Castle Creek below Deerfield Dam water level

Name: Castle Creek below Deerfield Dam 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

3.51ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 1, 2026, 12:45 AM MDT (20 days ago)

Flow: 9.9 cfs

This gauge last reported 20 days ago. The value may be out of date; check the agency page before you rely on it.

History

30 days 1 year

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

Castle Creek below Deerfield Dam is at 3.51 ft, in the normal range. That reading is from Oct 1, 2026, 12:45 AM MDT, so the gauge may be offline or reporting late.

It is 1.99 ft below the flood stage of 5.50 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 3.50 ft and 3.51 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: 3.50 ft – 3.51 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 3.48 ft – 3.65 ft
Highest on record: 5.37 ftMay 31, 2011

Floating and fishing near Castle Creek below Deerfield Dam

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

Flood stage here is 5.50 ft, 1.99 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

12.80 ft: Water will reach the floor of the gage house.
5.50 ft: Minor flood stage. Minor flooding along the creek.
5.25 ft: Safe channel capacity is 90 cfs.
5.00 ft: Action stage. Low land flooding along the banks may begin.
3.51 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	5.37 ft	May 31, 2011
2	5.34 ft	July 9, 2019
3	5.19 ft	June 30, 2023
4	5.11 ft	June 24, 1998
5	5.08 ft	June 5, 1991
6	4.91 ft	May 26, 2010
7	4.86 ft	June 21, 1999
8	4.83 ft	August 4, 1982
9	4.77 ft	May 7, 2020
10	4.75 ft	June 4, 1997

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:17 AM Sunset 06:05 PM Daylight 10 hr, 48 min Waxing gibbous 71%

Map

Other gauges on Castle Creek

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Castle Creek above Deerfield Reservoir near Hill CityRiver gauge, Castle Creek	2.77 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		0.2 mi
Rhoads Fork near RochfordRiver gauge, Rhoads Fork	3.6 cfs	Very low	±0	8 mi
Rapid Creek above Pactola Reservoir at Silver CityRiver gauge, Rapid Creek	4.75 ft	Below flood stage	±0	11 mi
Reno Gulch near Hill CityRiver gauge, Reno Gulch	3.65 ft	Below flood stage	±0	12 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	15 mi
Pactola ReservoirReservoir	4,558.75 ft	Very low		15 mi
Rapid Creek below Pactola DamRiver gauge, Rapid Creek	7.22 ft	Below flood stage	±0	15 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for Castle Creek below Deerfield Dam?

The official flood stage is 5.50 ft. The level is currently 1.99 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 below Deerfield Dam today?

On Oct 1, 2026, 12:45 AM MDT, the water level was 3.51 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Castle Creek below Deerfield Dam rising or falling?

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

Is the level of Castle Creek below Deerfield Dam normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Castle Creek below Deerfield Dam?

The highest level on record is 5.37 ft on May 31, 2011.

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:06410000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 44.02917, -103.78139 (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	3.51 ft	2026-10-01 06:45	Provisional
Flow	9.9 cfs	2026-10-01 06:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Castle Creek below Deerfield Dam (usgs:06410000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/south-dakota/castle-creek-below-deerfield-dam

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