Little Sioux River river
Total streamflow across the Little Sioux River was last observed at 9,980 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 19,795 acre-ft of water today; about 84% of normal. Average streamflow for this time of year is 11,821 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2019-03-16 when daily discharge volume was observed at 75,900 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Little Sioux River Near Turin reporting a streamflow rate of 4,070 cfs. This is also the highest stage along the Little Sioux River, with a gauge stage of 11.75 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.
River streamflow levels
Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Little Sioux River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.
Total streamflow
Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily
Every streamgauge along the Little Sioux River
All 3 USGS gauges Snoflo tracks for this river, with current flow, stage, recent change, percent of normal, and the gauge's all-time min / max. Click any header to sort. Cells are heatmapped relative to the column min/max -- darker blue = higher.
| Streamgauge▾ | Streamflow (cfs)▾ | Gauge stage (ft)▾ | 24h Δ (%)▾ | % Normal▾ | Min (cfs)▾ | Max (cfs)▾ | Elevation (ft)▾ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Little Sioux River At Linn Grove
IA
USGS 06605850
|
2,200 | 10.65 | -15.4 | 85% | 13 | 19,000 | 1,249 |
|
Little Sioux River At Correctionville
IA
USGS 06606600
|
3,710 | 9.80 | -6.6 | 98% | 3 | 23,100 | 1,106 |
|
Little Sioux River Near Turin
IA
USGS 06607500
|
4,070 | 11.75 | -3.3 | 95% | 125 | 41,800 | 1,029 |
Maximum streamflow discharge by year
The single highest aggregate discharge recorded each year. Spotting the multi-year trend reveals droughts vs. wet cycles long before the headline daily flow does.
Annual peak discharge
From the river's full record · one point per water year
Streamflow elevation profile
Each bubble is one gauge along the river, plotted by current streamflow (x-axis) vs elevation (y-axis), sized by gauge stage. Reading top-to-bottom traces the river from headwaters down to its mouth -- you can see flow accumulate as elevation drops.
Elevation vs streamflow
One point per monitored gauge · bubble size = gauge stage
Little Sioux River
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.
Track the Little Sioux River in the Snoflo app
Set per-gauge push alerts (e.g. "alert me when flow at the Russian R Nr Healdsburg crosses 5,000 cfs"), and Snoflo's iOS app pushes the moment USGS reports the crossing.
About the Little Sioux River
Where does the data for the Little Sioux River come from?
Streamflow and gauge stage data are sourced from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Information System. The aggregate flow shown at the top of the page is computed by Snoflo as the sum of all monitored gauges along the river.
How is "percent of normal" calculated?
Today's aggregate streamflow is compared to the historical average aggregate streamflow on this calendar day across the river's full record. 100% means right on average; values above 100% indicate above-normal flow (wet year); values below indicate below-normal (dry year or drought).
Why are some gauges showing very different flows?
Gauges along a river measure flow at different points: headwater gauges read what's coming off the snowpack or mountain runoff; downstream gauges integrate everything upstream, including tributary inputs. Wide spreads usually mean a tributary is contributing significantly between gauges.
What's the elevation profile chart showing?
Each bubble is one gauge along the river, plotted by streamflow (x-axis) and elevation (y-axis), sized by gauge stage. Reading top-down traces the river from headwaters to mouth -- you can see flow build as elevation drops.
Can I get alerts when a specific gauge crosses a threshold?
Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app on a per-gauge basis. Open any individual streamgauge from the table above and favorite it to set a discharge threshold.