South Canyon near Rapid City water level

Name: South Canyon 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, South Canyon, South Dakota, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

3.59ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 21, 2026, 03:45 AM MDT (39 min ago)

History

7 days 30 days 1 year

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The South Canyon near Rapid City is at 3.59 ft, in the normal range.

It is 2.41 ft below the flood stage of 6.00 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 3.56 ft and 3.61 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

Lowest and highest in 30 days: 3.56 ft – 3.61 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 3.56 ft – 3.66 ft
Highest on record: 5.84 ftMay 17, 2023

Floating and fishing near South Canyon near Rapid City

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

Flood stage here is 6.00 ft, 2.41 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

7.00 ft: Major flood stage. Extensive flooding along Nemo Road and Echo Drive.
6.50 ft: Moderate flood stage. Some inundation of structures are possible. Flooding on Nemo Road and Echo Drive.
6.00 ft: Minor flood stage. Culverts above the gage along Nemo Road are filled with water and water runs over Echo Drive and Nemo Road.
5.50 ft: Water runs through yards and driveways.
4.50 ft: Action stage. Low lying areas along the creek and road begin to flood.
3.59 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	5.84 ft	May 17, 2023
2	5.12 ft	July 21, 2018
3	4.96 ft	May 28, 2019
4	4.70 ft	August 17, 2007
5	4.64 ft	July 15, 2001
6	4.62 ft	October 12, 2023
7	4.49 ft	June 18, 2009
8	4.41 ft	June 4, 2020
9	4.38 ft	May 23, 2021
10	4.29 ft	August 5, 2014

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

17 Sat 81° 55° – Wind 20 mph

18 Sun 65° 48° – Wind 17 mph

19 Mon 62° 42° – Wind 13 mph

20 Tue 78° 47° – Wind 13 mph

21 Wed 69° 53° – Wind 9 mph

22 Thu 76° 53° 0.00 in Wind 18 mph

23 Fri 78° 43° 0.37 in, 37% Wind 18 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

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

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Wild Irishman Gulch near Rapid CityRiver gauge, Wild Irishman Gulch	3.55 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	2.1 mi
Cleghorn Springs at Rapid CityRiver gauge, Cleghorn Springs	8.2 cfs	Very low	−0.4 cfs	2.8 mi
Rapid Creek above Canyon Lake near Rapid CityRiver gauge, Rapid Creek	1.55 ft	Below flood stage	−0.06 ft	2.9 mi
Boxelder Creek near Rapid CityRiver gauge, Boxelder Creek	29.70 ft	Below flood stage	±0	3.0 mi
Rapid Creek above Victoria Creek near Rapid CityRiver gauge, Rapid Creek	5.23 ft	Below flood stage	+0.02 ft	3.4 mi
Rapid Creek at Rapid CityRiver gauge, Rapid Creek	3.23 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	4.3 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 Johnson Siding below Pactola DamRiver gauge, Rapid Creek	2.87 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	5.8 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the South Canyon near Rapid City?

The official flood stage is 6.00 ft. The level is currently 2.41 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 South Canyon near Rapid City today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 03:45 AM MDT, the water level was 3.59 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is South Canyon near Rapid City rising or falling?

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

Is the level of South Canyon 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 South Canyon near Rapid City?

The highest level on record is 5.84 ft on May 17, 2023.

How often is this data updated?

The U.S. Geological Survey publishes a new reading every 15 minutes. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:06413620 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 44.09278, -103.32694 (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	3.59 ft	2026-10-21 09:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: South Canyon near Rapid City (usgs:06413620). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/south-dakota/south-canyon-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