Redwater River above Belle Fourche water level

Name: Redwater River above Belle Fourche 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, Redwater River, South Dakota, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

3.09ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 10:45 AM MDT (43 min ago)

Flow: 136 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The Redwater River above Belle Fourche is at 3.09 ft, in the normal range.

It is 5.91 ft below the flood stage of 9.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 3.18 ft, a difference of −0.09 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 2.92 ft and 3.12 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: 3.18 ft−0.09 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 2.92 ft – 3.12 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 2.06 ft – 3.39 ft
Highest on record: 13.65 ftMay 20, 1978

Floating and fishing near Redwater River above Belle Fourche

Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.

Flood stage here is 9.00 ft, 5.91 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

12.00 ft: Major flood stage. Extensive flooding along Redwater River with inundation of structures and roads.
11.00 ft: Moderate flood stage. Some inundation of structures and roads along the Redwater River are possible.
9.00 ft: Flood Stage. Camping area along the river may be flooded.
8.00 ft: Low land flooding along the river.
3.09 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	13.65 ft	May 20, 1978
2	11.69 ft	June 16, 1962
3	10.53 ft	May 15, 1965
4	9.16 ft	June 6, 2008
5	9.11 ft	June 15, 1976
6	8.98 ft	June 22, 1947
7	8.83 ft	May 9, 1995
8	8.82 ft	May 20, 1982
9	8.41 ft	June 9, 1964
10	8.35 ft	December 23, 1955

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

17 Sat 84° 38° – Wind 9 mph

18 Sun 68° 44° – Wind 11 mph

19 Mon 66° 46° – Wind 24 mph

20 Tue 75° 50° – Wind 7 mph

21 Wed 70° 50° – Wind 9 mph

22 Thu 82° 53° 0.00 in Wind 10 mph

23 Fri 78° 43° 0.18 in, 36% Wind 30 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:18 AM Sunset 06:04 PM Daylight 10 hr, 46 min Waxing gibbous 70%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Belle Fourche River near FruitdaleRiver gauge, Belle Fourche River	1.57 ft	Below flood stage	±0	5.3 mi
Inlet Canal above Belle Fourche ReservoirRiver gauge, Inlet Canal	4.92 ft	Normal	+0.02 ft	5.7 mi
Belle Fourche ReservoirReservoir	2,956.96 ft	Normal		9 mi
Belle Fourche River at Wy-Sd State LineRiver gauge, Belle Fourche River	3.43 ft	Below flood stage	±0	12 mi
Murray Ditch above Headgate at Wy-Sd State LineRiver gauge, Murray Ditch	0.0 cfs	Low	±0	12 mi
Redwater Creek at Wy-Sd State LineRiver gauge, Redwater Creek	2.98 ft	Very low	−0.01 ft	12 mi
Spearfish Creek at SpearfishRiver gauge, Spearfish Creek	4.81 ft	Below flood stage	±0	13 mi
Whitewood Creek near WhitewoodRiver gauge, Whitewood Creek	5.47 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	16 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Redwater River above Belle Fourche higher than last year?

No, it is 0.09 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3.18 ft.

What is flood stage for the Redwater River above Belle Fourche?

The official flood stage is 9.00 ft. The level is currently 5.91 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 Redwater River above Belle Fourche today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 10:45 AM MDT, the water level was 3.09 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Redwater River above Belle Fourche rising or falling?

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

Is the level of Redwater River above Belle Fourche normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Redwater River above Belle Fourche?

The highest level on record is 13.65 ft on May 20, 1978.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:06433000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 44.66722, -103.83889 (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	3.09 ft	2026-10-20 16:45	Provisional
Flow	136 cfs	2026-10-20 16:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Redwater River above Belle Fourche (usgs:06433000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/south-dakota/redwater-river-above-belle-fourche

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