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Flow report

South Dakota River Levels & Streamflow

As of Aug 10, 2026, South Dakota rivers are running at 42% of normal across 95 USGS gauges — the highest is 618 cfs on the James R Near Redfield Sd. Live discharge, gauge height, and percent-of-normal for every USGS streamgauge in South Dakota.

USGS gauges
95
State percent normal
42%
Paddle runs
0
Updated
Aug 10
Open the South Dakota flow layer on the map Every USGS streamgauge filtered to South Dakota.
Open the map →
August
10
2026
Flow briefing

Streamflow levels across South Dakota are currently 42% of normal, with the James R Near Redfield Sd reporting the highest discharge in the state at 618 cfs and a gauge stage of 6.27 ft.

Meanwhile, the James R At Huron Sd is seeing a spike today — up 15% since yesterday and currently running near peak.

Tap any gauge below for the full hydrograph, paired weather forecast, and historical context. Use the rivers panel to jump into South Dakota's named rivers.

South Dakota at a glance

State-wide streamflow overview

The South Dakota flow picture in four data points -- where the state sits versus historical norms, what's flowing hardest, and what's spiking fastest.

Percent of normal

42%

100% is the historical norm. Below 70% indicates drought; above 130% can flag elevated flood risk.

Highest discharge

James R Near Redfield Sd 618 cfs

Gauge stage 6.27 ft

Biggest 24h spike

James R At Huron Sd +15%

Now 529 cfs

Network coverage

Gauges + rivers tracked 95 + 0

USGS gauges feeding 0 named rivers in South Dakota.

Full streamgauge inventory

South Dakota USGS streamgauges

Every USGS gauge Snoflo tracks in South Dakota. Sortable, quickly filterable. Numeric columns heat-mapped from light to deep. Tap any gauge for its full hydrograph and forecast.

95 gauges
Streamgage Streamflow Gage height Water temp Air temp Elevation Watershed
James R Near Redfield Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06475000
614 cfs 6.25 ft · 67°F 1,264 ft Middle James
James R At Ashton Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06473000
583 cfs 6.59 ft · 67°F 1,271 ft Middle James
James R At Huron Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06476000
481 cfs 9.67 ft · 67°F 1,233 ft Middle James
James R Near Forestburg Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06477000
469 cfs 6.20 ft · 67°F 1,214 ft Lower James
James R Near Scotland Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06478500
438 cfs 4.99 ft · 68°F 1,187 ft Lower James
James R Near Mitchell Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06478000
434 cfs 11.50 ft · 67°F 1,206 ft Lower James
James River Nr Yankton Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06478513
384 cfs 3.91 ft · 68°F 1,164 ft Lower James
James R Near Stratford Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06472000
318 cfs 8.43 ft · 66°F 1,276 ft Upper James
Big Sioux R Near Dell Rapids Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06481000
224 cfs 3.73 ft · 65°F 1,464 ft Lower Big Sioux
Big Sioux R At North Cliff Ave At Sioux Falls Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06482020
208 cfs 5.48 ft · 67°F 1,303 ft Lower Big Sioux
Big Sioux R At Sioux Falls Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06482000
187 cfs 1.87 ft · 67°F 1,395 ft Lower Big Sioux
Big Sioux River Near Brookings Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06480000
174 cfs 2.74 ft · 64°F 1,562 ft Lower Big Sioux
Little Minnesota River Near Peever, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 05290000
169 cfs 11.62 ft · 65°F 1,015 ft Upper Minnesota
Big Sioux River Near Bruce, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06479770
142 cfs 3.70 ft · 64°F 1,630 ft Upper Big Sioux
Cheyenne R Near Plainview Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06438500
138 cfs 8.40 ft 60°F 62°F 1,865 ft Lower Cheyenne
Belle Fourche River Near Elm Springs, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06438000
129 cfs 4.49 ft · 64°F 2,180 ft Lower Belle Fourche
Bois De Sioux River Near White Rock, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 05050000
128 cfs 4.80 ft · 65°F 968 ft Bois De Sioux
Belle Fourche R Near Sturgis Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06437000
124 cfs 3.00 ft · 64°F 2,546 ft Lower Belle Fourche
Belle Fourche R At Wy-Sd State Line, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06428500
89 cfs 4.33 ft · 61°F 3,103 ft Lower Belle Fourche
White R Near Oacoma Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06452000
89 cfs 7.76 ft · 67°F 1,394 ft Lower White
Little White R Near Rosebud Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06449500
87 cfs 4.04 ft · 64°F 2,305 ft Little White
James R At Columbia Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06471000
86 cfs 5.54 ft · 67°F 1,287 ft Upper James
Rapid Cr Below Pactola Dam Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06411500
74 cfs 7.75 ft · 57°F 4,420 ft Rapid
Keya Paha R At Wewela Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06464500
66 cfs 2.36 ft · 65°F 2,053 ft Keya Paha
Rapid Cr At Rapid City Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06414000
62 cfs 3.68 ft · 65°F 3,246 ft Rapid
Rapid Cr Above Canyon Lake Near Rapid City Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06412500
62 cfs 2.31 ft 35°F 65°F 3,416 ft Rapid
Inlet Canal Above Belle Fourche Reservoir Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06434505
61 cfs 4.51 ft · 61°F 2,985 ft Lower Belle Fourche
Big Sioux R Near Castlewood Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06479525
57 cfs 5.07 ft · 62°F 1,682 ft Upper Big Sioux
Fall R At Hot Springs Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06402000
50 cfs · · 65°F 3,430 ft Middle Cheyenne-Spring
Cheyenne River Near Wasta, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06423500
47 cfs · · 62°F 2,269 ft Middle Cheyenne-Elk
Cheyenne River At Redshirt, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06403700
40 cfs 9.28 ft 76°F 62°F 2,670 ft Middle Cheyenne-Spring
Little White R Below White River Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06450500
40 cfs 1.67 ft · 64°F 1,927 ft Little White
Cheyenne R Near Buffalo Gap Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06402600
40 cfs 2.10 ft · 62°F 2,820 ft Middle Cheyenne-Spring
Spearfish Cr At Spearfish Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06431500
38 cfs 4.81 ft · 67°F 3,669 ft Redwater
Whetstone River Near Big Stone City, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 05291000
34 cfs 1.82 ft · 62°F 1,017 ft Upper Minnesota
Keya Paha R Near Keyapaha Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06464100
29 cfs 4.54 ft · 64°F 2,220 ft Keya Paha
James River At Nd-Sd State Line, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06470878
26 cfs 87.91 ft 32°F 63°F 1,290 ft Upper James
Grand R At Little Eagle Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06357800
25 cfs 2.41 ft · 61°F 1,640 ft Grand
Redwater River Above Belle Fourche Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06433000
23 cfs 2.33 ft · 61°F 3,018 ft Redwater
White R Near Kadoka Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06447000
22 cfs 3.91 ft · 62°F 2,131 ft Middle White
Big Sioux R At Watertown Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06479500
22 cfs 3.98 ft · 63°F 1,717 ft Upper Big Sioux
Little White R Near Vetal Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06449100
20 cfs 3.01 ft 42°F 62°F 2,789 ft Little White
Rapid Cr Near Farmingdale Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06421500
18 cfs 5.27 ft · 61°F 2,711 ft Rapid
Vermillion River Nr Vermillion Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06479010
17 cfs 1.40 ft · 67°F 1,137 ft Vermillion
White River Near White River, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06447450
17 cfs 3.33 ft · 65°F 1,775 ft Middle White
Spearfish Creek Near Lead, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06430770
16 cfs 7.44 ft · 52°F 5,312 ft Redwater
Redwater Cr At Wy-Sd State Line, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06430500
15 cfs 2.64 ft · 62°F 3,424 ft Redwater
Big Sioux R Near Watertown Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06479438
15 cfs 4.19 ft · 62°F 1,742 ft Upper Big Sioux
Little Spearfish Creek Near Lead, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06430850
14 cfs 4.67 ft · 56°F 5,053 ft Redwater
Murray Ditch Ab Headgate At Wy-Sd State Line, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06429997
13 cfs 1.77 ft · 62°F 3,457 ft Redwater
Rapid Cr Above Pactola Res At Silver City, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06410500
12 cfs 4.49 ft · 55°F 4,628 ft Rapid
Elm R At Westport Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06471500
12 cfs 4.25 ft · 66°F 1,323 ft Elm
South Fork Grand R Near Cash Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06356500
10 cfs · · 58°F 2,425 ft South Fork Grand
Castle Cr Below Deerfield Dam Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06410000
10 cfs 3.51 ft · 58°F 5,795 ft Rapid
Cleghorn Springs At Rapid City, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06412810
10 cfs 2.66 ft · 65°F 3,371 ft Rapid
Castle Cr Above Deerfield Res Near Hill City Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06409000
8 cfs 2.73 ft · 59°F 5,929 ft Rapid
Belle Fourche R Near Fruitdale Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06436000
8 cfs 1.62 ft · 61°F 2,940 ft Lower Belle Fourche
Split Rock Cr At Corson Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06482610
7 cfs 1.69 ft · 66°F 1,307 ft Lower Big Sioux
Beaver Cr Near Buffalo Gap Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06402500
6 cfs 4.58 ft · 64°F 3,161 ft Middle Cheyenne-Spring
Little White R Near Martin Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06447500
6 cfs · · 62°F 3,069 ft Little White
Rhoads Fork Near Rochford Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06408700
4 cfs 3.74 ft · 57°F 5,981 ft Rapid
Flandreau Cr Above Flandreau Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06480650
4 cfs 4.37 ft · 64°F 1,571 ft Lower Big Sioux
Whitewood Cr Above Whitewood, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06436180
3 cfs · · 66°F 3,681 ft Lower Belle Fourche
East Fork Vermillion River Near Parker, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06478600
3 cfs 5.01 ft · 67°F 1,328 ft Vermillion
Skunk Cr At Sioux Falls Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06481500
3 cfs 2.17 ft · 68°F 1,411 ft Lower Big Sioux
Little Missouri R At Camp Crook Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06334500
2 cfs 1.64 ft · 58°F 3,102 ft Upper Little Missouri
Bear In The Lodge Cr Near Wanblee Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06446700
2 cfs 1.36 ft · 63°F 2,526 ft Middle White
Battle Cr At Hermosa Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06406000
2 cfs 2.50 ft · 61°F 3,284 ft Middle Cheyenne-Spring
Moreau R Near Faith Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06359500
1 cfs · · 61°F 2,248 ft Lower Moreau
Whitewood Creek Near Whitewood Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06436190
1 cfs 5.34 ft · 64°F 3,173 ft Lower Belle Fourche
Bear Butte Creek Near Deadwood, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06437020
1 cfs 3.61 ft · 61°F 4,753 ft Lower Belle Fourche
Big Sioux River Nr Florence Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06479215
1 cfs 2.38 ft · 66°F 1,787 ft Upper Big Sioux
White R Near Interior Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06446500
1 cfs 3.28 ft · 64°F 2,300 ft Middle White
Lake Cr Below Refuge Near Tuthill Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06449000
0 cfs 2.41 ft · 62°F 2,991 ft Little White
Bad R Near Fort Pierre Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06441500
0 cfs · · 74°F 1,437 ft Bad
French Cr Above Fairburn Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06403300
0 cfs · · 67°F 3,825 ft Middle Cheyenne-Spring
West Fork Vermillion R Near Parker Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06478690
0 cfs · · 67°F 1,350 ft Vermillion
Elk Cr Near Elm Springs Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06425500
0 cfs 3.48 ft · 63°F 2,322 ft Middle Cheyenne-Elk
Foot Creek Near Aberdeen, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06471800
0 cfs 4.06 ft · 68°F 1,329 ft Upper James
Boxelder Cr Near Nemo Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06422500
0 cfs 1.10 ft · 58°F 4,334 ft Middle Cheyenne-Elk
Platte Creek Near Platte, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06452320
0 cfs 1.36 ft · 68°F 1,373 ft Fort Randall Reservoir
Grace Coolidge Cr Nr Game Lodge Nr Custer Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06404998
0 cfs 6.49 ft · 66°F 4,125 ft Middle Cheyenne-Spring
Skunk Cr Nr Chester Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06481480
0 cfs · · 65°F 1,563 ft Lower Big Sioux
Horsehead Cr At Oelrichs Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06400875
0 cfs 1.89 ft · 62°F 3,315 ft Angostura Reservoir
Cheyenne R At Edgemont Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06395000
0 cfs · · 62°F 3,422 ft Angostura Reservoir
Hat Cr Near Edgemont Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06400000
0 cfs 6.63 ft · 63°F 3,301 ft Hat
Battle Cr Below Hermosa Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06406500
0 cfs 1.84 ft · 62°F 2,810 ft Middle Cheyenne-Spring
Battle Cr Near Keystone Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06404000
0 cfs 3.10 ft · 66°F 3,815 ft Middle Cheyenne-Spring
Spring Cr Near Keystone Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06407500
0 cfs 3.26 ft · 65°F 3,898 ft Middle Cheyenne-Spring
Whitewood Cr Above Vale Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06436198
0 cfs · · 62°F 2,857 ft Lower Belle Fourche
North Fork Grand R Near White Butte Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06355500
0 cfs · · 57°F 2,318 ft North Fork Grand
Moreau R Near Whitehorse Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06360500
0 cfs 1.31 ft · 63°F 1,670 ft Lower Moreau
South Fork Bad R Near Cottonwood Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06440200
0 cfs 4.22 ft · 61°F 2,253 ft Bad
White R Nr Ne-Sd State Line, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06445685
0 cfs 3.04 ft · 61°F 3,041 ft Upper White
Firesteel Cr Near Mount Vernon Sd, Sd
1 day ago · USGS 06477500
0 cfs 1.98 ft · 67°F 1,304 ft Lower James
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Flow report FAQ

About South Dakota streamflow

What are river levels like in South Dakota right now?

As of August 10, 2026, South Dakota rivers are running at 42% of normal across 95 USGS streamgauges, and the James R Near Redfield Sd is reporting the highest discharge at 618 cfs. The full sortable gauge table is below.

Which South Dakota river is running highest right now?

As of August 10, 2026, the highest discharge in South Dakota is 618 cfs on the James R Near Redfield Sd. See the sortable gauge table for the full statewide ranking.

Are South Dakota rivers high or low right now?

Compare the statewide percent-of-normal on this page: above 100% means South Dakota rivers are running higher than the seasonal average for the date, below 100% means lower (a dry spell or drought). Each gauge also shows its own percent of median.

Where does the South Dakota streamflow data come from?

The U.S. Geological Survey National Water Information System. USGS streamgauges report continuously (every 15 minutes) and the data is the canonical real-time record for U.S. rivers. Snoflo pulls the latest readings and joins them to a 7-day NOAA weather forecast for each station.

What is cfs?

Cubic feet per second — the standard unit for streamflow. One cfs is about 7.5 gallons per second. Small creeks run at single-digit cfs; the Mississippi at hundreds of thousands.

What does Gauge Height mean?

The water level at the gauge in feet above the reference datum. Used together with discharge to track river state. Flood stage and runnable levels are typically expressed in gauge height (e.g., "flood at 16 ft").

How fresh is the South Dakota data?

USGS streamgauges report every 15 minutes; Snoflo re-pulls throughout the day. The AI briefing regenerates daily.

Can I get a flow alert for a South Dakota gauge?

Yes. Save any USGS gauge as a favorite in the Snoflo iOS app, set a discharge or stage threshold (e.g. "alert me when discharge crosses 2,000 cfs"), and you'll get a push the moment it crosses.

Is this a substitute for an NWS flood warning?

No. Snoflo is informational. For flood life-safety decisions always follow guidance from your local NWS forecast office and state emergency management. Snoflo data is one input among several.