CHEYENNE RIVER

River Levels Streamflow Hydrology
November 21, 2024

TOTAL DISCHARGE (CFS)

SUMMARY

Last Updated 2024-11-20
Discharge Volume 706 ACRE-FT
Streamflow 356.0 cfs
-133.7 cfs (-27.3%)
Percent of Normal 60.19%
Maximum 89,511.0 cfs
2019-05-23
Seasonal Avg 591 cfs

Total streamflow across the Cheyenne River was last observed at 356 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 706 acre-ft of water today; about 60% of normal. River levels are low and may signify a drought. Average streamflow for this time of year is 591 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 River Near Wasta reporting a streamflow rate of 123 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Cheyenne River At Redshirt with a gauge stage of 9.77 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. It has played an important role in the history of the Cheyenne people, who used it for transportation and hunting. The river originates in the Black Hills of South Dakota and flows through the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation before joining the Missouri River. There are several dams and reservoirs along the river, including the Angostura Dam and Reservoir, which is used for irrigation and recreation, and the Belle Fourche Dam, which provides flood control and hydroelectric power. The river is also used for agriculture, particularly for grazing livestock. The Cheyenne River is an important source of water for the surrounding communities and plays a significant role in the ecological and economic well-being of the region.

YEAR OVER YEAR DISCHARGE (CFS)

Streamflow Conditions
Streamgauge Streamflow Gauge Stage 24hr Change (%) % Normal Minimum (cfs) Maximum (cfs) Air Temp Elevation
Cheyenne River Near Spencer
USGS 06386500
0 cfs 3.53 ft -40
Cheyenne R At Edgemont Sd
USGS 06395000
46 cfs 1.7 ft 79.57
Cheyenne R Below Angostura Dam Sd
USGS 06401500
26 cfs 3.62 ft 8.02
Cheyenne R Near Buffalo Gap Sd
USGS 06402600
77 cfs 2.48 ft -8.22
Cheyenne River At Redshirt
USGS 06403700
115 cfs 9.77 ft 1.74
Cheyenne River Near Wasta
USGS 06423500
123 cfs 0.51 ft 0
Cheyenne R Near Plainview Sd
USGS 06438500
108 cfs 8.29 ft 0
History of the River

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.

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Watershed River Levels

39

Cubic Feet Per Second

10

Cubic Feet Per Second

7

Cubic Feet Per Second

9

Cubic Feet Per Second