Moreau River at Promise water level
River gauge, Moreau River, South Dakota, United States
Right now
Very low for mid-October
Water level
History
20252026
What this means
Low water at Moreau River at Promise: the gauge reads 6.41 ft, far below normal for mid-October.
That puts it 1.05 ft below the median of 7.46 ft for mid-October, based on 6 years of readings. It is 14.59 ft below the flood stage of 21.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 6.83 ft (−0.42 ft).
It is on the way up, by 0.14 ft over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 5.73 ft – 6.58 ft.
Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.
Compared with 6 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 7.46 ft1.05 ft below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 6.83 ft – 11.57 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (6 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 6.83 ft−0.42 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 5.73 ft – 6.58 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 4.90 ft – 11.39 ft
Paddling and fishing conditions
At low levels, plan for shorter paddling trips and expect to walk your boat through a few shoals.
For reference, flood stage is 21.00 ft.
What happens at each level
- 38.00 ft
- Structures south of Promise Rd are in danger of flooding.
- 30.00 ft
- The bridge at the gauge location on BIA-7 is overtopped.
- 28.00 ft
- Water reaches the bottom of the bridge at the gauge location on BIA-7.
- 26.00 ft
- The nearby higher ridges begin to be overtopped which may begin to threaten some lower lying roads.
- 24.00 ft
- Most of the floodplain is underwater.
- 21.00 ft
- The higher banks are overtopped and water enters the broader floodplain. Flooding possible along Promise Rd at bridge on Virgin Creek south of Moreau River.
- 18.00 ft
- The lowest banks are overtopped and some ditches begin to fill.
- 6.41 ft
- Right now
Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.
Weather at the gauge
No rain in the last 3 days.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Other gauges on the Moreau River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moreau River near FaithRiver gauge, Moreau River | 0.63 ft | Below flood stage | +0.03 ft | 76 mi |
| Moreau River near WhitehorseRiver gauge, Moreau River | 1.72 ft | Below flood stage | −0.02 ft | 13 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand River at Little EagleRiver gauge, Grand River | 2.62 ft | Below flood stage | +0.02 ft | 24 mi |
| Oak Creek near Rattlesnake Butte near WakpalaRiver gauge, Oak Creek | 5.20 ft | Below flood stage | +0.06 ft | 27 mi |
Questions and answers
How does the Moreau River at Promise compare with last year?
It is 0.42 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 6.83 ft.
What is flood stage for the Moreau River at Promise?
The official flood stage is 21.00 ft. The level is currently 14.59 ft below it.
What is a normal level for the Moreau River at Promise in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 7.46 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 6.83 ft and 11.57 ft, based on 6 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 Moreau River at Promise today?
On Oct 20, 2026, 05:30 AM CDT, the water level was 6.41 ft. Up 0.14 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is Moreau River at Promise rising or falling?
Up 0.14 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 0.68 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Moreau River at Promise normal?
Very low for mid-October. Compared with 6 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:06361000(Agency page)- Coordinates
45.34312, -100.61339(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 | 6.41 ft | 2026-10-20 10:30 | Provisional |
Download
Embed this gauge
Add a live card for this gauge to your website. It updates on its own and links back here.
How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Moreau River at Promise (usgs:06361000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/south-dakota/moreau-river-at-promise
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