Battle Creek at Hermosa water level
River gauge, Battle Creek, South Dakota, United States
Right now
Very low for late October
Water level
- Flow
- 3.1 cfs
History
20252026
What this means
Battle Creek at Hermosa is running far below normal at 2.59 ft.
The median for late October is 2.77 ft, based on 9 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.18 ft below typical. It is 5.41 ft below the flood stage of 8.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 2.67 ft, a difference of −0.08 ft.
It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. In the last month it has stayed between 2.52 ft and 2.59 ft.
Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.
Compared with 9 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 2.77 ft0.18 ft below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 2.67 ft – 3.15 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (9 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 2.67 ft−0.08 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 2.52 ft – 2.59 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 2.47 ft – 2.78 ft
- Highest on record
- 17.72 ftJune 10, 1972
Floating and fishing near Battle Creek at Hermosa
Low water exposes gravel bars that make good wading access, but some boat ramps may be left high and dry.
Flood stage here is 8.00 ft, 5.41 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.
What happens at each level
- 14.00 ft
- Flooding of Highway 79 begins.
- 13.00 ft
- Major Flood Stage. Extensive flooding along Battle Creek with inundation of structures and roads.
- 10.00 ft
- Moderate Flood Stage. Flooding of secondary roads begins.
- 9.00 ft
- Minor flooding of agricultural land.
- 8.00 ft
- Minor Flood Stage. Minor flooding along lower areas of left bank.
- 7.00 ft
- Action Stage. Low land flooding along the creek.
- 2.59 ft
- Right now
Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 17.72 ft | June 10, 1972 |
| 2 | 16.14 ft | August 17, 2007 |
| 3 | 14.00 ft | May 22, 1952 |
| 4 | 12.68 ft | May 8, 1995 |
| 5 | 12.52 ft | May 24, 2010 |
| 6 | 12.51 ft | May 28, 2019 |
| 7 | 12.44 ft | July 13, 1962 |
| 8 | 12.16 ft | July 28, 1957 |
| 9 | 11.40 ft | June 15, 1976 |
| 10 | 11.04 ft | May 24, 2015 |
Weather at the gauge
No rain in the last 3 days.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Other gauges on Battle Creek
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battle Creek above KeystoneRiver gauge, Battle Creek | 3.69 ft | Below flood stage | ±0 | 14 mi |
| Battle Creek near KeystoneRiver gauge, Battle Creek | 3.34 ft | Low | ±0 | 8 mi |
| Battle Creek below HermosaRiver gauge, Battle Creek | 1.84 ft | Low | +0.01 ft | 16 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grace Coolidge Creek near Game Lodge near CusterRiver gauge, Grace Coolidge Creek | 6.73 ft | Normal | ±0 | 10 mi |
| French Creek above FairburnRiver gauge, French Creek | 1.4 cfs | Very low | ±0 | 11 mi |
| Grizzly Bear Creek near KeystoneRiver gauge, Grizzly Bear Creek | 2.23 ft | Below flood stage | ±0 | 13 mi |
| Spring Creek near KeystoneRiver gauge, Spring Creek | 3.33 ft | Below flood stage | +0.02 ft | 13 mi |
| Rapid Creek above Wrf near Rapid CityRiver gauge, Rapid Creek | 3.40 ft | Below flood stage | +0.04 ft | 15 mi |
| Victoria Creek below Victoria Dam near Rapid CityRiver gauge, Victoria Creek | 3.46 ft | Below flood stage | −0.01 ft | 16 mi |
| Rapid Creek below Hawthorn Ditch at Rapid CityRiver gauge, Rapid Creek | 9.36 ft | Below flood stage | ±0 | 17 mi |
Questions and answers
Is Battle Creek at Hermosa higher than last year?
No, it is 0.08 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.67 ft.
What is flood stage for Battle Creek at Hermosa?
The official flood stage is 8.00 ft. The level is currently 5.41 ft below it.
What is a normal level for Battle Creek at Hermosa in late October?
The median for late October is 2.77 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.67 ft and 3.15 ft, based on 9 years of records.
Is gage height the same as water depth?
No. Gage height is measured from a fixed reference point chosen by the agency, so a reading of 10 ft does not mean the river is 10 ft deep.
What is the water level of Battle Creek at Hermosa today?
On Oct 21, 2026, 03:00 AM MDT, the water level was 2.59 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is Battle Creek at Hermosa rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Battle Creek at Hermosa normal?
Very low for late October. Compared with 9 years of daily readings for this time of year.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- U.S. Geological Survey
- Station code
usgs:06406000(Agency page)- Coordinates
43.82806, -103.19556(WGS84)- Vertical datum
- NAVD88
- Update interval
- every 15 minutes
- Licence
- Public domain. Data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), provisional data subject to revision
Published series
| Parameter | Last value | Time (UTC) | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water level | 2.59 ft | 2026-10-21 09:00 | Provisional |
| Flow | 3.1 cfs | 2026-10-21 09:00 | Provisional |
Download
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Battle Creek at Hermosa (usgs:06406000). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/south-dakota/battle-creek-at-hermosa
How we check values
Each reading is stored as published. We hold back values that jump faster than physically plausible and show the measurement time with every value.
Readings are provisional, can be delayed or wrong and are not a flood warning. Read the disclaimer