Beaver Creek near Buffalo Gap water level

Name: Beaver Creek near Buffalo Gap water level (U.S. Geological Survey)
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
License: https://www.usgs.gov/information-policies-and-instructions/copyrights-and-credits

River gauge, Beaver Creek, South Dakota, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

4.02ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 05:45 PM MDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 5.5 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

Beaver Creek near Buffalo Gap is at 4.02 ft, in the normal range.

It is 3.48 ft below the flood stage of 7.50 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 3.74 ft and 4.77 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.

Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels

Key numbers

Lowest and highest in 30 days: 3.74 ft – 4.77 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 3.61 ft – 4.94 ft
Highest on record: 8.38 ftJuly 14, 1966

Floating and fishing near Beaver Creek near Buffalo Gap

Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.

Flood stage here is 7.50 ft, 3.48 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

10.00 ft: Major flood stage. Extensive flooding of agricultural land and several roads are inundated.
8.50 ft: Moderate Flood Stage. Beaver Creek Rd at Beaver Creek becomes impassable.
7.50 ft: Minor Flood Stage. Water begins to flow over Beaver Creek Rd (Fall River Co Rd 416D).
6.00 ft: Action Stage. Lowland flooding begins along the creek.
4.02 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	8.38 ft	July 14, 1966
2	8.36 ft	June 7, 1963
3	8.21 ft	May 24, 2010
4	8.02 ft	March 12, 2019
5	7.83 ft	May 25, 2015
6	7.80 ft	July 31, 1976
7	7.74 ft	July 18, 2008
8	7.68 ft	March 5, 2018
9	7.66 ft	May 7, 2005
10	7.62 ft	July 29, 1997

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:15 AM Sunset 06:02 PM Daylight 10 hr, 47 min Waxing gibbous 73%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Fall River at Hot SpringsRiver gauge, Fall River	0.86 ft	Normal	+0.01 ft	9 mi
Angostura ReservoirReservoir	3,169.41 ft	Low		11 mi
Cheyenne River near Buffalo GapRiver gauge, Cheyenne River	2.34 ft	Below flood stage	±0	12 mi
French Creek above FairburnRiver gauge, French Creek	1.4 cfs	Very low	±0	18 mi
Horsehead Creek at OelrichsRiver gauge, Horsehead Creek	1.73 ft	Below flood stage	±0	20 mi
Grace Coolidge Creek near Game Lodge near CusterRiver gauge, Grace Coolidge Creek	6.73 ft	Normal	±0	21 mi
Hat Creek near EdgemontRiver gauge, Hat Creek	6.61 ft	Below flood stage	−0.17 ft	21 mi
Cheyenne River at Red ShirtRiver gauge, Cheyenne River	9.48 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	25 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for Beaver Creek near Buffalo Gap?

The official flood stage is 7.50 ft. The level is currently 3.48 ft below it.

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 Beaver Creek near Buffalo Gap today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 05:45 PM MDT, the water level was 4.02 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Beaver Creek near Buffalo Gap rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.16 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Beaver Creek near Buffalo Gap normal?

Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Beaver Creek near Buffalo Gap?

The highest level on record is 8.38 ft on July 14, 1966.

How often is this data updated?

The U.S. Geological Survey publishes a new reading every 15 minutes. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:06402500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 43.46667, -103.30556 (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	4.02 ft	2026-10-20 23:45	Provisional
Flow	5.5 cfs	2026-10-20 23:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Beaver Creek near Buffalo Gap (usgs:06402500). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/south-dakota/beaver-creek-near-buffalo-gap

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