Rapid Creek above Canyon Lake near Rapid City water level

Name: Rapid Creek above Canyon Lake near Rapid City 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, Rapid Creek, South Dakota, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

1.55ft Down 0.07 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 21, 2026, 02:25 AM MDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 7.1 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The gauge at Rapid Creek above Canyon Lake near Rapid City reads 1.55 ft, a normal level.

It is 5.45 ft below the flood stage of 7.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 1.92 ft (−0.37 ft).

The level is falling, down 0.07 ft over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 1.55 ft and 1.91 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: 1.92 ft−0.37 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 1.55 ft – 1.91 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 1.41 ft – 2.44 ft
Highest on record: 5.46 ftJune 2, 1997

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 7.00 ft, still 5.45 ft away.

What happens at each level

11.00 ft: Major Flood Stage. Extensive flooding along Rapid Creek with inundation of structures and roads.
10.00 ft: Small park near the dog park on the westside of Rapid City will begin to flood.
9.00 ft: Moderate flood stage. Flooding continues upstream of Canyon Lake.
7.00 ft: Flood Stage. Flooding will occur around the fish hatchery and Meadowbrook Golf Course.
6.50 ft: Low land flooding will begin around the Dark Canyon area.
1.55 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	5.46 ft	June 2, 1997
2	5.26 ft	May 28, 2019
3	4.50 ft	June 1, 1996
4	4.40 ft	June 16, 1999
5	4.29 ft	May 21, 2011
6	4.24 ft	June 24, 1998
7	4.19 ft	May 24, 2010
8	4.08 ft	June 9, 1995
9	3.76 ft	June 24, 2018
10	3.66 ft	May 3, 2020

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 83° 49° – Wind 15 mph

18 Sun 66° 48° – Wind 13 mph

19 Mon 62° 41° – Wind 13 mph

20 Tue 79° 48° – Wind 13 mph

21 Wed 69° 53° – Wind 9 mph

22 Thu 76° 53° 0.00 in Wind 18 mph

23 Fri 79° 44° 0.37 in, 38% Wind 18 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:16 AM Sunset 06:01 PM Daylight 10 hr, 45 min Waxing gibbous 76%

Map

Other gauges on Rapid Creek

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Rapid Creek above Pactola Reservoir at Silver CityRiver gauge, Rapid Creek	4.75 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	14 mi
Rapid Creek below Pactola DamRiver gauge, Rapid Creek	7.22 ft	Below flood stage	±0	9 mi
Rapid Creek above Johnson Siding below Pactola DamRiver gauge, Rapid Creek	2.87 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	7 mi
Rapid Creek at Big Bend near Rapid CityRiver gauge, Rapid Creek	2.82 ft	Below flood stage	±0	5.2 mi
Rapid Creek above Victoria Creek near Rapid CityRiver gauge, Rapid Creek	5.23 ft	Below flood stage	+0.02 ft	2.0 mi
Rapid Creek at Rapid CityRiver gauge, Rapid Creek	3.23 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	4.1 mi
Rapid Creek below Hawthorn Ditch at Rapid CityRiver gauge, Rapid Creek	9.36 ft	Below flood stage	±0	7 mi
Rapid Creek above Wrf near Rapid CityRiver gauge, Rapid Creek	3.40 ft	Below flood stage	+0.04 ft	11 mi
Rapid Creek near FarmingdaleRiver gauge, Rapid Creek	5.63 ft	Below flood stage	±0	24 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Cleghorn Springs at Rapid CityRiver gauge, Cleghorn Springs	8.2 cfs	Very low	−0.4 cfs	0.8 mi
South Canyon near Rapid CityRiver gauge, South Canyon	3.59 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	2.9 mi
Wild Irishman Gulch near Rapid CityRiver gauge, Wild Irishman Gulch	3.55 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	3.3 mi
Victoria Creek below Victoria Dam near Rapid CityRiver gauge, Victoria Creek	3.46 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	4.4 mi
Spring Creek near KeystoneRiver gauge, Spring Creek	3.33 ft	Below flood stage	+0.02 ft	5.4 mi
Boxelder Creek near Rapid CityRiver gauge, Boxelder Creek	29.70 ft	Below flood stage	±0	5.5 mi

Questions and answers

How does Rapid Creek above Canyon Lake near Rapid City compare with last year?

It is 0.37 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.92 ft.

What is flood stage for Rapid Creek above Canyon Lake near Rapid City?

The official flood stage is 7.00 ft. The level is currently 5.45 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 Rapid Creek above Canyon Lake near Rapid City today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 02:25 AM MDT, the water level was 1.55 ft. Down 0.07 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Rapid Creek above Canyon Lake near Rapid City rising or falling?

Down 0.07 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.09 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Rapid Creek above Canyon Lake near Rapid City normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Rapid Creek above Canyon Lake near Rapid City?

The highest level on record is 5.46 ft on June 2, 1997.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:06412500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 44.05278, -103.31139 (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	1.55 ft	2026-10-21 08:25	Provisional
Flow	7.1 cfs	2026-10-21 08:25	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Rapid Creek above Canyon Lake near Rapid City (usgs:06412500). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/south-dakota/rapid-creek-above-canyon-lake-near-rapid-city

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