Nivelmap
EN

How to read levelsSources and methods

North America

Western Europe

Central Europe

Mediterranean

Nordic countries

Big Sioux River near Brookings water level

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

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

2.27ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Flow
98.2 cfs
5 10 15 Highest onrecord 14.77 ft Minor floodstage 9.00 ft

History

2.262.282.302.32ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 18Oct 19Oct 202.262.282.302.32ftOct 16Oct 18Oct 20
2.42.6ftSep 22Sep 29Oct 6Oct 13Oct 202.42.6ftSep 22Oct 6Oct 20
2468ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage2468ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage
246ftJanMarMayJulSepNov2026246ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Big Sioux River near Brookings, where the gauge shows 2.27 ft.

It is 6.73 ft below the flood stage of 9.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 4.23 ft (−1.96 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 2.26 ft – 2.75 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

Same day last year
4.23 ft−1.96 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
2.26 ft – 2.75 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
2.21 ft – 6.62 ft
Highest on record
14.77 ftApril 9, 1969

Paddling and fishing conditions

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

For reference, flood stage is 9.00 ft.

What happens at each level

16.00 ft
The bridges on 473rd Avenue and 475th Avenue are overtopped.
14.00 ft
The water reaches the bottom of the bridges on 473rd Avenue and 475th Avenue.
13.00 ft
223rd St west of the bridge begins to flood. The bridge 1 mile south of Medary on 471st Avenue is overtopped.
12.00 ft
475th Avenue and 222nd Street begin to flood.
11.50 ft
473rd Avenue at 221st Street begins to flood.
11.00 ft
Some farm outbuildings begin to flood.
10.50 ft
473rd Avenue north of the gauge begins to flood.
10.00 ft
Flooding begins to affect agricultural lands along the right bank of the river.
9.00 ft
Significant amounts of pasture and farm lands begin flooding on the left bank of the river. The road south of the Brookings water treatment plant is flooded, as is 217th Street between 468th and 469th Avenues.
8.00 ft
There is some minor overflow of the lowest banks along this stretch of the river.
2.27 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: 6 %.

RankLevelDate
114.77 ftApril 9, 1969
214.34 ftSeptember 13, 2019
313.70 ftJune 22, 1984
413.66 ftSeptember 25, 2010
513.50 ftJuly 4, 1993
613.33 ftMarch 24, 2011
713.19 ftApril 8, 1997
813.05 ftMarch 25, 2019
912.95 ftMarch 29, 1962
1012.63 ftSeptember 20, 1986

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 70° 42° – Wind 17 mph
21 Wed 72° 44° – Wind 8 mph
22 Thu 74° 43° – Wind 15 mph
23 Fri 76° 59° 0.05 in, 24% Wind 23 mph
24 Sat 67° 53° 0.09 in, 22% Wind 22 mph
25 Sun 52° 36° 0.33 in, 32% Wind 10 mph
26 Mon 44° 36° 0.04 in, 32% Wind 14 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:50 AM Sunset 06:35 PM Daylight 10 hr, 45 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 3.05 ft Normal −0.01 ft 72 mi
Big Sioux River near WatertownRiver gauge, Big Sioux River 3.80 ft Very low −0.02 ft 61 mi
Big Sioux River at Lake Kampeska near WatertownRiver gauge, Big Sioux River 18.54 ft Below flood stage ±0 57 mi
Big Sioux River at WatertownRiver gauge, Big Sioux River 3.15 ft Below flood stage +0.01 ft 56 mi
Big Sioux River at Broadway at WatertownRiver gauge, Big Sioux River 5.03 ft Below flood stage −0.04 ft 52 mi
Big Sioux River below WatertownRiver gauge, Big Sioux River 4.47 ft Below flood stage ±0 48 mi
Big Sioux River near CastlewoodRiver gauge, Big Sioux River 4.80 ft Below flood stage +0.03 ft 41 mi
Big Sioux River near BruceRiver gauge, Big Sioux River 3.11 ft Below flood stage −0.02 ft 21 mi
Big Sioux River near Dell RapidsRiver gauge, Big Sioux River 3.23 ft Below flood stage −0.01 ft 27 mi
Big Sioux River below Diversion at Sioux FallsRiver gauge, Big Sioux River 3.12 ft Below flood stage −0.01 ft 42 mi
Big Sioux River at Sioux FallsRiver gauge, Big Sioux River 1.49 ft Below flood stage +0.01 ft 47 mi
Big Sioux River at North Cliff Ave at Sioux FallsRiver gauge, Big Sioux River 5.08 ft Below flood stage +0.01 ft 42 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Flandreau Creek above FlandreauRiver gauge, Flandreau Creek 4.35 ft Below flood stage −0.01 ft 15 mi
Skunk Creek near ChesterRiver gauge, Skunk Creek 0.75 ft Below flood stage ±0 23 mi
Willow Creek near CrooksRiver gauge, Willow Creek 3.67 ft Below flood stage +0.02 ft 38 mi
Skunk Creek near HartfordRiver gauge, Skunk Creek 3.58 ft Below flood stage −0.02 ft 38 mi
Silver Creek at Sioux FallsRiver gauge, Silver Creek 0.90 ft Below flood stage −0.01 ft 40 mi
Split Rock Creek at CorsonRiver gauge, Split Rock Creek 1.84 ft Below flood stage ±0 40 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Big Sioux River near Brookings compare with last year?

It is 1.96 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 4.23 ft.

What is flood stage for the Big Sioux River near Brookings?

The official flood stage is 9.00 ft. The level is currently 6.73 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 near Brookings today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 06:45 PM CDT, the water level was 2.27 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Big Sioux River near Brookings rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.08 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Big Sioux River near Brookings 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 near Brookings?

The highest level on record is 14.77 ft on April 9, 1969.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
Operator
U.S. Geological Survey
Station code
usgs:06480000 (Agency page)
Coordinates
44.18028, -96.74917 (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 2.27 ft 2026-10-20 23:45 Provisional
Flow 98.2 cfs 2026-10-20 23:45 Provisional

Download

Embed this gauge

Add a live card for this gauge to your website. It updates on its own and links back here.

How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Big Sioux River near Brookings (usgs:06480000). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/south-dakota/big-sioux-river-near-brookings

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