East Fork Vermillion River near Parker water level

Name: East Fork Vermillion River near Parker 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, East Fork Vermillion River, South Dakota, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

5.94ft Down 4.97 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 21, 2026, 04:15 AM CDT (38 min ago)

Flow: 3.0 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The East Fork Vermillion River near Parker is at 5.94 ft, in the normal range.

It is 6.06 ft below the flood stage of 12.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 5.15 ft (+0.79 ft).

It has dropped 4.97 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 5.00 ft and 10.92 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: 5.15 ft+0.79 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 5.00 ft – 10.92 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 4.93 ft – 9.04 ft
Highest on record: 17.60 ftSeptember 13, 2019

Floating and fishing near East Fork Vermillion River near Parker

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

Flood stage here is 12.00 ft, 6.06 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

21.50 ft: Water overtops the 272nd Street bridge at the gage site.
20.50 ft: The bridge on 275th St over the East Fork of the river is overtopped. 272nd St near the gage is flooded.
19.50 ft: Water reaches the bottom of the bridge on 272nd Street at the gage.
17.00 ft: Hwy 19 north of 272nd begins to flood. Water begins to approach at least one house off of 272nd St.
16.50 ft: 275th east of Parker on the East Fork of the river may flood if flow from the West Fork is also high. The bridge on 271st St just west of Highway 19 is overtopped.
16.00 ft: The bridges on 455th Avenue and 456th Avenue are both overtopped.
15.00 ft: Water reaches the bottom of the bridge on 456th Avenue.
14.00 ft: Water reaches the bottom of the bridge on 455th Avenue.
13.00 ft: Water reaches the bottom of the bridge on 273rd St and water may begin to surround a few outbuildings near the gauge location.
12.00 ft: Flooding of agricultural land begins.
11.50 ft: The lowest portions of 273rd St may begin to flood.
10.00 ft: Some flooding is possible across the lowest banks and ditches.
5.94 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: 15 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	17.60 ft	September 13, 2019
2	17.53 ft	June 21, 2024
3	16.09 ft	March 14, 2019
4	14.92 ft	March 13, 2010
5	12.73 ft	March 22, 1997
6	12.18 ft	June 25, 2003
7	12.05 ft	March 19, 2011
8	11.83 ft	May 8, 2012
9	10.85 ft	May 30, 2004
10	10.67 ft	June 3, 2008

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 69° 43° – Wind 15 mph

21 Wed 73° 47° – Wind 9 mph

22 Thu 75° 52° – Wind 14 mph

23 Fri 78° 59° 0.02 in Wind 22 mph

24 Sat 69° 55° 0.07 in, 31% Wind 21 mph

25 Sun 54° 37° 0.51 in, 21% Wind 11 mph

26 Mon 40° 35° 0.06 in, 22% Wind 13 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:50 AM Sunset 06:37 PM Daylight 10 hr, 47 min Waxing gibbous 76%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
West Fork Vermillion River near ParkerRiver gauge, West Fork Vermillion River	1.38 ft	Normal	+0.01 ft	5.2 mi
Skunk Creek near HartfordRiver gauge, Skunk Creek	3.57 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	17 mi
Skunk Creek at Sioux FallsRiver gauge, Skunk Creek	2.21 ft	Below flood stage	±0	17 mi
Big Sioux River at Sioux FallsRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	1.48 ft	Below flood stage	±0	19 mi
Willow Creek near CrooksRiver gauge, Willow Creek	3.70 ft	Below flood stage	+0.02 ft	19 mi
Big Sioux River below Diversion at Sioux FallsRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	3.13 ft	Below flood stage	±0	19 mi
Big Sioux River at North Cliff Ave at Sioux FallsRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	5.05 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	22 mi
Silver Creek at Sioux FallsRiver gauge, Silver Creek	0.91 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	22 mi

Questions and answers

How does the East Fork Vermillion River near Parker compare with last year?

It is 0.79 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 5.15 ft.

What is flood stage for the East Fork Vermillion River near Parker?

The official flood stage is 12.00 ft. The level is currently 6.06 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 East Fork Vermillion River near Parker today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 04:15 AM CDT, the water level was 5.94 ft. Down 4.97 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is East Fork Vermillion River near Parker rising or falling?

Down 4.97 ft over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.

Is the level of East Fork Vermillion River near Parker normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at East Fork Vermillion River near Parker?

The highest level on record is 17.60 ft on September 13, 2019.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:06478600 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 43.44528, -97.10944 (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	5.94 ft	2026-10-21 09:15	Provisional
Flow	3.0 cfs	2026-10-21 09:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: East Fork Vermillion River near Parker (usgs:06478600). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/south-dakota/east-fork-vermillion-river-near-parker

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