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SwedenSkunk Creek near Chester water level
River gauge, Skunk Creek, South Dakota, United States
Right now
Below flood stage
Water level
- Flow
- 0.1 cfs
History
20252026
What this means
The gauge at Skunk Creek near Chester reads 0.75 ft, a normal level.
It is 6.25 ft below the flood stage of 7.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 0.81 ft, a difference of −0.06 ft.
It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 0.75 ft and 0.86 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
- 0.81 ft−0.06 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 0.75 ft – 0.86 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 0.61 ft – 1.39 ft
- Highest on record
- 7.45 ftJuly 10, 2011
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 6.25 ft away.
What happens at each level
- 12.00 ft
- Water overtops the bridge on 246th St. 248th St is flooded.
- 11.00 ft
- Water overtops the bridge at the gage on 244th St. 245th St as well as 250th St are flooded.
- 9.50 ft
- 244th west of the bridge floods and reaches the bottom of the bridge on 246th St.
- 8.00 ft
- Water reaches the bottom of the bridge at the gauge location and approaches the lowest portions of 244th east of the bridge.
- 7.00 ft
- Flooding begins to affect significant amounts of pasture land.
- 4.50 ft
- The lowest banks are overtopped with minor flooding of low lying areas.
- 0.75 ft
- Right now
Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7.45 ft | July 10, 2011 |
| 2 | 7.37 ft | September 12, 2019 |
| 3 | 7.07 ft | June 23, 2024 |
| 4 | 6.99 ft | March 18, 2019 |
| 5 | 6.95 ft | September 21, 1986 |
| 6 | 6.71 ft | March 18, 1985 |
| 7 | 6.50 ft | May 8, 2012 |
| 8 | 6.44 ft | September 25, 2010 |
| 9 | 6.40 ft | March 14, 2007 |
| 10 | 5.78 ft | March 30, 1987 |
Weather at the gauge
Rain in the last 3 days: 0.10 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Other gauges on Skunk Creek
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skunk Creek near HartfordRiver gauge, Skunk Creek | 3.57 ft | Below flood stage | −0.02 ft | 15 mi |
| Skunk Creek at Sioux FallsRiver gauge, Skunk Creek | 2.21 ft | Below flood stage | −0.04 ft | 22 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Sioux River near Dell RapidsRiver gauge, Big Sioux River | 3.22 ft | Below flood stage | −0.02 ft | 6.0 mi |
| Willow Creek near CrooksRiver gauge, Willow Creek | 3.67 ft | Below flood stage | +0.02 ft | 15 mi |
| Silver Creek at Sioux FallsRiver gauge, Silver Creek | 0.91 ft | Below flood stage | ±0 | 18 mi |
| Big Sioux River below Diversion at Sioux FallsRiver gauge, Big Sioux River | 3.11 ft | Below flood stage | −0.01 ft | 19 mi |
| Big Sioux River at North Cliff Ave at Sioux FallsRiver gauge, Big Sioux River | 5.05 ft | Below flood stage | ±0 | 20 mi |
| Split Rock Creek at CorsonRiver gauge, Split Rock Creek | 1.83 ft | Below flood stage | −0.01 ft | 21 mi |
| Flandreau Creek above FlandreauRiver gauge, Flandreau Creek | 4.25 ft | Below flood stage | +0.02 ft | 23 mi |
| Big Sioux River near BrookingsRiver gauge, Big Sioux River | 2.26 ft | Below flood stage | −0.02 ft | 23 mi |
Questions and answers
Is Skunk Creek near Chester higher than last year?
No, it is 0.06 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 0.81 ft.
What is flood stage for Skunk Creek near Chester?
The official flood stage is 7.00 ft. The level is currently 6.25 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 near Chester today?
On Oct 20, 2026, 11:00 PM CDT, the water level was 0.75 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is Skunk Creek near Chester rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Skunk Creek near Chester normal?
Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.
What is the highest water level ever recorded at Skunk Creek near Chester?
The highest level on record is 7.45 ft on July 10, 2011.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- U.S. Geological Survey
- Station code
usgs:06481480(Agency page)- Coordinates
43.84822, -96.83650(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 | 0.75 ft | 2026-10-21 04:00 | Provisional |
| Flow | 0.1 cfs | 2026-10-21 04:00 | Provisional |
Download
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Skunk Creek near Chester (usgs:06481480). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/south-dakota/skunk-creek-near-chester
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