiverLittle White River below White River, SD	107 cfs1.95 ft	Not recorded	No historical record	Below flood stageFlood stage 13 ft. NWS reads 1.96 ft here.
Little White RiverLittle White River near Rosebud, SD	106 cfs4.16 ft	Not recorded	No historical record	Below flood stageFlood stage 10 ft. NWS reads 4.17 ft here.
Big Sioux RiverBig Sioux River near Dell Rapids, SD	105 cfs3.17 ft	91 cfs	Normal51st percentile · 78 yr record	Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water.
James RiverJames River near Yankton, SD	104 cfs3.33 ft	349 cfs	Normal25th percentile · 45 yr record	Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water.
Cheyenne RiverCheyenne River near Wasta, SD	77 cfs0.43 ft	Not recorded	No historical record	Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water.
Big Sioux RiverBig Sioux River at Sioux Falls, SD	73 cfs1.48 ft	86 cfs	Normal43rd percentile · 83 yr record	Below flood stageFlood stage 8 ft. NWS reads 1.49 ft here.
Grand RiverGrand River at Little Eagle, SD	62 cfs2.70 ft	51 cfs	Normal55th percentile · 68 yr record	Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water.
Keya Paha RiverKeya Paha River at Wewela, SD	58 cfs2.30 ft	Not recorded	No historical record	Below flood stageFlood stage 10 ft. NWS reads 2.23 ft here.
Cheyenne RiverCheyenne River near Scenic, SD	49 cfs6.20 ft	Not recorded	No historical record	Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water.
Cheyenne RiverCheyenne River at Red Shirt, SD	48 cfs9.45 ft	Not recorded	No historical record	Below flood stageFlood stage 20 ft. NWS reads 9.45 ft here.
White RiverWhite River near Interior, SD	46 cfs3.77 ft	Not recorded	No historical record	Below flood stageFlood stage 14 ft. NWS reads 3.77 ft here.
Cheyenne RiverCheyenne River near Plainview, SD	45 cfs8.12 ft	Not recorded	No historical record	Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water.
Big Sioux RiverBig Sioux River near Castlewood, SD	45 cfs5.00 ft	Not recorded	No historical record	Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water.
Rapid CreekRapid CR near Farmingdale, SD	37 cfs5.66 ft	Not recorded	No historical record	Below flood stageFlood stage 11 ft. NWS reads 5.66 ft here.
Belle Fourche RiverBelle Fourche River near Sturgis, SD	36 cfs2.46 ft	Not recorded	No historical record	Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water.
White RiverWhite River near White River, SD	36 cfs3.35 ft	Not recorded	No historical record	No NWS flood stage
Grand RiverGrand River near Thunder Hawk, SD	35 cfs5.07 ft	Not recorded	No historical record	No NWS flood stage
Rapid CreekRapid Creek above Pactola Res at Silver City, SD	31 cfs4.73 ft	27 cfs	Normal57th percentile · 73 yr record	Below flood stageFlood stage 13 ft. NWS reads 4.74 ft here.
Little White RiverLittle White River near Vetal, SD	28 cfs3.26 ft	Not recorded	No historical record	Below flood stageFlood stage 11 ft. NWS reads 3.27 ft here.
Keya Paha RiverKeya Paha River near Keyapaha, SD	27 cfs4.52 ft	Not recorded	No historical record	No NWS flood stage
Fall RiverFall River at Hot Springs, SD	26 cfs0.84 ft	26 cfs	Normal55th percentile · 57 yr record	Below flood stageFlood stage 4.5 ft. NWS reads 0.84 ft here.
White RiverWhite River near Kadoka, SD	21 cfs3.84 ft	Not recorded	No historical record	Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water.
Vermillion RiverVermillion River near Vermillion,sd	20 cfs1.53 ft	74 cfs	Below normal15th percentile · 43 yr record	Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water.
Flandreau CreekFlandreau Creek above Flandreau, SD	19 cfs4.45 ft	Not recorded	No historical record	Below flood stageFlood stage 9 ft. NWS reads 4.44 ft here.
Split Rock CreekSplit Rock Creek at Corson, SD	17 cfs1.81 ft	28 cfs	Normal30th percentile · 61 yr record	Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water.
Little White RiverLittle White River near Martin, SD	15 cfs0.92 ft	Not recorded	No historical record	Below flood stageFlood stage 10 ft. NWS reads 0.92 ft here.
Belle Fourche RiverBelle Fourche River near Elm Springs, SD	14 cfs3.75 ft	Not recorded	No historical record	Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water.
North Fork Whetstone RiverWhetstone River near Big Stone City, SD	12 cfs1.45 ft	Not recorded	No historical record	No NWS flood stage
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.
Bad RiverBad River near Fort Pierre, SD	12 cfs1.17 ft	0.0 cfs	Above normal84th percentile · 98 yr record	Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water.
White RiverWhite River near Oglala, SD	10 cfs6.46 ft	Not recorded	No historical record	Below flood stageFlood stage 19 ft. NWS reads 6.45 ft here.
Elm RiverElm River at Westport, SD	10 cfs4.24 ft	Not recorded	No historical record	Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water.
South Fork Grand RiverSouth Fork Grand River near Cash, SD	9.7 cfs0.72 ft	Not recorded	No historical record	No NWS flood stage
Medicine CreekMedicine Creek near Lower Brule, SD	9.1 cfs9.59 ft	0.1 cfs	Above normal77th percentile · 12 yr 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
Bear-in-the-Lodge CreekBear IN the Lodge Creek near Wanblee, SD	8.2 cfs1.64 ft	Not recorded	No historical record	Below flood stageFlood stage 8 ft. NWS reads 1.64 ft here.
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 2.77 ft here.
Belle Fourche RiverBelle Fourche River near Fruitdale, SD	7.0 cfs1.55 ft	7.9 cfs	Normal42nd percentile · 73 yr record	Below flood stageFlood stage 12 ft. NWS reads 1.55 ft here.
Moreau RiverMoreau River near Faith, SD	6.5 cfs0.63 ft	Not recorded	No historical record	Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water.
Beaver CreekBeaver Creek near Buffalo Gap, SD	5.6 cfs4.04 ft	9.3 cfs	Below normal18th percentile · 88 yr record	Below flood stageFlood stage 7.5 ft. NWS reads 4.06 ft here.
Little Minnesota RiverLittle Minnesota River near Peever, SD	5.3 cfs9.77 ft	Not recorded	No historical record	No NWS flood stage
Boxelder CreekBoxelder Creek near Nemo, SD	3.3 cfs1.14 ft	8.0 cfs	Below normal17th percentile · 60 yr record	Below flood stageFlood stage 8 ft. NWS reads 1.15 ft here.
Battle CreekBattle Creek at Hermosa, SD	3.0 cfs2.59 ft	6.3 cfs	Normal25th percentile · 77 yr record	Below flood stageFlood stage 8 ft. NWS reads 2.59 ft here.
East Fork Vermillion RiverEast Fork Vermillion River near Parker, SD	3.0 cfs5.94 ft	12 cfs	Much below normal5th percentile · 31 yr record	Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water.
Antelope CreekAntelope CR near Mission, SD	2.7 cfs1.38 ft	2.5 cfs	No historical record	Below flood stageFlood stage 6 ft. NWS reads 1.4 ft here.
Little Missouri RiverLittle Missouri River at Camp Crook, SD	2.5 cfs1.72 ft	Not recorded	No historical record	Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water.
Big Sioux RiverBig Sioux River at Watertown, SD	1.9 cfs3.17 ft	Not recorded	No historical record	Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water.
French CreekFrench Creek above Fairburn, SD	1.7 cfs0.65 ft	4.2 cfs	Below normal17th percentile · 44 yr record	No NWS flood stage
Black Pipe CreekBlack Pipe Creek near Belvidere, SD	1.4 cfs2.31 ft	Not recorded	No historical record	No NWS flood stage

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 it is fishing well or safe to wade: check the regulations and a current local report before you go. 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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