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SwedenJames River near Mitchell water level
River gauge, James River, South Dakota, United States
Right now
Low for mid-October
Water level
History
20252026
What this means
The James River near Mitchell is running below normal at 9.96 ft.
The median for mid-October is 11.62 ft, based on 17 years of readings, so the river stage is 1.66 ft below typical. It is 7.04 ft below the flood stage of 17.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 14.49 ft, a difference of −4.53 ft.
It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. In the last month it has stayed between 9.86 ft and 10.59 ft.
Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.
Compared with 17 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 11.62 ft1.66 ft below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 9.63 ft – 16.12 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (17 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 14.49 ft−4.53 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 9.86 ft – 10.59 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 9.89 ft – 14.39 ft
- Highest on record
- 25.33 ftApril 11, 2001
Floating and fishing near James River near Mitchell
Low water exposes gravel bars that make good wading access, but some boat ramps may be left high and dry.
Flood stage here is 17.00 ft, 7.04 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.
What happens at each level
- 30.50 ft
- 257th Street at the bridge is flooded.
- 27.50 ft
- Water reaches the top of the bridge on 416th Ave
- 25.00 ft
- Highway 42 east of Ethan will be flooded. Water reaches the bottom of the bridge on 257th Street at the gauge.
- 24.00 ft
- Highway 38 east of Mitchell begins flooding. 416th Avenue and 257th Street are flooded.
- 23.50 ft
- 1st Avenue by the golf course is flooded.
- 23.00 ft
- 416th Avenue is flooded near Rosedale Colony.
- 22.00 ft
- Water overtops 257th Street about 100 yards east of the bridge.
- 21.50 ft
- Shannard/Old Mill Road east of Mitchell is flooded.
- 19.00 ft
- Sizable areas of agricultural land near the river are flooded.
- 17.00 ft
- Low lying agricultural land begins to flood.
- 15.00 ft
- The lowest banks begin to be overtopped.
- 9.96 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: 26 %.
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 25.33 ft | April 11, 2001 |
| 2 | 25.20 ft | March 25, 2011 |
| 3 | 25.05 ft | September 13, 2019 |
| 4 | 25.03 ft | June 16, 2010 |
| 5 | 24.38 ft | May 10, 2007 |
| 6 | 23.73 ft | June 23, 2024 |
| 7 | 23.52 ft | March 25, 2019 |
| 8 | 21.89 ft | May 6, 2009 |
| 9 | 21.30 ft | March 24, 2020 |
| 10 | 21.03 ft | April 28, 2023 |
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 ColumbiaRiver gauge, James River | 9.53 ft | Below flood stage | +0.11 ft | 136 mi |
| James River near StratfordRiver gauge, James River | 8.33 ft | Below flood stage | +0.42 ft | 112 mi |
| James River at AshtonRiver gauge, James River | 4.53 ft | Below flood stage | +0.63 ft | 97 mi |
| James River near RedfieldRiver gauge, James River | 3.90 ft | Below flood stage | +0.57 ft | 91 mi |
| James River at HuronRiver gauge, James River | 9.03 ft | Below flood stage | −0.06 ft | 51 mi |
| James River near ForestburgRiver gauge, James River | 4.54 ft | Below flood stage | −0.01 ft | 23 mi |
| James River near ScotlandRiver gauge, James River | 4.12 ft | Very low | ±0 | 36 mi |
| James River near YanktonRiver gauge, James River | 3.41 ft | Below flood stage | −0.03 ft | 53 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 | 18 mi |
| West Fork Vermillion River near ParkerRiver gauge, West Fork Vermillion River | 1.38 ft | Normal | +0.02 ft | 40 mi |
| East Fork Vermillion River near ParkerRiver gauge, East Fork Vermillion River | 10.91 ft | Below flood stage | +5.88 ft | 43 mi |
Questions and answers
Is the James River near Mitchell higher than last year?
No, it is 4.53 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 14.49 ft.
What is flood stage for the James River near Mitchell?
The official flood stage is 17.00 ft. The level is currently 7.04 ft below it.
What is a normal level for the James River near Mitchell in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 11.62 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 9.63 ft and 16.12 ft, based on 17 years of records.
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 Mitchell today?
On Oct 19, 2026, 06:45 PM CDT, the water level was 9.96 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is James River near Mitchell rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.04 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of James River near Mitchell normal?
Low for mid-October. Compared with 17 years of daily readings for this time of year.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- U.S. Geological Survey
- Station code
usgs:06478000(Agency page)- Coordinates
43.65889, -97.91889(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 | 9.96 ft | 2026-10-19 23:45 | Provisional |
Download
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: James River near Mitchell (usgs:06478000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/south-dakota/james-river-near-mitchell
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