Flow report
South Dakota River Levels & Streamflow
As of Aug 6, 2026, South Dakota rivers are running at 52% of normal across 97 USGS gauges — the highest is 527 cfs on the James R Near Scotland Sd. Live discharge, gauge height, and percent-of-normal for every USGS streamgauge in South Dakota.
USGS gauges
97
State percent normal
52%
Paddle runs
0
Updated
Aug 6
Open the South Dakota flow layer on the map
Every USGS streamgauge filtered to South Dakota.
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August
6
2026
Flow briefing
Streamflow levels across South Dakota are currently 52% of normal, with the James R Near Scotland Sd reporting the highest discharge in the state at 527 cfs and a gauge stage of 5.14 ft.
Meanwhile, the Big Sioux R At North Cliff Ave At Sioux Falls Sd is seeing a spike today — up 39% 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.
River levels near South Dakota towns
Active weather warnings for South Dakota
# South Dakota Natural Disaster Report
South Dakota is currently under two active weather alerts. A Dense Fog Advisory affects Bon Homme and Minnehaha Counties (including the Sioux Falls area) until 10:00 AM CDT, with visibility reduced to one-quarter mile or less, creating hazardous driving conditions. Simultaneously, a Red Flag Warning is in effect for Fall River and Butte Counties in western South Dakota until 8:00 PM MDT Thursday, with northwest winds gusting up to 30 mph and humidity dropping to 11 percent, creating critical fire weather conditions where any fires will spread rapidly. Residents in affected areas should exercise caution while driving in dense fog and avoid all outdoor burning activities during the warning period.
South Dakota is currently under two active weather alerts. A Dense Fog Advisory affects Bon Homme and Minnehaha Counties (including the Sioux Falls area) until 10:00 AM CDT, with visibility reduced to one-quarter mile or less, creating hazardous driving conditions. Simultaneously, a Red Flag Warning is in effect for Fall River and Butte Counties in western South Dakota until 8:00 PM MDT Thursday, with northwest winds gusting up to 30 mph and humidity dropping to 11 percent, creating critical fire weather conditions where any fires will spread rapidly. Residents in affected areas should exercise caution while driving in dense fog and avoid all outdoor burning activities during the warning period.
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
52%
100% is the historical norm. Below 70% indicates drought; above 130% can flag elevated flood risk.
Highest discharge
James R Near Scotland Sd
527 cfs
Gauge stage 5.14 ft
Biggest 24h spike
Big Sioux R At North Cliff Ave At Sioux Falls Sd
+39%
Now 294 cfs
Network coverage
Gauges + rivers tracked
97 + 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.
| Streamgage | Streamflow | Gage height | Water temp | Air temp | Elevation | Watershed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
James R At Ashton Sd, Sd
14 hours ago · USGS 06473000 |
538 cfs | 6.35 ft | · | 59°F | 1,271 ft | Middle James |
|
James R Near Redfield Sd, Sd
14 hours ago · USGS 06475000 |
537 cfs | 5.93 ft | · | 59°F | 1,264 ft | Middle James |
|
James R Near Scotland Sd, Sd
14 hours ago · USGS 06478500 |
502 cfs | 5.10 ft | · | 58°F | 1,187 ft | Lower James |
|
James River Nr Yankton Sd, Sd
14 hours ago · USGS 06478513 |
491 cfs | 4.05 ft | · | 57°F | 1,164 ft | Lower James |
|
James R At Huron Sd, Sd
14 hours ago · USGS 06476000 |
462 cfs | 9.65 ft | · | 59°F | 1,233 ft | Middle James |
|
James R Near Forestburg Sd, Sd
14 hours ago · USGS 06477000 |
449 cfs | 6.13 ft | · | 56°F | 1,214 ft | Lower James |
|
Bois De Sioux River Near White Rock, Sd
14 hours ago · USGS 05050000 |
447 cfs | 6.39 ft | · | 59°F | 968 ft | Bois De Sioux |
|
James R Near Mitchell Sd, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06478000 |
412 cfs | 11.42 ft | · | 58°F | 1,206 ft | Lower James |
|
James R Near Stratford Sd, Sd
14 hours ago · USGS 06472000 |
371 cfs | 8.86 ft | · | 57°F | 1,276 ft | Upper James |
|
Little Minnesota River Near Peever, Sd
14 hours ago · USGS 05290000 |
345 cfs | 12.55 ft | · | 66°F | 1,015 ft | Upper Minnesota |
|
Big Sioux R At North Cliff Ave At Sioux Falls Sd, Sd
14 hours ago · USGS 06482020 |
302 cfs | 5.74 ft | · | 57°F | 1,303 ft | Lower Big Sioux |
|
Big Sioux R Near Dell Rapids Sd, Sd
14 hours ago · USGS 06481000 |
297 cfs | 3.99 ft | · | 56°F | 1,464 ft | Lower Big Sioux |
|
Big Sioux River Near Brookings Sd, Sd
14 hours ago · USGS 06480000 |
234 cfs | 2.99 ft | · | 55°F | 1,562 ft | Lower Big Sioux |
|
Cheyenne R Near Plainview Sd, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06438500 |
204 cfs | 8.51 ft | 60°F | 62°F | 1,865 ft | Lower Cheyenne |
|
Big Sioux R At Sioux Falls Sd, Sd
14 hours ago · USGS 06482000 |
198 cfs | 1.91 ft | · | 57°F | 1,395 ft | Lower Big Sioux |
|
Big Sioux River Near Bruce, Sd
14 hours ago · USGS 06479770 |
186 cfs | 3.93 ft | · | 56°F | 1,630 ft | Upper Big Sioux |
|
Belle Fourche R Near Sturgis Sd, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06437000 |
160 cfs | 3.16 ft | · | 59°F | 2,546 ft | Lower Belle Fourche |
|
Belle Fourche River Near Elm Springs, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06438000 |
138 cfs | 4.53 ft | · | 62°F | 2,180 ft | Lower Belle Fourche |
|
White R Near Oacoma Sd, Sd
14 hours ago · USGS 06452000 |
119 cfs | 7.91 ft | · | 60°F | 1,394 ft | Lower White |
|
James R At Columbia Sd, Sd
14 hours ago · USGS 06471000 |
112 cfs | 5.91 ft | · | 59°F | 1,287 ft | Upper James |
|
Inlet Canal Above Belle Fourche Reservoir Sd, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06434505 |
105 cfs | 4.73 ft | · | 57°F | 2,985 ft | Lower Belle Fourche |
|
Keya Paha R At Wewela Sd, Sd
14 hours ago · USGS 06464500 |
98 cfs | 2.57 ft | · | 58°F | 2,053 ft | Keya Paha |
|
Belle Fourche R At Wy-Sd State Line, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06428500 |
88 cfs | 4.32 ft | · | 57°F | 3,103 ft | Lower Belle Fourche |
|
Rapid Cr Below Pactola Dam Sd, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06411500 |
87 cfs | 7.82 ft | · | 54°F | 4,420 ft | Rapid |
|
Big Sioux R Near Castlewood Sd, Sd
14 hours ago · USGS 06479525 |
84 cfs | 5.29 ft | · | 57°F | 1,682 ft | Upper Big Sioux |
|
Rapid Cr Above Canyon Lake Near Rapid City Sd, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06412500 |
74 cfs | 2.41 ft | 35°F | 60°F | 3,416 ft | Rapid |
|
Rapid Cr At Rapid City Sd, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06414000 |
74 cfs | 3.77 ft | · | 60°F | 3,246 ft | Rapid |
|
Little White R Near Rosebud Sd, Sd
14 hours ago · USGS 06449500 |
72 cfs | 3.93 ft | · | 60°F | 2,305 ft | Little White |
|
White River Near White River, Sd
14 hours ago · USGS 06447450 |
69 cfs | 3.67 ft | · | 60°F | 1,775 ft | Middle White |
|
Keya Paha R Near Keyapaha Sd, Sd
14 hours ago · USGS 06464100 |
53 cfs | 4.88 ft | · | 58°F | 2,220 ft | Keya Paha |
|
Cheyenne R Near Buffalo Gap Sd, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06402600 |
51 cfs | 2.22 ft | · | 60°F | 2,820 ft | Middle Cheyenne-Spring |
|
Cheyenne River Near Wasta, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06423500 |
50 cfs | · | · | 63°F | 2,269 ft | Middle Cheyenne-Elk |
|
Cheyenne River At Redshirt, Sd
16 hours ago · USGS 06403700 |
49 cfs | 9.40 ft | 73°F | 60°F | 2,670 ft | Middle Cheyenne-Spring |
|
Fall R At Hot Springs Sd, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06402000 |
48 cfs | · | · | 60°F | 3,430 ft | Middle Cheyenne-Spring |
|
Redwater River Above Belle Fourche Sd, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06433000 |
44 cfs | 2.56 ft | · | 56°F | 3,018 ft | Redwater |
|
Big Sioux R At Watertown Sd, Sd
14 hours ago · USGS 06479500 |
42 cfs | 4.34 ft | · | 56°F | 1,717 ft | Upper Big Sioux |
|
Whetstone River Near Big Stone City, Sd
14 hours ago · USGS 05291000 |
42 cfs | 1.91 ft | · | 60°F | 1,017 ft | Upper Minnesota |
|
Little White R Below White River Sd, Sd
14 hours ago · USGS 06450500 |
42 cfs | 1.68 ft | · | 62°F | 1,927 ft | Little White |
|
Spearfish Cr At Spearfish Sd, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06431500 |
39 cfs | 4.82 ft | · | 61°F | 3,669 ft | Redwater |
|
Rapid Cr Near Farmingdale Sd, Sd
16 hours ago · USGS 06421500 |
34 cfs | 5.53 ft | · | 60°F | 2,711 ft | Rapid |
|
Belle Fourche R Near Fruitdale Sd, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06436000 |
25 cfs | 1.78 ft | · | 57°F | 2,940 ft | Lower Belle Fourche |
|
Grand R At Little Eagle Sd, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06357800 |
24 cfs | 2.40 ft | · | 60°F | 1,640 ft | Grand |
|
Big Sioux R Near Watertown Sd, Sd
14 hours ago · USGS 06479438 |
22 cfs | 4.30 ft | · | 56°F | 1,742 ft | Upper Big Sioux |
|
Little White R Near Vetal Sd, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06449100 |
22 cfs | 3.03 ft | 42°F | 57°F | 2,789 ft | Little White |
|
Vermillion River Nr Vermillion Sd, Sd
14 hours ago · USGS 06479010 |
19 cfs | 1.45 ft | · | 55°F | 1,137 ft | Vermillion |
|
Spearfish Creek Near Lead, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06430770 |
17 cfs | 7.46 ft | · | 50°F | 5,312 ft | Redwater |
|
Rapid Cr Above Pactola Res At Silver City, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06410500 |
15 cfs | 4.52 ft | · | 53°F | 4,628 ft | Rapid |
|
Little Spearfish Creek Near Lead, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06430850 |
13 cfs | 4.66 ft | · | 53°F | 5,053 ft | Redwater |
|
Elm R At Westport Sd, Sd
14 hours ago · USGS 06471500 |
13 cfs | 4.26 ft | · | 58°F | 1,323 ft | Elm |
|
Murray Ditch Ab Headgate At Wy-Sd State Line, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06429997 |
12 cfs | 1.68 ft | · | 57°F | 3,457 ft | Redwater |
|
Redwater Cr At Wy-Sd State Line, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06430500 |
12 cfs | 2.57 ft | · | 57°F | 3,424 ft | Redwater |
|
White R Near Kadoka Sd, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06447000 |
11 cfs | 3.79 ft | · | 61°F | 2,131 ft | Middle White |
|
South Fork Grand R Near Cash Sd, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06356500 |
11 cfs | · | · | 55°F | 2,425 ft | South Fork Grand |
|
Castle Cr Below Deerfield Dam Sd, Sd
16 hours ago · USGS 06410000 |
10 cfs | 3.50 ft | · | 53°F | 5,795 ft | Rapid |
|
Cleghorn Springs At Rapid City, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06412810 |
10 cfs | 2.66 ft | · | 60°F | 3,371 ft | Rapid |
|
Castle Cr Above Deerfield Res Near Hill City Sd, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06409000 |
9 cfs | 2.74 ft | · | 53°F | 5,929 ft | Rapid |
|
Split Rock Cr At Corson Sd, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06482610 |
8 cfs | 1.71 ft | · | 55°F | 1,307 ft | Lower Big Sioux |
|
Little White R Near Martin Sd, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06447500 |
6 cfs | · | · | 59°F | 3,069 ft | Little White |
|
James River At Nd-Sd State Line, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06470878 |
5 cfs | 88.24 ft | 32°F | 59°F | 1,290 ft | Upper James |
|
White R Near Interior Sd, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06446500 |
5 cfs | 3.38 ft | · | 62°F | 2,300 ft | Middle White |
|
Beaver Cr Near Buffalo Gap Sd, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06402500 |
5 cfs | 4.41 ft | · | 60°F | 3,161 ft | Middle Cheyenne-Spring |
|
Rhoads Fork Near Rochford Sd, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06408700 |
4 cfs | 3.74 ft | · | 52°F | 5,981 ft | Rapid |
|
Whitewood Cr Above Whitewood, Sd
16 hours ago · USGS 06436180 |
4 cfs | · | · | 61°F | 3,681 ft | Lower Belle Fourche |
|
Flandreau Cr Above Flandreau Sd, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06480650 |
3 cfs | 4.35 ft | · | 54°F | 1,571 ft | Lower Big Sioux |
|
Skunk Cr At Sioux Falls Sd, Sd
14 hours ago · USGS 06481500 |
3 cfs | 2.19 ft | · | 57°F | 1,411 ft | Lower Big Sioux |
|
Moreau R Near Faith Sd, Sd
16 hours ago · USGS 06359500 |
3 cfs | · | · | 57°F | 2,248 ft | Lower Moreau |
|
Little Missouri R At Camp Crook Sd, Sd
16 hours ago · USGS 06334500 |
3 cfs | 1.66 ft | · | 55°F | 3,102 ft | Upper Little Missouri |
|
Bear In The Lodge Cr Near Wanblee Sd, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06446700 |
2 cfs | 1.38 ft | · | 62°F | 2,526 ft | Middle White |
|
Battle Cr At Hermosa Sd, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06406000 |
2 cfs | 2.51 ft | · | 59°F | 3,284 ft | Middle Cheyenne-Spring |
|
Big Sioux River Nr Florence Sd, Sd
14 hours ago · USGS 06479215 |
2 cfs | 2.53 ft | · | 58°F | 1,787 ft | Upper Big Sioux |
|
East Fork Vermillion River Near Parker, Sd
14 hours ago · USGS 06478600 |
2 cfs | 5.02 ft | · | 57°F | 1,328 ft | Vermillion |
|
Whitewood Creek Near Whitewood Sd, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06436190 |
1 cfs | 5.34 ft | · | 60°F | 3,173 ft | Lower Belle Fourche |
|
Bear Butte Creek Near Deadwood, Sd
16 hours ago · USGS 06437020 |
1 cfs | 3.62 ft | · | 56°F | 4,753 ft | Lower Belle Fourche |
|
Cheyenne R Below Angostura Dam Sd, Sd
6 days ago · USGS 06401500 |
1 cfs | 2.88 ft | · | 63°F | 3,065 ft | Middle Cheyenne-Spring |
|
Foot Creek Near Aberdeen, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06471800 |
1 cfs | 4.29 ft | · | 58°F | 1,329 ft | Upper James |
|
Bad R Near Fort Pierre Sd, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06441500 |
1 cfs | 1.02 ft | · | 68°F | 1,437 ft | Bad |
|
Lake Cr Below Refuge Near Tuthill Sd, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06449000 |
1 cfs | 2.42 ft | · | 59°F | 2,991 ft | Little White |
|
French Cr Above Fairburn Sd, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06403300 |
0 cfs | · | · | 62°F | 3,825 ft | Middle Cheyenne-Spring |
|
Platte Creek Near Platte, Sd
14 hours ago · USGS 06452320 |
0 cfs | 1.45 ft | · | 60°F | 1,373 ft | Fort Randall Reservoir |
|
Boxelder Cr Near Nemo Sd, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06422500 |
0 cfs | 1.16 ft | · | 54°F | 4,334 ft | Middle Cheyenne-Elk |
|
Elk Cr Near Elm Springs Sd, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06425500 |
0 cfs | 3.47 ft | · | 62°F | 2,322 ft | Middle Cheyenne-Elk |
|
Grace Coolidge Cr Nr Game Lodge Nr Custer Sd, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06404998 |
0 cfs | 6.53 ft | · | 61°F | 4,125 ft | Middle Cheyenne-Spring |
|
West Fork Vermillion R Near Parker Sd, Sd
14 hours ago · USGS 06478690 |
0 cfs | · | · | 57°F | 1,350 ft | Vermillion |
|
Skunk Cr Nr Chester Sd, Sd
14 hours ago · USGS 06481480 |
0 cfs | · | · | 56°F | 1,563 ft | Lower Big Sioux |
|
Firesteel Cr Near Mount Vernon Sd, Sd
14 hours ago · USGS 06477500 |
0 cfs | 2.02 ft | · | 59°F | 1,304 ft | Lower James |
|
Horsehead Cr At Oelrichs Sd, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06400875 |
0 cfs | 1.89 ft | · | 61°F | 3,315 ft | Angostura Reservoir |
|
Cheyenne R At Edgemont Sd, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06395000 |
0 cfs | · | · | 60°F | 3,422 ft | Angostura Reservoir |
|
Hat Cr Near Edgemont Sd, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06400000 |
0 cfs | 6.57 ft | · | 61°F | 3,301 ft | Hat |
|
Battle Cr Below Hermosa Sd, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06406500 |
0 cfs | 1.84 ft | · | 60°F | 2,810 ft | Middle Cheyenne-Spring |
|
Battle Cr Near Keystone Sd, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06404000 |
0 cfs | 3.09 ft | · | 61°F | 3,815 ft | Middle Cheyenne-Spring |
|
Spring Cr Near Keystone Sd, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06407500 |
0 cfs | 3.28 ft | · | 60°F | 3,898 ft | Middle Cheyenne-Spring |
|
Whitewood Cr Above Vale Sd, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06436198 |
0 cfs | · | · | 57°F | 2,857 ft | Lower Belle Fourche |
|
North Fork Grand R Near White Butte Sd, Sd
16 hours ago · USGS 06355500 |
0 cfs | · | · | 56°F | 2,318 ft | North Fork Grand |
|
Moreau R Near Whitehorse Sd, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06360500 |
0 cfs | 1.37 ft | · | 61°F | 1,670 ft | Lower Moreau |
|
South Fork Bad R Near Cottonwood Sd, Sd
15 hours ago · USGS 06440200 |
0 cfs | 4.37 ft | · | 61°F | 2,253 ft | Bad |
|
White R Nr Ne-Sd State Line, Sd
16 hours ago · USGS 06445685 |
0 cfs | 3.12 ft | · | 61°F | 3,041 ft | Upper White |
|
White R Near Oglala Sd, Sd
6 days ago · USGS 06446000 |
0 cfs | 5.30 ft | · | 60°F | 2,880 ft | Upper White |
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Flow report FAQ
About South Dakota streamflow
What are river levels like in South Dakota right now?
As of August 6, 2026, South Dakota rivers are running at 52% of normal across 97 USGS streamgauges, and the James R Near Scotland Sd is reporting the highest discharge at 527 cfs. The full sortable gauge table is below.
Which South Dakota river is running highest right now?
As of August 6, 2026, the highest discharge in South Dakota is 527 cfs on the James R Near Scotland 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.
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