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SwedenJames River at Columbia water level
River gauge, James River, South Dakota, United States
Right now
Below flood stage
Water level
- Flow
- 545 cfs
History
20252026
What this means
The gauge at James River at Columbia reads 9.53 ft, a normal level.
It is 3.47 ft below the flood stage of 13.00 ft.
The water is rising: up 0.11 ft over the past 24 hours. There is still 3.47 ft of room before flood stage. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 3.99 ft and 9.53 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
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 3.99 ft – 9.53 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 3.94 ft – 12.82 ft
- Highest on record
- 19.81 ftJuly 16, 2011
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 13.00 ft, still 3.47 ft away.
What happens at each level
- 23.00 ft
- Water begins to enter the south end of Columbia near the ballfield.
- 21.00 ft
- The bridge on 127th/Tacoma Park Rd is overtopped.
- 20.00 ft
- The bridge at the gauge location on 396th/Brown County 16 is overtopped.
- 19.50 ft
- 396th/Brown County 16 and Hamlin Garland Memorial Hwy/Brown County 11 both begin to flood, as does 400th Avenue, 123rd Street, Dakota Ave, Larson Road and Tacoma Loop are flooded. The river reaches the top of the levee at the old location of Columbia Park.
- 18.50 ft
- The water reaches the bottom of the bridge at the gauging location on 396th/Brown County 16.
- 18.00 ft
- 127th/Tacoma Park Rd begins to flood, as does 117th St between 395th and 400th Ave.
- 17.00 ft
- Water reaches the base of the levee at the old location of Columbia Park.
- 15.00 ft
- Water begins to approach several structures in the Tacoma Park area. Significant amounts of agricultural land are flooded.
- 13.00 ft
- Flooding of the lower lying agricultural areas begins.
- 9.53 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: 14 %.
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 19.81 ft | July 16, 2011 |
| 2 | 19.73 ft | April 24, 2009 |
| 3 | 19.08 ft | April 18, 1997 |
| 4 | 19.05 ft | April 2, 2010 |
| 5 | 18.96 ft | April 21, 2019 |
| 6 | 18.75 ft | November 12, 2019 |
| 7 | 18.57 ft | May 31, 2022 |
| 8 | 18.03 ft | May 14, 2023 |
| 9 | 17.83 ft | April 23, 2001 |
| 10 | 17.10 ft | May 31, 1999 |
Weather at the gauge
The forecast is not available right now.
Map
Other gauges on the James River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James River near Grace CityRiver gauge, James River | 4.43 ft | Normal | −0.01 ft | 138 mi |
| James River above Arrowwood Lake near KensalRiver gauge, James River | 2.05 ft | Normal | −0.03 ft | 126 mi |
| James River at JamestownRiver gauge, James River | 4.24 ft | Normal | −0.01 ft | 91 mi |
| James River at LamoureRiver gauge, James River | 8.03 ft | Normal | −0.03 ft | 52 mi |
| James River at Nd-Sd State LineRiver gauge, James River | 88.19 ft | Normal | +0.03 ft | 24 mi |
| James River near StratfordRiver gauge, James River | 8.44 ft | Below flood stage | +0.29 ft | 25 mi |
| James River at AshtonRiver gauge, James River | 4.75 ft | Below flood stage | +0.57 ft | 43 mi |
| James River near RedfieldRiver gauge, James River | 4.25 ft | Below flood stage | +0.80 ft | 49 mi |
| James River at HuronRiver gauge, James River | 9.03 ft | Below flood stage | −0.06 ft | 86 mi |
| James River near ForestburgRiver gauge, James River | 4.54 ft | Below flood stage | +0.01 ft | 113 mi |
| James River near MitchellRiver gauge, James River | 9.94 ft | Low | −0.01 ft | 136 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elm River near OrdwayRiver gauge, Elm River | 3.13 ft | Below flood stage | −0.05 ft | 5.7 mi |
| Elm River at WestportRiver gauge, Elm River | 4.12 ft | Below flood stage | +0.02 ft | 10 mi |
| Moccasin Creek at AberdeenRiver gauge, Moccasin Creek | 1.60 ft | Below flood stage | +0.07 ft | 12 mi |
| Foot Creek near AberdeenRiver gauge, Foot Creek | 4.15 ft | Below flood stage | −0.01 ft | 14 mi |
| Moccasin Creek near AberdeenRiver gauge, Moccasin Creek | 13.27 ft | No reference yet | +0.01 ft | 18 mi |
| Maple River at Nd-Sd State LineRiver gauge, Maple River | 1.92 ft | Below flood stage | −0.01 ft | 24 mi |
| Elm River near FrederickRiver gauge, Elm River | 5.17 ft | Below flood stage | −0.02 ft | 25 mi |
| Wild Rice River near RutlandRiver gauge, Wild Rice River | 0.0 cfs | Normal | ±0 | 48 mi |
Questions and answers
What is flood stage for the James River at Columbia?
The official flood stage is 13.00 ft. The level is currently 3.47 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 James River at Columbia today?
On Oct 19, 2026, 04:00 PM CDT, the water level was 9.53 ft. Up 0.11 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is James River at Columbia rising or falling?
Up 0.11 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 4.77 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of James River at Columbia normal?
Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.
What is the highest water level ever recorded at James River at Columbia?
The highest level on record is 19.81 ft on July 16, 2011.
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:06471000(Agency page)- Coordinates
45.60361, -98.31000(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 | 9.53 ft | 2026-10-19 21:00 | Provisional |
| Flow | 545 cfs | 2026-10-19 21:00 | Provisional |
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: James River at Columbia (usgs:06471000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/south-dakota/james-river-at-columbia
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