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SwedenElm River at Westport water level
River gauge, Elm River, South Dakota, United States
Right now
Below flood stage
Water level
- Flow
- 5.3 cfs
History
20252026
What this means
Water levels are unremarkable at Elm River at Westport, where the gauge shows 4.12 ft.
It is 9.88 ft below the flood stage of 14.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 4.38 ft (−0.26 ft).
The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 4.08 ft – 4.34 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
- 4.38 ft−0.26 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 4.08 ft – 4.34 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 4.09 ft – 8.06 ft
- Highest on record
- 22.63 ftMarch 25, 2009
Paddling and fishing conditions
Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.
For reference, flood stage is 14.00 ft.
What happens at each level
- 22.50 ft
- The bridge 2 miles south and 1 mile east of Westport will be overtopped
- 22.00 ft
- Large portions of Westport will have water 2 to 3 feet deep
- 21.00 ft
- The bridge on Brown County Road 10a is overtopped
- 20.50 ft
- The water will reach the bottom of the bridge 2 miles south and 1 mile east of Westport. The bridge east of Westport will be overtopped
- 19.00 ft
- The community of Westport begins to flood
- 18.50 ft
- The water will reach the bottom of the bridge east of Westport
- 17.50 ft
- Water reaches the bottom of the bridge north of Westport
- 16.00 ft
- Several gravel roads along the river begin to flood
- 14.50 ft
- The bridge northwest of Kruse Dam will be overtopped
- 14.00 ft
- The county road east of Westport becomes impassable
- 12.50 ft
- The water will reach the bottom of the bridge north of Kruse Dam
- 4.12 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: < 5 %.
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 22.63 ft | March 25, 2009 |
| 2 | 22.11 ft | April 10, 1969 |
| 3 | 21.56 ft | March 30, 1997 |
| 4 | 20.80 ft | April 4, 2019 |
| 5 | 20.45 ft | July 27, 2020 |
| 6 | 20.10 ft | April 8, 1952 |
| 7 | 19.78 ft | March 21, 2010 |
| 8 | 17.78 ft | June 11, 2005 |
| 9 | 17.71 ft | March 16, 1995 |
| 10 | 17.47 ft | June 24, 2011 |
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.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Other gauges on the Elm River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elm River near FrederickRiver gauge, Elm River | 5.18 ft | Below flood stage | ±0 | 16 mi |
| Elm River near OrdwayRiver gauge, Elm River | 3.12 ft | Below flood stage | −0.02 ft | 8 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James River at ColumbiaRiver gauge, James River | 9.53 ft | Below flood stage | +0.11 ft | 10 mi |
| Foot Creek near AberdeenRiver gauge, Foot Creek | 4.14 ft | Below flood stage | −0.01 ft | 10 mi |
| Moccasin Creek at AberdeenRiver gauge, Moccasin Creek | 1.59 ft | Below flood stage | +0.04 ft | 13 mi |
| Moccasin Creek near AberdeenRiver gauge, Moccasin Creek | 13.29 ft | No reference yet | +0.01 ft | 19 mi |
| Maple River at Nd-Sd State LineRiver gauge, Maple River | 1.92 ft | Below flood stage | ±0 | 20 mi |
| James River at Nd-Sd State LineRiver gauge, James River | 88.18 ft | Normal | +0.01 ft | 25 mi |
| James River near StratfordRiver gauge, James River | 8.48 ft | Below flood stage | +0.26 ft | 29 mi |
| Bear Creek near OakesRiver gauge, Bear Creek | 5.33 ft | Very low | +0.01 ft | 44 mi |
Questions and answers
How does the Elm River at Westport compare with last year?
It is 0.26 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 4.38 ft.
What is flood stage for the Elm River at Westport?
The official flood stage is 14.00 ft. The level is currently 9.88 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 Elm River at Westport today?
On Oct 20, 2026, 09:00 AM CDT, the water level was 4.12 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is Elm River at Westport rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Elm River at Westport normal?
Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.
What is the highest water level ever recorded at Elm River at Westport?
The highest level on record is 22.63 ft on March 25, 2009.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- U.S. Geological Survey
- Station code
usgs:06471500(Agency page)- Coordinates
45.65611, -98.49667(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 | 4.12 ft | 2026-10-20 14:00 | Provisional |
| Flow | 5.3 cfs | 2026-10-20 14:00 | Provisional |
Download
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Elm River at Westport (usgs:06471500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/south-dakota/elm-river-at-westport
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