Cheyenne River

Last Updated: May 10, 2026

Total streamflow across the Cheyenne River was last observed at 259 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 514 acre-ft of water today; about 10% of normal. River levels are low and may signify a drought. Average streamflow for this time of year is 2,534 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2019-05-23 when daily discharge volume was observed at 89,511 cfs.

Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Cheyenne R Near Plainview Sd reporting a streamflow rate of 78.5 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Cheyenne River At Redshirt with a gauge stage of 9.35 ft. This river is monitored from 7 different streamgauging stations along the Cheyenne River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 3,582 ft, the Cheyenne River Near Spencer.

The Cheyenne River is a tributary of the Missouri River, with a length of 295 miles.


15-Day Long Term Forecast


River Details

Last Updated 2026-05-09
Discharge Volume 514 ACRE-FT
Streamflow 259.24 cfs
Past 24 Hours: -37.69 cfs (-12.69%)
Percent of Normal 10.23%
Maximum 89,511.0 cfs
2019-05-23
Seasonal Avg 2,534 cfs
       
River Streamflow Levels
Streamgauge Streamflow Gauge Stage 24hr Change (%) % Normal Minimum (cfs) Maximum (cfs) Air Temp Elevation
Cheyenne River Near Spencer
USGS 06386500
2 cfs 3.82 ft -9.36
Cheyenne R At Edgemont Sd
USGS 06395000
11 cfs 1.27 ft -20.98
Cheyenne R Below Angostura Dam Sd
USGS 06401500
1 cfs 2.87 ft -11.94
Cheyenne R Near Buffalo Gap Sd
USGS 06402600
54 cfs 2.24 ft -9.23
Cheyenne River At Redshirt
USGS 06403700
53 cfs 9.35 ft 4.78
Cheyenne River Near Wasta
USGS 06423500
61 cfs 0.26 ft -3.03
Cheyenne R Near Plainview Sd
USGS 06438500
79 cfs 7.98 ft -27.31
Seasonal Discharge Comparison
Maximum Streamflow Discharge
Streamflow Elevation Profile

The Cheyenne River (Lakota: Wakpá Wašté; "Good River"), also written Chyone, referring to the Cheyenne people who once lived there, is a tributary of the Missouri River in the U.S. states of Wyoming and South Dakota. It is approximately 295 miles (475 km) long and drains an area of 24,240 square miles (62,800 km2). About 60% of the drainage basin is in South Dakota and almost all of the remainder is in Wyoming.