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LITTLE SIOUX RIVER

River Levels • Streamflow • Hydrology

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Total streamflow across the Little Sioux River was last observed at 405 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 803 acre-ft of water today; about 9% of normal. River levels are low and may signify a drought. Average streamflow for this time of year is 4,465 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2024-06-26 when daily discharge volume was observed at 77,100 cfs.

Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Little Sioux River Near Turin reporting a streamflow rate of 556 cfs. This is also the highest stage along the Little Sioux River, with a gauge stage of 7.8 ft at this location. This river is monitored from 3 different streamgauging stations along the Little Sioux River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 1,249 ft, the Little Sioux River At Linn Grove.

The Little Sioux River flows through Iowa, Minnesota, and South Dakota, covering a length of approximately 250 miles. The river is named after the Sioux Native American tribe, who were the primary inhabitants of the area. The river is a tributary of the Missouri River and is crucial for the agricultural industry in the region, providing irrigation water for crops such as corn and soybeans. The river is also home to several species of fish, including walleye, catfish, and smallmouth bass. The river is impounded by several dams, including the Saylorville Dam and the Little Sioux Dam, which provide flood control and hydroelectric power. There are also several recreational opportunities along the river, including camping, fishing, and canoeing.

December 25, 2024

Last Updated	2024-12-10
Discharge Volume	803 ACRE-FT
Streamflow	405.0 cfs -36.0 cfs (-8.16%)
Percent of Normal	9.07%
Maximum	77,100.0 cfs 2024-06-26
Seasonal Avg	4,465 cfs

History of the River

The Little Sioux River is a river in the United States. It rises in southwestern Minnesota near the Iowa border, and continues to flow southwest for 258 miles (415 km) across northwest Iowa into the Missouri River at Little Sioux. The Little Sioux River was known as Eaneah-waudepon or "Stone River" to the Sioux Indians. Its tributaries include the Ocheyedan River, Maple River and the West Fork of the Little Sioux River. The Little Sioux River is integral to the Nepper Watershed Project, a major Iowa flood control and soil conservation program that was introduced in 1947.
The Little Sioux Valley was important in the Spirit Lake Massacre of 1857, when the Santee Sioux chief Inkpaduta made forays as far downstream as Smithland. The river valley also figures prominently in folklore about the nineteenth century outlaw, Jesse James, who reportedly used the secluded valley, with its wooded ravines, as a hideout and a route north to Minnesota during the 1870s.
Geologically, the Little Sioux rises in a region of glacial potholes near the "Iowa Great Lakes" (Spirit Lake, and East and West Okoboji). It then traverses a rich agricultural region on its way to the Loess Hills, from which it then flows out onto the floodplain of the Missouri River. Through much of its middle course (i.e., from Linn Grove to Smithland) the Little Sioux is a relatively wild meandered stream, with excellent canoeing, camping, and fishing opportunities. However, from Smithland downstream to its mouth, the river has been channelized and environmentally degraded.
Flooding of the river is common in early to late spring, as the often-heavy winter snow melts. This has resulted in riparian woodlands of cottonwood trees adjacent to fertile farm ground on the bottomlands. Correspondingly, hunters are rewarded with a bounty of white-tailed deer, rabbits and pheasants during the fall hunting season.
Fishing opportunities are best in late spring after flood waters have dissipated. Edible gamefish such as bullhead and channel catfish are frequently caught with nothing more than a hook and worm, with northern pike, walleye, and shovelnose sturgeon also available.