Horsehead Creek at Oelrichs water level

Name: Horsehead Creek at Oelrichs 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, Horsehead Creek, South Dakota, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

1.73ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 08:45 AM MDT (2 days ago)

Flow: 0.0 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The gauge at Horsehead Creek at Oelrichs reads 1.73 ft, a normal level.

It is 14.27 ft below the flood stage of 16.00 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours.

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

Highest on record: 16.31 ftMay 25, 2010

What the stage means on the water

A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 16.00 ft, still 14.27 ft away.

What happens at each level

20.00 ft: Major Flood Stage. Extensive flooding along the creek with inundation of structures and roads.
18.00 ft: Moderate Flood Stage. Some inundation of structures and roads near the creek are possible. Water will cover northbound 385 north of Oelrichs at Horsehead Creek and will begin to approach southbound lanes of Highway 385.
17.00 ft: Water may begin to approach the northbound lane of Highway 385, north of Oelrichs, about 150 feet south of Horsehead Creek. It typically takes 6 to 10 hours for the water to reach this location.
16.00 ft: Minor Flood Stage; Minor flooding of agricultural land. Water may begin to fill the medians along 385 where Horsehead Creek crosses Highway 385 north of Oelrichs. It will typically take 6 to 10 hours for the water to reach this crossing.
10.00 ft: Bankfull and Action Stage. Water backs up south of Hwy 18. Nuisance flooding of agricultural land.
1.73 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	16.31 ft	May 25, 2010
2	15.06 ft	May 29, 2019
3	14.42 ft	April 22, 2000
4	13.52 ft	June 3, 1997
5	11.06 ft	March 10, 2014
6	10.01 ft	May 30, 2018
7	9.74 ft	June 14, 2005
8	9.15 ft	June 14, 2003
9	8.91 ft	July 11, 2001
10	8.61 ft	June 16, 1999

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:14 AM Sunset 06:02 PM Daylight 10 hr, 47 min Waxing gibbous 74%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Angostura ReservoirReservoir	3,169.41 ft	Low		15 mi
Hat Creek near EdgemontRiver gauge, Hat Creek	6.62 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	19 mi
Beaver Creek near Buffalo GapRiver gauge, Beaver Creek	4.01 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	20 mi
White River near OglalaRiver gauge, White River	6.83 ft	Below flood stage	+0.16 ft	21 mi
Fall River at Hot SpringsRiver gauge, Fall River	0.83 ft	Normal	±0	21 mi
Cheyenne River near Buffalo GapRiver gauge, Cheyenne River	2.33 ft	Below flood stage	±0	23 mi
White River near Ne-Sd State LineRiver gauge, White River	4.13 ft	Below flood stage	−0.06 ft	23 mi
Cheyenne River at EdgemontRiver gauge, Cheyenne River	1.20 ft	Below flood stage	±0	31 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for Horsehead Creek at Oelrichs?

The official flood stage is 16.00 ft. The level is currently 14.27 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 Horsehead Creek at Oelrichs today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 08:45 AM MDT, the water level was 1.73 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Horsehead Creek at Oelrichs rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Horsehead Creek at Oelrichs normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Horsehead Creek at Oelrichs?

The highest level on record is 16.31 ft on May 25, 2010.

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:06400875 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 43.18806, -103.22611 (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	1.73 ft	2026-10-19 14:45	Provisional
Flow	0.0 cfs	2026-10-19 14:45	Provisional

Download

Embed this gauge

Add a live card for this gauge to your website. It updates on its own and links back here.

<iframe src="https://nivelmap.com/embed/14888?lang=en" width="360" height="230" style="border:0;max-width:100%" loading="lazy" title="Horsehead Creek at Oelrichs water level"></iframe>

How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Horsehead Creek at Oelrichs (usgs:06400875). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/south-dakota/horsehead-creek-at-oelrichs

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