James River at Huron water level

Name: James River at Huron 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, James River, South Dakota, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

9.03ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 10:00 AM CDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 74.9 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The James River at Huron is at 9.03 ft, in the normal range.

It is 2.47 ft below the flood stage of 11.50 ft. A year ago it stood at 10.52 ft (−1.49 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 8.92 ft and 9.15 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: 10.52 ft−1.49 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 8.92 ft – 9.15 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 9.01 ft – 10.53 ft
Highest on record: 21.28 ftApril 6, 1997

Floating and fishing near James River at Huron

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

Flood stage here is 11.50 ft, 2.47 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

25.50 ft: Water overtops the dike at the wastewater treatment plant.
22.00 ft: Riverside Park in Huron begins to flood from water overtopping the dike.
21.50 ft: Water reaches the bottom of the bridge on Highway 14 and reaches the top of the dike in Memorial Park.
20.50 ft: Memorial Park in Huron will be flooded. The lowest portion of 221st in northern Sanborn County begins to flood.
19.50 ft: Hwy 14 may begin flooding west of the bridge in Huron. Water reaches the bottom of the bridge at the gaging location.
19.00 ft: Most county roads along the river east of Highway 37 are flooded.
17.00 ft: 3rd Street east of the bridge in Huron begins flooding.
16.50 ft: Portions of Jersey, Riverside, and Sherman streets in Huron may begin flooding.
15.00 ft: Approximately 16000 acres of agricultural land around Huron will be flooded. The lowest portion of Jersey and Waibel Dr may also be flooded if flow from the creek is high.
14.00 ft: A few county and township roads in Beadle County will be flooded.
11.50 ft: Rural and agricultural areas begin to experience flooding
10.50 ft: The lowest banks begin to be overtopped flooding low lying areas near the river.
9.03 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: 10 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	21.28 ft	April 6, 1997
2	20.07 ft	March 26, 2011
3	19.72 ft	March 25, 2010
4	18.14 ft	April 10, 2001
5	17.58 ft	May 7, 2007
6	17.25 ft	April 24, 2019
7	16.86 ft	May 19, 1995
8	16.75 ft	March 21, 2020
9	16.70 ft	April 13, 1969
10	16.64 ft	May 3, 2009

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:53 AM Sunset 06:43 PM Daylight 10 hr, 50 min First quarter 60%

Map

Other gauges on the James River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
James River at LamoureRiver gauge, James River	8.05 ft	Normal	−0.05 ft	138 mi
James River at Nd-Sd State LineRiver gauge, James River	88.16 ft	Normal	+0.07 ft	109 mi
James River at ColumbiaRiver gauge, James River	9.51 ft	Below flood stage	+0.12 ft	86 mi
James River near StratfordRiver gauge, James River	8.24 ft	Below flood stage	+0.58 ft	61 mi
James River at AshtonRiver gauge, James River	4.33 ft	Below flood stage	+0.56 ft	46 mi
James River near RedfieldRiver gauge, James River	3.61 ft	Below flood stage	+0.32 ft	40 mi
James River near ForestburgRiver gauge, James River	4.52 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	28 mi
James River near MitchellRiver gauge, James River	9.95 ft	Low	−0.01 ft	51 mi
James River near ScotlandRiver gauge, James River	4.09 ft	Very low	−0.09 ft	86 mi
James River near YanktonRiver gauge, James River	3.44 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	103 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Firesteel Creek near Mount VernonRiver gauge, Firesteel Creek	2.43 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	41 mi

Questions and answers

How does the James River at Huron compare with last year?

It is 1.49 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 10.52 ft.

What is flood stage for the James River at Huron?

The official flood stage is 11.50 ft. The level is currently 2.47 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 Huron today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 10:00 AM CDT, the water level was 9.03 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is James River at Huron rising or falling?

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

Is the level of James River at Huron 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 Huron?

The highest level on record is 21.28 ft on April 6, 1997.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:06476000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 44.36361, -98.19889 (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	9.03 ft	2026-10-19 15:00	Provisional
Flow	74.9 cfs	2026-10-19 15:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: James River at Huron (usgs:06476000). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/south-dakota/james-river-at-huron

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