Big Sioux River near Florence water level

Name: Big Sioux River near Florence 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

3.05ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 04:00 PM CDT (45 min ago)

Flow: 0.5 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Big Sioux River near Florence, where the gauge shows 3.05 ft.

It is 4.95 ft below the flood stage of 8.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 2.95 ft (+0.10 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 2.93 ft – 3.14 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: 2.95 ft+0.10 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 2.93 ft – 3.14 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 2.16 ft – 7.07 ft
Highest on record: 9.70 ftApril 13, 2023

Paddling and fishing conditions

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

For reference, flood stage is 8.00 ft.

What happens at each level

12.00 ft: The bridge at the gauge and the bridge 2 miles south of the gauge are both overtopped
10.50 ft: The bridge 1 mile north of the gauge is overtopped
10.00 ft: The water reaches the bottom of the bridge at the gauge and the bridge 2 miles south of the gauge the bridge 1 mile east and 1 1/2 mile north of the gauge is overtopped
9.00 ft: The water reaches the bottom of the bridge 1 mile north of the gauge
8.50 ft: The water reaches the bottom of the bridge 1 mile east and 1 1/2 mile north of the gauge
3.05 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	9.70 ft	April 13, 2023
2	9.52 ft	April 2, 1997
3	9.18 ft	July 25, 1993
4	9.08 ft	March 29, 1986
5	9.07 ft	April 7, 2001
6	9.02 ft	March 11, 1995
7	8.97 ft	June 26, 2025
8	8.95 ft	March 27, 2019
9	8.79 ft	March 19, 1994
10	8.50 ft	March 17, 2009

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:52 AM Sunset 06:37 PM Daylight 10 hr, 45 min Waxing gibbous 71%

Map

Other gauges on the Big Sioux River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Big Sioux River near WatertownRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	3.81 ft	Very low	−0.02 ft	12 mi
Big Sioux River at Lake Kampeska near WatertownRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	18.54 ft	Below flood stage	±0	16 mi
Big Sioux River at WatertownRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	3.14 ft	Below flood stage	±0	17 mi
Big Sioux River at Broadway at WatertownRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	5.02 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	20 mi
Big Sioux River below WatertownRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	4.44 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	24 mi
Big Sioux River near CastlewoodRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	4.81 ft	Below flood stage	+0.07 ft	32 mi
Big Sioux River near BruceRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	3.11 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	51 mi
Big Sioux River near BrookingsRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	2.27 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	72 mi
Big Sioux River near Dell RapidsRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	3.23 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	98 mi
Big Sioux River below Diversion at Sioux FallsRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	3.11 ft	Below flood stage	±0	113 mi
Big Sioux River at Sioux FallsRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	1.49 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	118 mi
Big Sioux River at North Cliff Ave at Sioux FallsRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	5.04 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	114 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Mud Creek near RauvilleRiver gauge, Mud Creek	7.54 ft	Below flood stage	−0.09 ft	13 mi
South Branch Tributary Mud Creek near RauvilleRiver gauge, South Branch Tributary Mud Creek	0.22 ft	Below flood stage	−0.06 ft	16 mi
Lake Kampeska at Water Plant at WatertownLake, Lake Kampeska	17.41 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	18 mi
Willow Creek near WatertownRiver gauge, Willow Creek	5.65 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	19 mi

Questions and answers

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

It is 0.10 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.95 ft.

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

The official flood stage is 8.00 ft. The level is currently 4.95 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 Florence today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 04:00 PM CDT, the water level was 3.05 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Big Sioux River near Florence rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.09 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Big Sioux River near Florence 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 Florence?

The highest level on record is 9.70 ft on April 13, 2023.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:06479215 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 45.18083, -97.18583 (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	3.05 ft	2026-10-20 21:00	Provisional
Flow	0.5 cfs	2026-10-20 21:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Big Sioux River near Florence (usgs:06479215). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/south-dakota/big-sioux-river-near-florence

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