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Big Sioux River at Lake Kampeska near Watertown water level

River gauge, Big Sioux River, South Dakota, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

18.54ft Steady over the last 24 hours

19 20 21 23 Highest onrecord 22.40 ft Minor floodstage 21.00 ft

History

18.5418.5418.55ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 18Oct 20Oct 2118.5418.5418.55ftOct 16Oct 18Oct 21
1819ftSep 22Sep 29Oct 6Oct 14Oct 211819ftSep 22Oct 6Oct 21
192021ftMar 2026May 2026Jul 2026Aug 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage192021ftMar 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage
Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The Big Sioux River at Lake Kampeska near Watertown is at 18.54 ft, in the normal range.

It is 2.46 ft below the flood stage of 21.00 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 18.54 ft and 18.55 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
18.54 ft – 18.55 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
18.54 ft – 19.69 ft
Highest on record
22.40 ftMarch 15, 2010

Floating and fishing near Big Sioux River at Lake Kampeska near Watertown

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

Flood stage here is 21.00 ft, 2.46 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

24.00 ft
Signficant amounts of crop and pasture land will be flooded
22.00 ft
Pasture land begins to flood
21.00 ft
The low water crossing on 167th Street is flooded
18.54 ft
Right now

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

Highest crests on record

RankLevelDate
122.40 ftMarch 15, 2010
221.97 ftApril 13, 2023
321.82 ftMarch 28, 2019
421.60 ftApril 8, 2011
520.77 ftApril 22, 2018
620.63 ftAugust 7, 2025
720.22 ftOctober 23, 2019
820.17 ftJune 20, 2014
919.90 ftApril 28, 2013
1018.70 ftSeptember 23, 2017

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:53 AM Sunset 06:35 PM Daylight 10 hr, 42 min Waxing gibbous 76%

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 16 mi
Big Sioux River near WatertownRiver gauge, Big Sioux River 3.81 ft Very low −0.01 ft 4.0 mi
Big Sioux River at WatertownRiver gauge, Big Sioux River 3.15 ft Below flood stage −0.01 ft 0.8 mi
Big Sioux River at Broadway at WatertownRiver gauge, Big Sioux River 5.03 ft Below flood stage −0.02 ft 4.6 mi
Big Sioux River below WatertownRiver gauge, Big Sioux River 4.48 ft Below flood stage ±0 9 mi
Big Sioux River near CastlewoodRiver gauge, Big Sioux River 4.83 ft Below flood stage +0.06 ft 16 mi
Big Sioux River near BruceRiver gauge, Big Sioux River 3.12 ft Below flood stage +0.01 ft 36 mi
Big Sioux River near BrookingsRiver gauge, Big Sioux River 2.26 ft Below flood stage −0.02 ft 57 mi
Big Sioux River near Dell RapidsRiver gauge, Big Sioux River 3.22 ft Below flood stage −0.01 ft 83 mi
Big Sioux River below Diversion at Sioux FallsRiver gauge, Big Sioux River 3.12 ft Below flood stage −0.01 ft 97 mi
Big Sioux River at Sioux FallsRiver gauge, Big Sioux River 1.48 ft Below flood stage ±0 102 mi
Big Sioux River at North Cliff Ave at Sioux FallsRiver gauge, Big Sioux River 5.05 ft Below flood stage ±0 98 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Lake Kampeska at Water Plant at WatertownLake, Lake Kampeska 17.40 ft Normal −0.03 ft 2.5 mi
South Branch Tributary Mud Creek near RauvilleRiver gauge, South Branch Tributary Mud Creek 0.19 ft Below flood stage −0.06 ft 2.7 mi
Mud Creek near RauvilleRiver gauge, Mud Creek 7.65 ft Below flood stage +0.01 ft 4.9 mi
Willow Creek near WatertownRiver gauge, Willow Creek 5.63 ft Below flood stage −0.10 ft 6.0 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Big Sioux River at Lake Kampeska near Watertown?

The official flood stage is 21.00 ft. The level is currently 2.46 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 Lake Kampeska near Watertown today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 03:15 AM CDT, the water level was 18.54 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Big Sioux River at Lake Kampeska near Watertown rising or falling?

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

Is the level of Big Sioux River at Lake Kampeska near 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 Lake Kampeska near Watertown?

The highest level on record is 22.40 ft on March 15, 2010.

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:06479452 (Agency page)
Coordinates
44.94889, -97.16056 (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 18.54 ft 2026-10-21 08:15 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Big Sioux River at Lake Kampeska near Watertown (usgs:06479452). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/south-dakota/big-sioux-river-at-lake-kampeska-near-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