Deerfield Reservoir water level
Reservoir, South Dakota, United States
Right now
Low for mid-October
Surface elevation
- Water stored
- 13,315 acre‑ft
History
202120222023202420252026
What this means
Deerfield Reservoir is below normal for mid-October, with the lake level at 5,902.21 ft.
That puts it 3.71 ft below the median of 5,905.92 ft for mid-October, based on 36 years of readings. A year ago it stood at 5,905.83 ft (−3.62 ft).
It has dropped 0.74 ft over the past week. With the water still dropping, the shoreline keeps moving out. In the last month it has stayed between 5,902.21 ft and 5,904.21 ft.
Many reservoirs are drawn down through summer and fall; most of the refill comes later, with winter rain or spring snowmelt.
Compared with 36 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 5,905.92 ft3.71 ft below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 5,901.39 ft – 5,907.28 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (36 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 5,905.83 ft−3.62 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 5,902.21 ft – 5,904.21 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 5,902.32 ft – 5,907.04 ft
On the water at Deerfield Reservoir
A receding shoreline opens up beaches but also uncovers hazards: stumps, rocks and soft mud that are usually well under water.
Wear a life jacket on the water. Most boating deaths involve people who were not wearing one.
Weather at the gauge
No rain in the last 3 days.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Castle Creek below Deerfield DamRiver gauge, Castle Creek | 3.51 ft | Below flood stage | ±0 | 0.2 mi |
| Castle Creek above Deerfield Reservoir near Hill CityRiver gauge, Castle Creek | 2.77 ft | Below flood stage | ±0 | 2.4 mi |
| Rhoads Fork near RochfordRiver gauge, Rhoads Fork | 3.6 cfs | Very low | ±0 | 8 mi |
| Rapid Creek above Pactola Reservoir at Silver CityRiver gauge, Rapid Creek | 4.76 ft | Below flood stage | +0.01 ft | 11 mi |
| Reno Gulch near Hill CityRiver gauge, Reno Gulch | 3.65 ft | Below flood stage | ±0 | 12 mi |
| Spring Creek at Oreville, near Hill CityRiver gauge, Spring Creek | 4.04 ft | Below flood stage | ±0 | 14 mi |
| Sunday Gulch below Johnson Canyon near Hill CityRiver gauge, Sunday Gulch | 4.44 ft | Highest on record | −0.01 ft | 15 mi |
| Pactola ReservoirReservoir | 4,558.70 ft | Very low | 15 mi |
Questions and answers
How does Deerfield Reservoir compare with last year?
It is 3.62 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 5,905.83 ft.
What is a normal level for Deerfield Reservoir in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 5,905.92 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 5,901.39 ft and 5,907.28 ft, based on 36 years of records.
Is Deerfield Reservoir really 5,902.21 ft deep?
No. 5,902.21 ft is the height of the water surface above sea level (or the agency's vertical datum), not the depth of the water.
What is the water level of Deerfield Reservoir today?
On Oct 18, 2026, the surface elevation was 5,902.21 ft. Down 0.74 ft over the last 7 days.
Is Deerfield Reservoir rising or falling?
Down 0.74 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Deerfield Reservoir normal?
Low for mid-October. Compared with 36 years of daily readings for this time of year.
How often is this data updated?
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation publishes a new reading once a day. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
- Station code
usbr:315(Agency page)- Coordinates
44.02810, -103.78580(WGS84)- Update interval
- once a day
- Licence
- Public domain. Data: U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (RISE), provisional data subject to revision
Published series
| Parameter | Last value | Time (UTC) | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surface elevation | 5,902.21 ft | 2026-10-18 06:00 | Provisional |
| Water stored | 13,315 acre‑ft | 2026-10-18 06:00 | Provisional |
Download
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How to cite
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation: Deerfield Reservoir (usbr:315). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/south-dakota/deerfield-reservoir
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