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Battle Creek near Keystone water level

River gauge, Battle Creek, South Dakota, United States

Directions

Low for mid-October

Water level

3.34ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Flow
1.0 cfs
5 10 15 Highest onrecord 14.50 ft Minor floodstage 8.00 ft

History

3.43.6ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 18Oct 19Oct 203.43.6ftOct 16Oct 18Oct 20
3.23.43.6ftSep 21Sep 28Oct 5Oct 13Oct 203.23.43.6ftSep 21Oct 5Oct 20
3.23.43.6ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 20263.23.43.6ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026
3.23.43.6ftJanMarMayJulSepNov20263.23.43.6ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %) Minor flood stage

What this means

Battle Creek near Keystone is running below normal at 3.34 ft.

The median for mid-October is 3.44 ft, based on 9 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.10 ft below typical. It is 4.66 ft below the flood stage of 8.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 3.44 ft, a difference of −0.10 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 3.31 ft and 3.47 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
3.44 ft0.10 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date
3.25 ft – 3.62 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (9 years of records)
Same day last year
3.44 ft−0.10 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
3.31 ft – 3.47 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
3.09 ft – 3.48 ft
Highest on record
14.50 ftJune 9, 1972

Floating and fishing near Battle Creek near Keystone

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, 4.66 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
Water begins to affect nearby houses.
13.00 ft
Major Flood Stage. Extensive flooding along Battle Creek. Several structures and roads are flooded.
11.00 ft
Moderate Flood Stage. Out buildings and other structures along the river begin to flood.
8.00 ft
Minor Flood Stage. Flooding of low lying areas along the river including an abandoned campground directly downstream from the gage.
7.00 ft
Action Stage. Flooding of low lying areas along the river.
3.34 ft
Right now

Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.

Highest crests on record

RankLevelDate
114.50 ftJune 9, 1972
27.46 ftJune 18, 1999
37.17 ftMay 8, 1995
47.06 ftMay 28, 2019
57.00 ftMay 24, 2015
66.99 ftJune 18, 1998
76.72 ftOctober 11, 2013
86.63 ftJune 7, 1993
96.55 ftJune 15, 1976
106.36 ftApril 19, 1973

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

17 Sat 82° 51° – Wind 14 mph
18 Sun 66° 47° – Wind 18 mph
19 Mon 61° 41° – Wind 10 mph
20 Tue 75° 49° – Wind 13 mph
21 Wed 71° 53° – Wind 10 mph
22 Thu 74° 53° 0.02 in Wind 18 mph
23 Fri 76° 47° 0.43 in, 39% Wind 15 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:15 AM Sunset 06:03 PM Daylight 10 hr, 48 min Waxing gibbous 72%

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 7 mi
Battle Creek at HermosaRiver gauge, Battle Creek 2.59 ft Very low +0.01 ft 8 mi
Battle Creek below HermosaRiver gauge, Battle Creek 1.86 ft Low +0.01 ft 24 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Grizzly Bear Creek near KeystoneRiver gauge, Grizzly Bear Creek 2.23 ft Below flood stage ±0 5.1 mi
Spring Creek near KeystoneRiver gauge, Spring Creek 3.33 ft Below flood stage +0.01 ft 7 mi
Grace Coolidge Creek near Game Lodge near CusterRiver gauge, Grace Coolidge Creek 6.73 ft Normal ±0 8 mi
Victoria Creek below Victoria Dam near Rapid CityRiver gauge, Victoria Creek 3.47 ft Below flood stage ±0 10 mi
French Creek above FairburnRiver gauge, French Creek 1.4 cfs Low ±0 11 mi
Rapid Creek above Victoria Creek near Rapid CityRiver gauge, Rapid Creek 5.23 ft Below flood stage +0.02 ft 12 mi
Sunday Gulch below Johnson Canyon near Hill CityRiver gauge, Sunday Gulch 4.45 ft Highest on record ±0 12 mi
Rapid Creek above Canyon Lake near Rapid CityRiver gauge, Rapid Creek 1.61 ft Below flood stage −0.05 ft 13 mi

Questions and answers

Is Battle Creek near Keystone higher than last year?

No, it is 0.10 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3.44 ft.

What is flood stage for Battle Creek near Keystone?

The official flood stage is 8.00 ft. The level is currently 4.66 ft below it.

What is a normal level for Battle Creek near Keystone in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 3.44 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 3.25 ft and 3.62 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 near Keystone today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 04:15 PM MDT, the water level was 3.34 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Battle Creek near Keystone rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Battle Creek near Keystone normal?

Low for mid-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:06404000 (Agency page)
Coordinates
43.87166, -103.33584 (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

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Water level 3.34 ft 2026-10-20 22:15 Provisional
Flow 1.0 cfs 2026-10-20 22:15 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Battle Creek near Keystone (usgs:06404000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/south-dakota/battle-creek-near-keystone

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