Big Sioux River near Hawarden water level

Name: Big Sioux River near Hawarden 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

11.99ft Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 04:30 PM CDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 648 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The gauge at Big Sioux River near Hawarden reads 11.99 ft, a normal level.

It is 8.51 ft below the flood stage of 20.50 ft. A year ago it stood at 12.33 ft (−0.34 ft).

The level is falling, down 0.04 ft over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 11.99 ft and 13.61 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: 12.33 ft−0.34 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 11.99 ft – 13.61 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 10.99 ft – 14.75 ft
Highest on record: 39.92 ftJune 22, 2024

What the stage means on the water

A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 20.50 ft, still 8.51 ft away.

What happens at each level

39.00 ft: Significant flooding continues in Hawarden with roughly the western half of the town flooded.
35.00 ft: Water overtops 10th St and floods the lower portions of Hawarden south of 10th St and west of Highway 10.
34.00 ft: Several structures near the river off of 10th St in Haward are flooded or surrounded by water.
32.00 ft: Water backs up into the park in Hawarden, and some basements and sewers could begin to have problems.
30.50 ft: Iowa Highway 10 begins to flood.
30.00 ft: South Dakota Highway 46 begins to flood north of Hawarden.
29.50 ft: County Road 13 begins to flood west of Hawarden. The lowest campsites at the Big Sioux Recreation Area are flooded.
27.50 ft: River Road between 304th St and County Road 13 begins to flood.
25.50 ft: Water may begin to backup the drainage ditches into the lakes at the Big Sioux Recreation Area in Hawarden.
24.00 ft: Some farm houses on the South Dakota side of the river are isolated by high water.
20.50 ft: Agricultural flooding begins on the South Dakota side of the river.
11.99 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: 18 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	39.92 ft	June 22, 2024
2	35.20 ft	March 15, 2019
3	34.00 ft	June 22, 2018
4	32.42 ft	September 15, 2019
5	23.02 ft	March 30, 2020
6	22.89 ft	April 13, 2023
7	22.38 ft	May 2, 2016
8	20.35 ft	May 23, 2017
9	18.88 ft	June 1, 2022
10	18.30 ft	July 9, 2015

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:46 AM Sunset 06:37 PM Daylight 10 hr, 51 min Waxing gibbous 72%

Map

Other gauges on the Big Sioux River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Big Sioux River at Broadway at WatertownRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	5.03 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	131 mi
Big Sioux River below WatertownRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	4.46 ft	Below flood stage	±0	127 mi
Big Sioux River near CastlewoodRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	4.80 ft	Below flood stage	+0.05 ft	119 mi
Big Sioux River near BruceRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	3.11 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	100 mi
Big Sioux River near BrookingsRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	2.26 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	79 mi
Big Sioux River near Dell RapidsRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	3.23 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	53 mi
Big Sioux River below Diversion at Sioux FallsRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	3.12 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	39 mi
Big Sioux River at Sioux FallsRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	1.48 ft	Below flood stage	±0	34 mi
Big Sioux River at North Cliff Ave at Sioux FallsRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	5.05 ft	Below flood stage	±0	37 mi
Big Sioux River at AkronRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	5.60 ft	Below flood stage	−0.06 ft	15 mi
Big Sioux River near JeffersonRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	9.38 ft	Below flood stage	−0.11 ft	29 mi
Big Sioux River at Sioux CityRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	9.94 ft	Very low	−0.08 ft	36 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Rock River near Rock ValleyRiver gauge, Rock River	5.22 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	15 mi
Burr Oak Creek near PerkinsRiver gauge, Burr Oak Creek	10.25 ft	Below flood stage	±0	21 mi
Floyd River at AltonRiver gauge, Floyd River	5.86 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	25 mi
Perry Creek near MillnervilleRiver gauge, Perry Creek	0.98 ft	Below flood stage	±0	25 mi
Perry Creek near HintonRiver gauge, Perry Creek	15.21 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	30 mi
Rock River below Tom Creek at Rock RapidsRiver gauge, Rock River	7.20 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	30 mi
Missouri River near MaskellRiver gauge, Missouri River	21.11 ft	Low	±0	33 mi

Questions and answers

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

It is 0.34 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 12.33 ft.

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

The official flood stage is 20.50 ft. The level is currently 8.51 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 Hawarden today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 04:30 PM CDT, the water level was 11.99 ft. Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Big Sioux River near Hawarden rising or falling?

Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.05 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Big Sioux River near Hawarden 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 Hawarden?

The highest level on record is 39.92 ft on June 22, 2024.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:06483950 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 43.05139, -96.48944 (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	11.99 ft	2026-10-20 21:30	Provisional
Flow	648 cfs	2026-10-20 21:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Big Sioux River near Hawarden (usgs:06483950). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/south-dakota/big-sioux-river-near-hawarden

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