Belle Fourche River
Last Updated: April 25, 2026
Total streamflow across the
Belle Fourche River
was last observed at
26
cfs, and is expected to yield approximately
53
acre-ft of water today; about 5%
of normal.
River levels are low and may signify a drought.
Average streamflow for this time of year is
484 cfs,
with recent peaks last observed
on
2011-05-26 when daily discharge volume was observed at
34,019 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the
Belle Fourche River Near Elm Springs
reporting a streamflow rate of 27.7 cfs.
This is also the highest stage along the Belle Fourche River, with a gauge stage of
3.85 ft at this location.
This river is monitored from 3 different streamgauging stations along the Belle Fourche River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 4,101 ft, the
Belle Fourche River Below Moorcroft.
The Belle Fourche River is a tributary of the Cheyenne River, and it is located in the western region of South Dakota.
15-Day Long Term Forecast
River Details
| Last Updated | 2026-04-24 |
| Discharge Volume | 53 ACRE-FT |
| Streamflow |
26.49 cfs
Past 24 Hours: +0.37 cfs (+1.42%) |
| Percent of Normal | 5.48% |
| Maximum |
34,019.0 cfs
2011-05-26 |
| Seasonal Avg | 484 cfs |
River Streamflow Levels
| Streamgauge | Streamflow | Gauge Stage | 24hr Change (%) | % Normal | Minimum (cfs) | Maximum (cfs) | Air Temp | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Belle Fourche River Below Moorcroft
USGS 06426500 |
5 cfs | 1.44 ft | 40.22 | |||||
|
Belle Fourche River Near Alva
USGS 06428200 |
14 cfs | 1.33 ft | ||||||
|
Belle Fourche River Near Elm Springs
USGS 06438000 |
28 cfs | 3.85 ft | 0 |
Seasonal Discharge Comparison
Maximum Streamflow Discharge
Streamflow Elevation Profile
The Belle Fourche River (pronounced bel FOOSH; Lakota: Šahíyela Wakpá) is a tributary of the Cheyenne River, approximately 290 miles (470 km) long, in the U.S. states of Wyoming and South Dakota. It is part of the Mississippi River watershed via the Cheyenne and Missouri rivers. In the latter part of the 19th century, the Belle Fourche River was known as the North Fork of the Cheyenne River. Belle Fourche is a name derived from French meaning "beautiful fork".It rises in northeastern Wyoming, in southern Campbell County, approximately 15 miles (24 km) north of Wright. It flows northeast around the north side of the Bear Lodge Mountains, past Moorcroft and Devils Tower. Near the state line with Montana, it turns abruptly southeast and flows in western South Dakota, past Belle Fourche and around the north side of the Black Hills. In southern Meade County near Hereford, it turns ENE and joins the Cheyenne approximately 50 miles (80 km) ENE of Rapid City.
The point at which the river flows out of Wyoming and into South Dakota is the lowest elevation point in the state of Wyoming at 3,099 feet (945 m). This is the second-highest low point of any U.S. state.The river provides significant recreation and irrigation for agriculture in western South Dakota. The total irrigation area of the river in South Dakota is approximately 57,000 acres (230 km2).
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