Willow Creek near Crooks water level

Name: Willow Creek near Crooks 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, Willow Creek, South Dakota, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

3.69ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 04:15 PM CDT (1 hour ago)

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Willow Creek near Crooks, where the gauge shows 3.69 ft.

It is 5.31 ft below the flood stage of 9.00 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 3.65 ft – 3.98 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: 3.65 ft – 3.98 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 3.65 ft – 8.12 ft
Highest on record: 12.65 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 9.00 ft.

What happens at each level

16.00 ft: The bridge on 258th St is overtopped and water approaches the road of W 60th St.
15.00 ft: The rest of 259th Ave begins to flood and water reaches the top of the culverts on W 60th St. The bridge on Maple St is overtopped.
13.50 ft: Water reaches the bottom of the bridge on 258th and the top of the bridge on West Benson Ave. Maple St in west Sioux Falls may begin to flood.
13.00 ft: The lowest portions of 259th west of the bridge begin to flood.
12.00 ft: Water reaches the bottom of the bridge on 259th Street at the gage.
11.00 ft: The higher banks overflow flooding significant amounts of pasture land and some crop land. The bridge on 469th just south of 258th is overtopped.
9.00 ft: The lower banks on both sides overflow flooding some pasture and hay land.
8.00 ft: Water approaches the lowest banks and may overflow into some low spots.
3.69 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	12.65 ft	March 14, 2019
2	12.62 ft	June 21, 2024
3	12.37 ft	May 30, 2004
4	11.71 ft	June 17, 2014
5	11.50 ft	April 7, 2006
6	11.01 ft	March 17, 2011
7	10.96 ft	March 13, 2010
8	10.90 ft	September 20, 2018
9	10.77 ft	March 11, 2007
10	9.91 ft	April 3, 2023

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:48 AM Sunset 06:37 PM Daylight 10 hr, 49 min Waxing gibbous 72%

Map

Other gauges on Willow Creek

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Willow Creek near WatertownRiver gauge, Willow Creek	5.65 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	90 mi
Willow Creek near CornellRiver gauge, Willow Creek	82.10 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	95 mi
Willow Creek near SoldierRiver gauge, Willow Creek	65.55 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	131 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Skunk Creek near HartfordRiver gauge, Skunk Creek	3.58 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	3.7 mi
Big Sioux River below Diversion at Sioux FallsRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	3.11 ft	Below flood stage	±0	5.1 mi
Silver Creek at Sioux FallsRiver gauge, Silver Creek	0.91 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	5.2 mi
Skunk Creek at Sioux FallsRiver gauge, Skunk Creek	2.25 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	7 mi
Big Sioux River at North Cliff Ave at Sioux FallsRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	5.04 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	7 mi
Big Sioux River at Sioux FallsRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	1.49 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	10 mi
Big Sioux River near Dell RapidsRiver gauge, Big Sioux River	3.23 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	12 mi
Split Rock Creek at CorsonRiver gauge, Split Rock Creek	1.85 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	13 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for Willow Creek near Crooks?

The official flood stage is 9.00 ft. The level is currently 5.31 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 Willow Creek near Crooks today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 04:15 PM CDT, the water level was 3.69 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Willow Creek near Crooks rising or falling?

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

Is the level of Willow Creek near Crooks normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Willow Creek near Crooks?

The highest level on record is 12.65 ft on March 14, 2019.

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:06481497 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 43.63083, -96.82694 (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	3.69 ft	2026-10-20 21:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Willow Creek near Crooks (usgs:06481497). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/south-dakota/willow-creek-near-crooks

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