Cherry Creek near Plainview water level

Name: Cherry Creek near Plainview 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, Cherry Creek, South Dakota, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

2.66ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 06:15 AM MDT (40 min ago)

Flow: 0.0 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Cherry Creek near Plainview, where the gauge shows 2.66 ft.

It is 16.34 ft below the flood stage of 19.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 3.85 ft, a difference of −1.19 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 1.76 ft – 2.67 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: 3.85 ft−1.19 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 1.76 ft – 2.67 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 1.76 ft – 5.11 ft
Highest on record: 22.63 ftApril 1, 1952

Paddling and fishing conditions

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

For reference, flood stage is 19.00 ft.

What happens at each level

25.00 ft: Top of erosion control wall.
22.00 ft: Major Flood Stage.
20.00 ft: Moderate Flood Stage.
19.00 ft: Minor Flood Stage.
17.00 ft: Action Stage. Lowland flooding along the river.
2.66 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	22.63 ft	April 1, 1952
2	20.48 ft	June 7, 2008
3	19.60 ft	March 22, 1978
4	19.43 ft	May 29, 1996
5	19.42 ft	April 15, 2009
6	19.30 ft	May 22, 1982
7	19.05 ft	March 4, 1994
8	18.93 ft	June 10, 1964
9	18.00 ft	February 24, 1997
10	17.34 ft	May 10, 1986

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

18 Sun 67° 39° – Wind 13 mph

19 Mon 64° 35° – Wind 14 mph

20 Tue 77° 49° – Wind 16 mph

21 Wed 70° 51° – Wind 11 mph

22 Thu 82° 54° – Wind 20 mph

23 Fri 80° 55° 0.18 in, 39% Wind 25 mph

24 Sat 53° 42° 0.20 in, 41% Wind 27 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:11 AM Sunset 05:57 PM Daylight 10 hr, 46 min First quarter 68%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Cheyenne River near PlainviewRiver gauge, Cheyenne River	8.18 ft	Below flood stage	±0	16 mi
Moreau River near FaithRiver gauge, Moreau River	0.63 ft	Below flood stage	+0.03 ft	32 mi
Belle Fourche River near Elm SpringsRiver gauge, Belle Fourche River	3.74 ft	Below flood stage	+0.03 ft	36 mi
Elk Creek near Elm SpringsRiver gauge, Elk Creek	3.48 ft	Below flood stage	±0	41 mi
Cheyenne River near Eagle ButteRiver gauge, Cheyenne River	10.30 ft	Very low	−0.03 ft	41 mi

Questions and answers

Is Cherry Creek near Plainview higher than last year?

No, it is 1.19 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3.85 ft.

What is flood stage for Cherry Creek near Plainview?

The official flood stage is 19.00 ft. The level is currently 16.34 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 Cherry Creek near Plainview today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 06:15 AM MDT, the water level was 2.66 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Cherry Creek near Plainview rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Up 0.90 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Cherry Creek near Plainview normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Cherry Creek near Plainview?

The highest level on record is 22.63 ft on April 1, 1952.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:06439000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 44.74306, -102.05306 (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	2.66 ft	2026-10-20 12:15	Provisional
Flow	0.0 cfs	2026-10-20 12:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Cherry Creek near Plainview (usgs:06439000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/south-dakota/cherry-creek-near-plainview

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