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SwedenJames River near Forestburg water level
River gauge, James River, South Dakota, United States
Right now
Below flood stage
Water level
- Flow
- 59.8 cfs
History
20252026
What this means
Water levels are unremarkable at James River near Forestburg, where the gauge shows 4.52 ft.
It is 7.48 ft below the flood stage of 12.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 9.18 ft (−4.66 ft).
The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 4.52 ft – 4.99 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
- 9.18 ft−4.66 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 4.52 ft – 4.99 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 4.53 ft – 9.11 ft
- Highest on record
- 20.61 ftApril 6, 1997
Paddling and fishing conditions
Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.
For reference, flood stage is 12.00 ft.
What happens at each level
- 20.00 ft
- 405th Ave is flooded and thus most river crossings are impassible resulting in significant travel disruptions.
- 19.00 ft
- Portions of Hwy 34 begin to flood and the bridge on 407th at the gauge is overtopped.
- 18.00 ft
- County Road 21 in northern Davison County will be flooded and water may begin to impact the gauge house.
- 16.00 ft
- Water reaches the bottom of the bridge at the gauge on 407th and the road north of the bridge may be flooded.
- 14.50 ft
- Many of the county roads in the area are impassible including 407th, 240th, 241st and 243rd and some roads are under water for as much as 1/2 mile.
- 13.00 ft
- 241st St begins to flood where it crosses the river.
- 12.00 ft
- Significant portions of the floodplain begin to flood and a couple county or township roads may begin to flood.
- 10.00 ft
- The lowest banks begin to flood
- 4.52 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: 24 %.
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20.61 ft | April 6, 1997 |
| 2 | 20.27 ft | March 25, 2011 |
| 3 | 19.14 ft | March 25, 2010 |
| 4 | 18.93 ft | May 8, 2007 |
| 5 | 18.84 ft | April 10, 2001 |
| 6 | 18.00 ft | March 29, 1920 |
| 7 | 18.00 ft | March 24, 1922 |
| 8 | 17.37 ft | April 25, 2019 |
| 9 | 17.26 ft | April 22, 1995 |
| 10 | 17.16 ft | April 9, 1969 |
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 at Nd-Sd State LineRiver gauge, James River | 88.17 ft | Normal | −0.02 ft | 136 mi |
| James River at ColumbiaRiver gauge, James River | 9.53 ft | Below flood stage | +0.11 ft | 113 mi |
| James River near StratfordRiver gauge, James River | 8.68 ft | Below flood stage | +0.24 ft | 89 mi |
| James River at AshtonRiver gauge, James River | 5.11 ft | Below flood stage | +0.36 ft | 74 mi |
| James River near RedfieldRiver gauge, James River | 4.69 ft | Below flood stage | +0.44 ft | 68 mi |
| James River at HuronRiver gauge, James River | 9.04 ft | Below flood stage | ±0 | 28 mi |
| James River near MitchellRiver gauge, James River | 9.90 ft | Low | −0.03 ft | 23 mi |
| James River near ScotlandRiver gauge, James River | 4.13 ft | Very low | +0.01 ft | 59 mi |
| James River near YanktonRiver gauge, James River | 3.37 ft | Below flood stage | −0.02 ft | 76 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 | 16 mi |
Questions and answers
How does the James River near Forestburg compare with last year?
It is 4.66 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 9.18 ft.
What is flood stage for the James River near Forestburg?
The official flood stage is 12.00 ft. The level is currently 7.48 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 near Forestburg today?
On Oct 21, 2026, 04:15 AM CDT, the water level was 4.52 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is James River near Forestburg rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.13 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of James River near Forestburg normal?
Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.
What is the highest water level ever recorded at James River near Forestburg?
The highest level on record is 20.61 ft on April 6, 1997.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- U.S. Geological Survey
- Station code
usgs:06477000(Agency page)- Coordinates
43.97389, -98.07056(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 | 4.52 ft | 2026-10-21 09:15 | Provisional |
| Flow | 59.8 cfs | 2026-10-21 09:15 | Provisional |
Download
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: James River near Forestburg (usgs:06477000). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/south-dakota/james-river-near-forestburg
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