Big Sioux River at Broadway at Watertown water level

Name: Big Sioux River at Broadway at Watertown 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, Big Sioux River, South Dakota, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

5.03ft Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 09:00 PM CDT (52 min ago)

History

7 days 30 days 1 year

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Big Sioux River at Broadway at Watertown, where the gauge shows 5.03 ft.

It is 5.47 ft below the flood stage of 10.50 ft.

It is still going down, by 0.04 ft over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 5.01 ft – 5.24 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: 5.01 ft – 5.24 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 5.03 ft – 9.20 ft
Highest on record: 13.67 ftApril 6, 1997

Paddling and fishing conditions

Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.

For reference, flood stage is 10.50 ft.

What happens at each level

18.00 ft: The bridge on Hwy 81 is overtopped.
17.50 ft: The Broadway Avenue bridge at the gauge is overtopped.
17.00 ft: 4th Avenue SW begins to flood near Kampeska Blvd.
16.50 ft: Broadway Avenue begins to flood.
16.00 ft: The levees on the north side of the river upstream of the gauge are overtopped, and the gas station will begin flooding.
15.00 ft: The railroad upstream of Thunder Road begins to flood, and water reaches the bottom of the bridges on Broadway Ave and 4th Ave SW.
14.00 ft: The levee on the south side of the river upstream from the gauge is overtopped.
11.00 ft: The lower banks on both sides of the river downstream of the gauge are overtopped, and the lower lying areas along Kampeska Blvd, 4th Ave SW, and Riverside Park on Kemp Ave begin to flood.
5.03 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Chance of at least minor flooding in October to December: 5 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	13.67 ft	April 6, 1997
2	12.71 ft	April 7, 2001
3	11.97 ft	April 12, 2011
4	11.87 ft	April 13, 2023
5	11.77 ft	March 28, 2019
6	11.30 ft	April 23, 2018
7	11.07 ft	March 24, 2010
8	10.99 ft	March 24, 2009
9	10.85 ft	August 22, 2025
10	10.65 ft	May 31, 2022

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:52 AM Sunset 06:35 PM Daylight 10 hr, 43 min Waxing gibbous 73%

Map

Other gauges on the Big Sioux River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Big Sioux River near FlorenceRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	3.04 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	20 mi
Big Sioux River near WatertownRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	3.81 ft	Very low	−0.01 ft	8 mi
Big Sioux River at Lake Kampeska near WatertownRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	18.54 ft	Below flood stage	±0	4.6 mi
Big Sioux River at WatertownRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	3.16 ft	Below flood stage	±0	3.9 mi
Big Sioux River below WatertownRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	4.46 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	4.5 mi
Big Sioux River near CastlewoodRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	4.81 ft	Below flood stage	+0.03 ft	11 mi
Big Sioux River near BruceRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	3.11 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	31 mi
Big Sioux River near BrookingsRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	2.26 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	52 mi
Big Sioux River near Dell RapidsRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	3.23 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	78 mi
Big Sioux River below Diversion at Sioux FallsRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	3.11 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	93 mi
Big Sioux River at Sioux FallsRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	1.49 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	98 mi
Big Sioux River at North Cliff Ave at Sioux FallsRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	5.05 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	94 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Lake Kampeska at Water Plant at WatertownLake, Lake Kampeska	17.42 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	3.9 mi
Willow Creek near WatertownRiver gauge, Willow Creek	5.64 ft	Below flood stage	−0.07 ft	4.1 mi
South Branch Tributary Mud Creek near RauvilleRiver gauge, South Branch Tributary Mud Creek	0.21 ft	Below flood stage	−0.06 ft	4.4 mi
Mud Creek near RauvilleRiver gauge, Mud Creek	7.63 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	8 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Big Sioux River at Broadway at Watertown?

The official flood stage is 10.50 ft. The level is currently 5.47 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 Big Sioux River at Broadway at Watertown today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 09:00 PM CDT, the water level was 5.03 ft. Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Big Sioux River at Broadway at Watertown rising or falling?

Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.16 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Big Sioux River at Broadway at Watertown normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Big Sioux River at Broadway at Watertown?

The highest level on record is 13.67 ft on April 6, 1997.

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:06479512 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 44.88944, -97.11861 (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	5.03 ft	2026-10-21 02:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Big Sioux River at Broadway at Watertown (usgs:06479512). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/south-dakota/big-sioux-river-at-broadway-at-watertown

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