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SwedenRapid Creek at Rapid City water level
River gauge, Rapid Creek, South Dakota, United States
Right now
Below flood stage
Water level
- Flow
- 25.3 cfs
History
20252026
What this means
The gauge at Rapid Creek at Rapid City reads 3.28 ft, a normal level.
It is 7.72 ft below the flood stage of 11.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 3.52 ft (−0.24 ft).
The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 3.20 ft and 3.60 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
- 3.52 ft−0.24 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 3.20 ft – 3.60 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 3.20 ft – 3.96 ft
- Highest on record
- 15.40 ftJune 12, 1972
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 11.00 ft, still 7.72 ft away.
What happens at each level
- 14.00 ft
- Major flood stage. Extensive flooding of structures and roads throughout Rapid City.
- 13.00 ft
- Flooding of residences and businesses in and around Rapid City.
- 12.00 ft
- Moderate flood stage. Some inundation of structures and roads in and around Rapid City.
- 11.00 ft
- Flood Stage. Parks in Rapid City are flooded. Water begins to reach the bottom of the Bike Path Crossings and bottom of the bridges crossing Rapid Creek.
- 10.00 ft
- Additional flooding along the Bike Path in within the Greenway.
- 9.00 ft
- Portions of the Bike Path are flooded and water approaches the road behind the fairgrounds.
- 7.00 ft
- Action Stage. Green space south of the fairgrounds start to flood.
- 6.50 ft
- Flooding begins in Rapid Valley.
- 3.28 ft
- Right now
Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15.40 ft | June 12, 1972 |
| 2 | 11.18 ft | June 2, 1997 |
| 3 | 10.55 ft | August 22, 1974 |
| 4 | 8.88 ft | May 24, 2010 |
| 5 | 8.65 ft | July 25, 1982 |
| 6 | 7.83 ft | May 29, 2013 |
| 7 | 7.76 ft | September 13, 1998 |
| 8 | 7.33 ft | June 8, 1973 |
| 9 | 7.10 ft | August 24, 1989 |
| 10 | 7.08 ft | June 7, 1975 |
Weather at the gauge
No rain in the last 3 days.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
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 | 4.76 ft | Below flood stage | +0.01 ft | 17 mi |
| Rapid Creek below Pactola DamRiver gauge, Rapid Creek | 7.22 ft | Below flood stage | ±0 | 12 mi |
| Rapid Creek above Johnson Siding below Pactola DamRiver gauge, Rapid Creek | 2.87 ft | Below flood stage | +0.01 ft | 10 mi |
| Rapid Creek at Big Bend near Rapid CityRiver gauge, Rapid Creek | 2.82 ft | Below flood stage | ±0 | 9 mi |
| Rapid Creek above Victoria Creek near Rapid CityRiver gauge, Rapid Creek | 5.23 ft | Below flood stage | +0.02 ft | 6.1 mi |
| Rapid Creek above Canyon Lake near Rapid CityRiver gauge, Rapid Creek | 1.65 ft | Below flood stage | +0.02 ft | 4.1 mi |
| Rapid Creek below Hawthorn Ditch at Rapid CityRiver gauge, Rapid Creek | 9.39 ft | Below flood stage | +0.01 ft | 3.3 mi |
| Rapid Creek above Wrf near Rapid CityRiver gauge, Rapid Creek | 3.38 ft | Below flood stage | ±0 | 8 mi |
| Rapid Creek near FarmingdaleRiver gauge, Rapid Creek | 5.58 ft | Below flood stage | −0.13 ft | 22 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleghorn Springs at Rapid CityRiver gauge, Cleghorn Springs | 8.4 cfs | Very low | ±0 | 3.3 mi |
| Boxelder Creek near Rapid CityRiver gauge, Boxelder Creek | 29.73 ft | Below flood stage | +0.01 ft | 4.3 mi |
| South Canyon near Rapid CityRiver gauge, South Canyon | 3.58 ft | Below flood stage | ±0 | 4.3 mi |
| Wild Irishman Gulch near Rapid CityRiver gauge, Wild Irishman Gulch | 3.54 ft | Below flood stage | ±0 | 6.1 mi |
| Victoria Creek below Victoria Dam near Rapid CityRiver gauge, Victoria Creek | 3.47 ft | Below flood stage | +0.01 ft | 9 mi |
Questions and answers
How does Rapid Creek at Rapid City compare with last year?
It is 0.24 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3.52 ft.
What is flood stage for Rapid Creek at Rapid City?
The official flood stage is 11.00 ft. The level is currently 7.72 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 at Rapid City today?
On Oct 20, 2026, 11:30 AM MDT, the water level was 3.28 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is Rapid Creek at Rapid City rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Rapid Creek at 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 at Rapid City?
The highest level on record is 15.40 ft on June 12, 1972.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- U.S. Geological Survey
- Station code
usgs:06414000(Agency page)- Coordinates
44.08553, -103.24138(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 | 3.28 ft | 2026-10-20 17:30 | Provisional |
| Flow | 25.3 cfs | 2026-10-20 17:30 | Provisional |
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Rapid Creek at Rapid City (usgs:06414000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/south-dakota/rapid-creek-at-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