Skunk Creek at Sioux Falls water level

Name: Skunk Creek at Sioux Falls 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, Skunk Creek, South Dakota, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

2.21ft Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 11:30 PM CDT (48 min ago)

Flow: 3.4 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Skunk Creek at Sioux Falls, where the gauge shows 2.21 ft.

It is 9.29 ft below the flood stage of 11.50 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 2.19 ft, a difference of +0.02 ft.

It is still going down, by 0.04 ft over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 2.16 ft – 3.18 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: 2.19 ft+0.02 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 2.16 ft – 3.18 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 1.97 ft – 4.49 ft
Highest on record: 18.23 ftMarch 14, 2019

Paddling and fishing conditions

Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.

For reference, flood stage is 11.50 ft.

What happens at each level

26.00 ft: The levees near the gauge may be overtopped.
24.00 ft: The parking lot for the apartments southeast of the gage is under water.
22.00 ft: Significant flooding of the neighborhood south of 12th St and west of S Melrose Pl may take place. Portions of Marion Road begin to flood without sandbagging and levee protection.
21.00 ft: Silver Valley Drive is flooded. Some homes along Skunk Creek are threatened as are a few industrial businesses and outbuildings just west of Sioux Falls.
18.00 ft: Dunham Park is flooded.
17.00 ft: The flow from Skunk Creek alone, even with all Big Sioux River flow diverted, can begin to cause flooding along the Big Sioux channel in southern Sioux Falls.
16.00 ft: The bridge on W 12th St is overtopped. 263rd also begins to flood.
15.00 ft: The lowest portion of the bike trail under Marion Rd begins to flood.
14.00 ft: The lowest portions of 467th St begin to flood.
13.00 ft: West Madison St near Le Mesa Drive is flooded.
12.00 ft: Water approaches West 12th Street east of Sertoma Drive and may begin to flood the lowest portions. Much of the greenspace through the parks and bike trail system along creek in Sioux Falls also is flooded.
11.50 ft: Flooding of rural agricultural land is ongoing, along with some flooding in the green space along the bike trail on the west side of Sioux Falls.
2.21 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Chance of at least minor flooding in October to December: < 5 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	18.23 ft	March 14, 2019
2	16.53 ft	June 22, 2024
3	15.54 ft	June 21, 1984
4	13.21 ft	April 7, 2006
5	13.10 ft	May 30, 2004
6	12.96 ft	July 30, 2010
7	12.50 ft	September 21, 2018
8	12.31 ft	August 27, 2015
9	11.81 ft	March 22, 1979
10	11.22 ft	March 17, 2011

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 70° 42° – Wind 15 mph

21 Wed 72° 47° – Wind 8 mph

22 Thu 74° 46° – Wind 14 mph

23 Fri 76° 61° 0.03 in Wind 21 mph

24 Sat 68° 53° 0.45 in, 25% Wind 19 mph

25 Sun 51° 36° 0.31 in, 39% Wind 15 mph

26 Mon 42° 34° 0.31 in, 40% Wind 13 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:49 AM Sunset 06:36 PM Daylight 10 hr, 46 min Waxing gibbous 74%

Map

Other gauges on Skunk Creek

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Skunk Creek near ChesterRiver gauge, Skunk Creek	0.75 ft	Below flood stage	±0	22 mi
Skunk Creek near HartfordRiver gauge, Skunk Creek	3.57 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	9 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Big Sioux River below Diversion at Sioux FallsRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	3.11 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	3.0 mi
Big Sioux River at Sioux FallsRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	1.49 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	3.1 mi
Big Sioux River at North Cliff Ave at Sioux FallsRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	5.05 ft	Below flood stage	±0	4.6 mi
Silver Creek at Sioux FallsRiver gauge, Silver Creek	0.91 ft	Below flood stage	±0	5.6 mi
Willow Creek near CrooksRiver gauge, Willow Creek	3.67 ft	Below flood stage	+0.02 ft	7 mi
Split Rock Creek at CorsonRiver gauge, Split Rock Creek	1.83 ft	Below flood stage	±0	13 mi
East Fork Vermillion River near ParkerRiver gauge, East Fork Vermillion River	5.94 ft	Below flood stage	−4.97 ft	17 mi
Big Sioux River near Dell RapidsRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	3.22 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	18 mi

Questions and answers

Is Skunk Creek at Sioux Falls higher than last year?

Yes, it is 0.02 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.19 ft.

What is flood stage for Skunk Creek at Sioux Falls?

The official flood stage is 11.50 ft. The level is currently 9.29 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 Skunk Creek at Sioux Falls today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 11:30 PM CDT, the water level was 2.21 ft. Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Skunk Creek at Sioux Falls rising or falling?

Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Skunk Creek at Sioux Falls normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Skunk Creek at Sioux Falls?

The highest level on record is 18.23 ft on March 14, 2019.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:06481500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 43.53361, -96.79056 (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	2.21 ft	2026-10-21 04:30	Provisional
Flow	3.4 cfs	2026-10-21 04:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Skunk Creek at Sioux Falls (usgs:06481500). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/south-dakota/skunk-creek-at-sioux-falls

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