Keya Paha River at Wewela water level

Name: Keya Paha River at Wewela 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, Keya Paha River, South Dakota, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

2.19ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 09:15 PM CDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 45.1 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The gauge at Keya Paha River at Wewela reads 2.19 ft, a normal level.

It is 7.81 ft below the flood stage of 10.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 2.20 ft (−0.01 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 2.14 ft and 2.30 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: 2.20 ft−0.01 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 2.14 ft – 2.30 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 2.04 ft – 3.38 ft
Highest on record: 13.50 ftMarch 25, 1950

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 10.00 ft, still 7.81 ft away.

What happens at each level

17.00 ft: Water reaches the bottom of the Highway 183 bridge.
14.00 ft: Water reaches the top of the Highway 183 Bridge piers with water reaching the
13.00 ft: Major Flood Stage. Extensive flooding of agricultural land. Roads and structures along the river may be flooded.
12.00 ft: Moderate flood stage. Flooding may impact roads and structures along the river. Water may begin to reach the low steel of the bridge.
10.00 ft: Flood stage. Flooding of agricultural land. Near the Highway 183 bridge, flooding mainly occurs along the left bank.
8.00 ft: Flooding of low lying areas along the river.
2.19 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	13.50 ft	March 25, 1950
2	13.08 ft	March 31, 1952
3	10.56 ft	March 24, 1960
4	9.90 ft	March 22, 2019
5	9.67 ft	March 4, 1994
6	8.53 ft	May 15, 1962
7	8.00 ft	March 19, 1978
8	7.96 ft	March 9, 1993
9	7.87 ft	February 20, 1997
10	7.67 ft	March 14, 2011

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.03 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

17 Sat 74° 35° – Wind 17 mph

18 Sun 74° 46° – Wind 13 mph

19 Mon 67° 40° – Wind 9 mph

20 Tue 73° 48° – Wind 15 mph

21 Wed 80° 53° – Wind 13 mph

22 Thu 82° 56° – Wind 15 mph

23 Fri 80° 66° 0.12 in Wind 17 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 08:00 AM Sunset 06:48 PM Daylight 10 hr, 48 min Waxing gibbous 74%

Map

Other gauges on the Keya Paha River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Keya Paha River near KeyapahaRiver gauge, Keya Paha River	4.48 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	18 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Long Pine Creek near RiverviewRiver gauge, Long Pine Creek	1.78 ft	Low	±0	24 mi
Niobrara River at MariavilleRiver gauge, Niobrara River	3.14 ft	Normal	±0	28 mi
Niobrara River near SparksRiver gauge, Niobrara River	2.66 ft	Normal	+0.01 ft	31 mi
Rock Creek near Hidden TimberRiver gauge, Rock Creek	3.55 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	36 mi
Niobrara R at Cornell Bridge near ValentineRiver gauge, Niobrara R	8.61 ft	No reference yet	±0	37 mi
Niobrara R at Borman Bridge near ValentineRiver gauge, Niobrara R	18.73 ft	No reference yet	−0.02 ft	39 mi
Platte Creek near PlatteRiver gauge, Platte Creek	1.61 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	46 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Keya Paha River at Wewela compare with last year?

It is 0.01 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.20 ft.

What is flood stage for the Keya Paha River at Wewela?

The official flood stage is 10.00 ft. The level is currently 7.81 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 Keya Paha River at Wewela today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 09:15 PM CDT, the water level was 2.19 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Keya Paha River at Wewela rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Keya Paha River at Wewela normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Keya Paha River at Wewela?

The highest level on record is 13.50 ft on March 25, 1950.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:06464500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 43.02708, -99.78053 (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	2.19 ft	2026-10-21 02:15	Provisional
Flow	45.1 cfs	2026-10-21 02:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Keya Paha River at Wewela (usgs:06464500). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/south-dakota/keya-paha-river-at-wewela

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