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Elm Creek near Gann Valley water level

River gauge, Elm Creek, South Dakota, United States

Directions

Right now

High for late October

Water level

3.44ft Steady over the last 24 hours

5 10 15 Highest onrecord 17.24 ft Minor floodstage 14.00 ft

History

History
2.53.03.5ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 18Oct 20Oct 212.53.03.5ftOct 16Oct 18Oct 21
2.53.03.5ftSep 22Sep 29Oct 6Oct 13Oct 212.53.03.5ftSep 22Oct 6Oct 21
246ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026246ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026
246ftJanMarMayJulSepNov2026246ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %) Minor flood stage

What this means

Elm Creek near Gann Valley is above normal at 3.44 ft.

The median for late October is 2.91 ft, based on 9 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.53 ft above typical. It is 10.56 ft below the flood stage of 14.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 2.90 ft, a difference of +0.54 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 3.18 ft and 3.53 ft.

That stands out in fall, when many rivers are usually near their lowest.

Compared with 9 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
2.91 ft0.53 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date
2.46 ft – 3.49 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (9 years of records)
Same day last year
2.90 ft+0.54 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
3.18 ft – 3.53 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
2.69 ft – 7.42 ft
Highest on record
17.24 ftJuly 25, 1993

Floating and fishing near Elm Creek near Gann Valley

Experienced paddlers may enjoy higher water, but many outfitters stop rentals once a river runs this high.

Flood stage here is 14.00 ft, 10.56 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

24.00 ft
The bridge on Hwy 34 at the gauge location is overtopped.
21.00 ft
Nearby outbuildings may begin to flood and water reaches the bottom of the bridge on Hwy 34.
15.00 ft
The left banks are overtopped and water enters the broader floodplain.
14.00 ft
The right banks are overtopped, flooding nearby agricultural land.
12.00 ft
The lowest lying areas near the river begin to flood.
3.44 ft
Right now

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

Highest crests on record

RankLevelDate
117.24 ftJuly 25, 1993
211.92 ftApril 13, 2023
39.53 ftMay 13, 1998
46.37 ftApril 29, 2025

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.15 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

17 Sat 72° 35° – Wind 17 mph
18 Sun 72° 46° – Wind 13 mph
19 Mon 67° 44° – Wind 17 mph
20 Tue 72° 48° – Wind 16 mph
21 Wed 75° 53° – Wind 12 mph
22 Thu 80° 56° – Wind 12 mph
23 Fri 78° 62° 0.19 in, 23% Wind 16 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:59 AM Sunset 06:44 PM Daylight 10 hr, 45 min Waxing gibbous 75%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Lake Francis Case at ChamberlainLake, Lake Francis Case 48.78 ft Very low +0.32 ft 20 mi
Medicine Creek near Lower BruleRiver gauge, Medicine Creek 6.9 cfs Normal +0.6 cfs 30 mi
White River near OacomaRiver gauge, White River 7.76 ft Below flood stage −0.03 ft 30 mi

Questions and answers

Is Elm Creek near Gann Valley higher than last year?

Yes, it is 0.54 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.90 ft.

What is flood stage for Elm Creek near Gann Valley?

The official flood stage is 14.00 ft. The level is currently 10.56 ft below it.

What is a normal level for Elm Creek near Gann Valley in late October?

The median for late October is 2.91 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.46 ft and 3.49 ft, based on 9 years of records.

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 Elm Creek near Gann Valley today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 01:45 AM CDT, the water level was 3.44 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Elm Creek near Gann Valley rising or falling?

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

Is the level of Elm Creek near Gann Valley normal?

High for late October. Compared with 9 years of daily readings for this time of year.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
Operator
U.S. Geological Survey
Station code
usgs:06442900 (Agency page)
Coordinates
44.07749, -99.15068 (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

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Water level 3.44 ft 2026-10-21 06:45 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Elm Creek near Gann Valley (usgs:06442900). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/south-dakota/elm-creek-near-gann-valley

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.