RIVER GAUGE · BIG SIOUX RIVER
Big Sioux River below Watertown
Codington County, South Dakota
Water level4.53 ft
Flow—
Last readingSep 16, 2026, 4:45 PM UTC (last recorded)
Action10 ft
Minor flood11 ft
Moderate flood11.5 ft
Major flood12 ft
The past week
Loading chart…
What floods at each level
- 14.5 ft
The bridge 1 mile north of Appleby is overtopped
- 14 ft
The bridge at the southeast corner of Watertown is overtopped
- 13.3 ft
The water reaches the bottom of the bridge 1 mile north of Appleby
- 12 ft
The water reaches the bottom of the bridge near Appleby and at the southeast corner of Watertown
- 11.7 ft
Water goes over the low spot on the road 300 feet east of the gauging location
- 11 ft
Flooding begins to affect significant amounts of pasture and crop land
Highest crests on record
| Date | Level | Flow |
|---|---|---|
| Apr 1, 1997 | 13.13 ft | 6,700 cfs |
| Apr 7, 2001 | 12.69 ft | 4,000 cfs |
| Mar 22, 2011 | 12.56 ft | 1,800 cfs |
More on Big Sioux River
DownstreamBig Sioux River near Castlewood
Big Sioux River near Brandon
Big Sioux River near Bruce
Big Sioux River near Brookings
Big Sioux River near Estelline
Big Sioux River above Flandreau
Big Sioux River near Jefferson
Big Sioux River near Richland
Big Sioux River above Canton
Big Sioux River near Castlewood
Big Sioux River near Dell Rapids
Get an alert when Big Sioux River rises
Save this gauge in the free StormCast app and pick the level that matters to you. Your phone goes off when the water gets there.
