Castle Creek above Deerfield Reservoir near Hill City water level

Name: Castle Creek above Deerfield Reservoir near Hill City 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, Castle Creek, South Dakota, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

2.76ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 21, 2026, 02:00 AM MDT (41 min ago)

Flow: 7.7 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Castle Creek above Deerfield Reservoir near Hill City, where the gauge shows 2.76 ft.

It is 3.24 ft below the flood stage of 6.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 2.73 ft, a difference of +0.03 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 2.75 ft – 2.81 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: 2.73 ft+0.03 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 2.75 ft – 2.81 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 2.66 ft – 3.24 ft
Highest on record: 6.54 ftMarch 15, 2019

Paddling and fishing conditions

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

For reference, flood stage is 6.00 ft.

What happens at each level

13.00 ft: Water covers the floor of the gage house.
7.50 ft: Major flood stage. Extensive inundation of structures and roads is possible along Castle Creek.
7.00 ft: Moderate flood stage. Some inundation of structures and roads along Castle Creek are possible.
6.00 ft: Minor flood stage. Minor flooding along Castle Creek.
4.50 ft: Action stage. Low lying areas along Castle Creek begin to flood.
2.76 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	6.54 ft	March 15, 2019
2	6.48 ft	November 23, 1984
3	6.31 ft	July 16, 1984
4	5.91 ft	February 20, 2020
5	5.85 ft	February 9, 2012
6	5.84 ft	August 3, 1983
7	5.81 ft	May 22, 1952
8	5.76 ft	April 7, 2023
9	5.67 ft	June 17, 1965
10	5.56 ft	February 9, 2021

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.03 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

17 Sat 73° 43° – Wind 11 mph

18 Sun 61° 37° – Wind 9 mph

19 Mon 62° 34° – Wind 9 mph

20 Tue 67° 43° – Wind 11 mph

21 Wed 65° 47° – Wind 10 mph

22 Thu 67° 48° – Wind 14 mph

23 Fri 64° 34° 0.47 in, 41% Wind 20 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:18 AM Sunset 06:03 PM Daylight 10 hr, 45 min Waxing gibbous 75%

Map

Other gauges on Castle Creek

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Castle Creek below Deerfield DamRiver gauge, Castle Creek	3.51 ft	Below flood stage	±0	2.6 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Deerfield ReservoirReservoir	5,902.11 ft	Low		2.4 mi
Rhoads Fork near RochfordRiver gauge, Rhoads Fork	3.6 cfs	Very low	±0	8 mi
Reno Gulch near Hill CityRiver gauge, Reno Gulch	3.65 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	13 mi
Rapid Creek above Pactola Reservoir at Silver CityRiver gauge, Rapid Creek	4.75 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	13 mi
Spring Creek at Oreville, near Hill CityRiver gauge, Spring Creek	4.04 ft	Below flood stage	±0	14 mi
Sunday Gulch below Johnson Canyon near Hill CityRiver gauge, Sunday Gulch	4.45 ft	Highest on record	±0	16 mi
Pactola ReservoirReservoir	4,558.75 ft	Very low		17 mi
Rapid Creek below Pactola DamRiver gauge, Rapid Creek	7.22 ft	Below flood stage	±0	18 mi

Questions and answers

Is Castle Creek above Deerfield Reservoir near Hill City higher than last year?

Yes, it is 0.03 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.73 ft.

What is flood stage for Castle Creek above Deerfield Reservoir near Hill City?

The official flood stage is 6.00 ft. The level is currently 3.24 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 Castle Creek above Deerfield Reservoir near Hill City today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 02:00 AM MDT, the water level was 2.76 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Castle Creek above Deerfield Reservoir near Hill City rising or falling?

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

Is the level of Castle Creek above Deerfield Reservoir near Hill City normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Castle Creek above Deerfield Reservoir near Hill City?

The highest level on record is 6.54 ft on March 15, 2019.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:06409000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 44.01361, -103.83000 (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	2.76 ft	2026-10-21 08:00	Provisional
Flow	7.7 cfs	2026-10-21 08:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Castle Creek above Deerfield Reservoir near Hill City (usgs:06409000). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/south-dakota/castle-creek-above-deerfield-reservoir-near-hill-city

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