Whetstone River near Big Stone City water level

Name: Whetstone River near Big Stone 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, Whetstone River, South Dakota, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

1.32ft Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 21, 2026, 12:00 AM CDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 7.9 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The Whetstone River near Big Stone City is at 1.32 ft, in the normal range.

It is 10.68 ft below the flood stage of 12.00 ft.

It has dropped 0.04 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 1.27 ft and 1.38 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

Highest on record: 26.00 ftJune 1, 1919

Floating and fishing near Whetstone River near Big Stone City

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

Flood stage here is 12.00 ft, 10.68 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: The road 2 miles west and 1 mile south of the gauge floods.
1.32 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	26.00 ft	June 1, 1919
2	15.93 ft	April 8, 2001
3	15.08 ft	March 13, 2007
4	14.32 ft	April 8, 1969
5	14.21 ft	April 6, 1997
6	13.95 ft	April 11, 1947
7	13.64 ft	April 8, 1952
8	13.50 ft	March 25, 1943
9	13.48 ft	June 12, 2008
10	12.71 ft	March 16, 2010

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 70° 39° – Wind 15 mph

21 Wed 69° 44° – Wind 12 mph

22 Thu 79° 55° – Wind 12 mph

23 Fri 77° 59° 0.09 in, 30% Wind 22 mph

24 Sat 69° 51° 0.27 in, 39% Wind 19 mph

25 Sun 51° 45° – Wind 13 mph

26 Mon 49° 38° – Wind 13 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:51 AM Sunset 06:32 PM Daylight 10 hr, 42 min Waxing gibbous 75%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Minnesota River at OrtonvilleRiver gauge, Minnesota River	1.24 ft	Below flood stage	±0	3.3 mi
Yellow Bank River near OdessaRiver gauge, Yellow Bank River	157 cfs	Very high	+7.0 cfs	9 mi
Pomme De Terre River at AppletonRiver gauge, Pomme De Terre River	87.2 cfs	Normal	+4.3 cfs	25 mi
Little Minnesota River near PeeverRiver gauge, Little Minnesota River	9.80 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	29 mi
Big Sioux River near FlorenceRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	3.03 ft	Normal	−0.03 ft	34 mi
Mud Creek near RauvilleRiver gauge, Mud Creek	7.64 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	35 mi
Minnesota River near Lac Qui ParleRiver gauge, Minnesota River	72.6 cfs	Low	±0	36 mi
Willow Creek near WatertownRiver gauge, Willow Creek	5.63 ft	Below flood stage	−0.08 ft	36 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Whetstone River near Big Stone City?

The official flood stage is 12.00 ft. The level is currently 10.68 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 Whetstone River near Big Stone City today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 12:00 AM CDT, the water level was 1.32 ft. Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Whetstone River near Big Stone City rising or falling?

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

Is the level of Whetstone River near Big Stone City normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Whetstone River near Big Stone City?

The highest level on record is 26.00 ft on June 1, 1919.

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:05291000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 45.28339, -96.51039 (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	1.32 ft	2026-10-21 05:00	Provisional
Flow	7.9 cfs	2026-10-21 05:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Whetstone River near Big Stone City (usgs:05291000). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/south-dakota/whetstone-river-near-big-stone-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