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Big Sioux River at Akron

Highest listed crest 27.35 ftFlood stage 16.0 ft97 crests since 1929

The Big Sioux River at Akron crested at major flood stage 24 times among the 97 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1929 to 2025. The highest, 27.35 ft on June 22, 2024, was major flooding, 11.35 feet above flood stage. 15 other gauges on the Big Sioux River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 5 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
27.35 ft
June 22, 2024; 175,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
16.0 ft
Major flooding from 20.0 ft
Crests at major
24
7th of 203 gauges in Iowa
Most recent flood crest
June 22, 2024
27.35 ft, major flooding
Location
Plymouth County
Iowa

Flood stages

The thresholds the National Weather Service uses for this gauge today, and how many listed crests reached each.

Flood categories, Big Sioux River at Akron
Action stage14.07Jun 1, 2022The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)16.023Apr 14, 2023Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage18.017May 3, 2016Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage20.024Jun 22, 2024Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

97 crests from 1929 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Big Sioux River at Akron, 1929 to 2025 0102030ft Flood stage 16.0 ftMajor 20.0 ft Mar 15, 1929: 18.63 ft, moderate flooding; 20,800 cubic feet per secondJun 6, 1930: 9.92 ft, below flood stage; 3,740 cubic feet per secondAug 9, 1931: 5.60 ft, below flood stage; 1,390 cubic feet per secondMar 1, 1932: 18.04 ft, moderate flooding; 16,900 cubic feet per secondSep 5, 1933: 17.80 ft, minor flooding; 14,200 cubic feet per secondJun 8, 1934: 16.08 ft, minor flooding; 10,600 cubic feet per secondMar 10, 1935: 10.06 ft, below flood stage; 3,000 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 1936: 18.63 ft, moderate flooding; 18,000 cubic feet per secondMay 26, 1937: 13.14 ft, below flood stage; 5,760 cubic feet per secondJul 4, 1938: 17.53 ft, minor flooding; 12,700 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 1939: 15.45 ft, action stage; 6,300 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 1940: 17.32 ft, minor flooding; 11,700 cubic feet per secondMar 25, 1941: 13.52 ft, below flood stage; 5,820 cubic feet per secondJun 4, 1942: 19.23 ft, moderate flooding; 21,400 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 1943: 17.35 ft, minor flooding; 12,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 29, 1944: 18.24 ft, moderate flooding; 15,900 cubic feet per secondMar 14, 1945: 17.42 ft, minor flooding; 12,300 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 1946: 15.28 ft, action stage; 8,970 cubic feet per secondJun 15, 1947: 16.84 ft, minor flooding; 10,500 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 1948: 16.87 ft, minor flooding; 10,800 cubic feet per secondApr 9, 1949: 17.11 ft, minor flooding; 11,400 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 1950: 13.40 ft, below flood stage; 5,450 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1951: 19.66 ft, moderate flooding; 28,800 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 1952: 19.75 ft, moderate flooding; 33,000 cubic feet per secondJun 8, 1953: 19.33 ft, moderate flooding; 21,800 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 1954: 19.95 ft, moderate flooding; 21,700 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 1955: 12.25 ft, below flood stage; 4,940 cubic feet per secondJul 17, 1956: 8.13 ft, below flood stage; 1,840 cubic feet per secondJun 21, 1957: 19.57 ft, moderate flooding; 19,400 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 1958: 5.98 ft, below flood stage; 1,120 cubic feet per secondJun 3, 1959: 16.93 ft, minor flooding; 8,430 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 1960: 21.58 ft, major flooding; 49,500 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 1961: 16.18 ft, minor flooding; 9,050 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 1962: 22.08 ft, major flooding; 54,300 cubic feet per secondAug 7, 1963: 7.59 ft, below flood stage; 1,650 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 1964: 9.30 ft, below flood stage; 2,540 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 1965: 20.85 ft, major flooding; 21,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 12, 1966: 19.85 ft, moderate flooding; 16,500 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 1967: 14.79 ft, action stage; 5,300 cubic feet per secondJun 27, 1968: 4.80 ft, below flood stage; 635 cubic feet per secondApr 9, 1969: 22.99 ft, major flooding; 80,800 cubic feet per secondMay 30, 1970: 16.30 ft, minor flooding; 8,580 cubic feet per secondFeb 22, 1971: 17.16 ft, minor floodingJun 8, 1972: 17.02 ft, minor flooding; 10,500 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 1973: 18.74 ft, moderate flooding; 12,500 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 1974: 9.76 ft, below flood stage; 3,000 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 1975: 9.76 ft, below flood stage; 2,920 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 1976: 10.31 ft, below flood stage; 3,250 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 1977: 13.60 ft, below flood stage; 5,270 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 1978: 19.88 ft, moderate flooding; 18,200 cubic feet per secondMar 25, 1979: 21.74 ft, major flooding; 30,500 cubic feet per secondNov 4, 1979: 17.10 ft, minor flooding; 8,730 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 1981: 10.75 ft, below flood stage; 3,180 cubic feet per secondFeb 25, 1982: 16.45 ft, minor flooding; 6,500 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 1983: 21.49 ft, major flooding; 34,500 cubic feet per secondJun 23, 1984: 22.27 ft, major flooding; 52,200 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 1985: 20.29 ft, major flooding; 21,000 cubic feet per secondSep 25, 1986: 21.98 ft, major flooding; 23,100 cubic feet per secondMar 27, 1987: 18.50 ft, moderate flooding; 12,200 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 1988: 10.82 ft, below flood stage; 3,110 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 1989: 15.36 ft, action stage; 4,100 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 1990: 14.45 ft, action stage; 5,550 cubic feet per secondJun 15, 1991: 9.26 ft, below flood stage; 2,270 cubic feet per secondJul 6, 1992: 18.00 ft, moderate flooding; 9,710 cubic feet per secondMay 10, 1993: 23.05 ft, major flooding; 66,700 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 1994: 21.08 ft, major flooding; 20,400 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 1995: 20.88 ft, major flooding; 22,200 cubic feet per secondJun 23, 1996: 17.79 ft, minor flooding; 11,000 cubic feet per secondApr 9, 1997: 22.64 ft, major flooding; 31,300 cubic feet per secondMay 10, 1998: 15.93 ft, action stage; 7,170 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 1999: 17.90 ft, minor flooding; 10,400 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 2000: 13.85 ft, below flood stage; 5,280 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 2001: 23.38 ft, major flooding; 40,400 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 2002: 11.65 ft, below flood stage; 3,660 cubic feet per secondJul 9, 2003: 11.92 ft, below flood stage; 3,400 cubic feet per secondJun 2, 2004: 17.87 ft, minor flooding; 1,100 cubic feet per secondJun 6, 2005: 16.20 ft, minor flooding; 7,640 cubic feet per secondApr 10, 2006: 22.32 ft, major flooding; 27,800 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 2007: 21.76 ft, major flooding; 24,700 cubic feet per secondJun 8, 2008: 20.22 ft, major flooding; 17,300 cubic feet per secondMar 26, 2009: 12.99 ft, below flood stage; 4,840 cubic feet per secondSep 27, 2010: 22.88 ft, major flooding; 38,300 cubic feet per secondMar 26, 2011: 20.39 ft, major flooding; 19,700 cubic feet per secondMay 11, 2012: 18.30 ft, moderate flooding; 12,100 cubic feet per secondMay 28, 2013: 20.54 ft, major flooding; 19,300 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 2014: 25.46 ft, major flooding; 108,000 cubic feet per secondJul 9, 2015: 13.71 ft, below flood stage; 5,430 cubic feet per secondMay 3, 2016: 18.20 ft, moderate flooding; 11,300 cubic feet per secondMay 23, 2017: 16.11 ft, minor flooding; 7,940 cubic feet per secondJun 23, 2018: 23.45 ft, major flooding; 44,800 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 2019: 23.94 ft, major flooding; 61,900 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 2020: 17.67 ft, minor flooding; 12,700 cubic feet per secondAug 30, 2021: 11.45 ft, below flood stage; 4,100 cubic feet per secondJun 1, 2022: 14.03 ft, action stage; 6,620 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 2023: 17.97 ft, minor flooding; 12,300 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 2024: 27.35 ft, major flooding; 175,000 cubic feet per secondJul 7, 2025: 11.49 ft, below flood stage; 3,810 cubic feet per second Highest, 27.35 ft, Jun 22, 2024 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Big Sioux River at Akron 1920s: 1 1930s: 5 1940s: 8 1950s: 6 1960s: 6 1970s: 7 1980s: 6 1990s: 7 2000s: 6 2010s: 9 9 2020s: 3 1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  1. These are the crests the local National Weather Service office lists for the gauge: the highest on record and recent crests. Lesser floods between them may be missing, so counts by decade are a floor.
  2. Categories use today's flood stages. Levees, dams and channel changes since a crest can make old and new stages not directly comparable.

Highest crests

The 50 highest of 97 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Big Sioux River at Akron
1Jun 22, 202427.35+11.35Major175,000
2Jun 18, 201425.46+9.46Major108,000
3Mar 16, 201923.94+7.94Major61,900
4Jun 23, 201823.45+7.45Major44,800
5Apr 26, 200123.38+7.38Major40,400
6May 10, 199323.05+7.05Major66,700
7Apr 9, 196922.99+6.99Major80,800
8Sep 27, 201022.88+6.88Major38,300
9Apr 9, 199722.64+6.64Major31,300
10Apr 10, 200622.32+6.32Major27,800
11Jun 23, 198422.27+6.27Major52,200
12Mar 31, 196222.08+6.08Major54,300
13Sep 25, 198621.98+5.98Major23,100
14Mar 16, 200721.76+5.76Major24,700
15Mar 25, 197921.74+5.74Major30,500
16Apr 1, 196021.58+5.58Major49,500
17Jun 22, 198321.49+5.49Major34,500
18Jun 16, 199421.08+5.08Major20,400
19Apr 22, 199520.88+4.88Major22,200
20Apr 8, 196520.85+4.85Major21,000
21May 28, 201320.54+4.54Major19,300
22Mar 26, 201120.39+4.39Major19,700
23Apr 26, 198520.29+4.29Major21,000
24Jun 8, 200820.22+4.22Major17,300
25Jun 22, 195419.95+3.95Moderate21,700
26Mar 22, 197819.88+3.88Moderate18,200
27Feb 12, 196619.85+3.85Moderate16,500
28Apr 1, 195219.75+3.75Moderate33,000
29Apr 6, 195119.66+3.66Moderate28,800
30Jun 21, 195719.57+3.57Moderate19,400
31Jun 8, 195319.33+3.33Moderate21,800
32Jun 4, 194219.23+3.23Moderate21,400
33Mar 5, 197318.74+2.74Moderate12,500
34Mar 15, 192918.63+2.63Moderate20,800
35Mar 12, 193618.63+2.63Moderate18,000
36Mar 27, 198718.50+2.50Moderate12,200
37May 11, 201218.30+2.30Moderate12,100
38Feb 29, 194418.24+2.24Moderate15,900
39May 3, 201618.20+2.20Moderate11,300
40Mar 1, 193218.04+2.04Moderate16,900
41Jul 6, 199218.00+2.00Moderate9,710
42Apr 14, 202317.97+1.97Minor12,300
43Apr 13, 199917.90+1.90Minor10,400
44Jun 2, 200417.87+1.87Minor1,100
45Sep 5, 193317.80+1.80Minor14,200
46Jun 23, 199617.79+1.79Minor11,000
47Apr 1, 202017.67+1.67Minor12,700
48Jul 4, 193817.53+1.53Minor12,700
49Mar 14, 194517.42+1.42Minor12,300
50Jun 18, 194317.35+1.35Minor12,000

The worst floods along the Big Sioux River

For this gauge's highest crests, the other gauges on the Big Sioux River that crested above flood stage within a week.

June 22, 2024: 27.35 ft here, major flooding

  • BrandonSD · Jun 22, 2024 · 1,312.32 ft · Major
  • CantonSD · Jun 22, 2024 · 1,248.35 ft · Major · its highest
  • RichlandIA · Jun 23, 2024 · 1,128.70 ft · Major · its highest
  • Sioux CitySD · Jun 23, 2024 · 44.90 ft · Major · its highest
  • JeffersonIA · Jun 24, 2024 · 44.50 ft · Major · its highest
  • HawardenSD · Jun 22, 2024 · 39.92 ft · Major · its highest
  • EganSD · Jun 23, 2024 · 1,519.36 ft · Moderate
  • TrentSD · Jun 22, 2024 · 1,497.33 ft · Moderate
  • Sioux Falls N. Cliff AvenueSD · Jun 23, 2024 · 22.62 ft · Moderate
  • Sioux Falls Western AvenueSD · Jun 22, 2024 · 15.44 ft · Moderate

June 18, 2014: 25.46 ft here, major flooding

March 16, 2019: 23.94 ft here, major flooding

  • EganSD · Mar 23, 2019 · 1,522.48 ft · Major
  • RichlandIA · Mar 16, 2019 · 1,124.50 ft · Major
  • JeffersonIA · Mar 17, 2019 · 40.42 ft · Major
  • HawardenSD · Mar 15, 2019 · 35.20 ft · Major
  • Sioux Falls Western AvenueSD · Mar 14, 2019 · 16.90 ft · Major · its highest
  • FlandreauSD · Mar 23, 2019 · 1,543.53 ft · Moderate
  • BrandonSD · Mar 15, 2019 · 1,310.85 ft · Moderate
  • CantonSD · Mar 15, 2019 · 1,244.68 ft · Moderate
  • FairviewSD · Mar 15, 2019 · 1,212.63 ft · Moderate
  • Sioux CitySD · Mar 17, 2019 · 37.46 ft · Minor

Gauges on the Big Sioux River

Flood gauges sharing the river's name, linked within 80 miles of one another.

Flood gauges on the Big Sioux River
CantonSD1,235.01,248.35 ft, Jun 22, 20243
Dell RapidsSD1,481.01,490.00 ft, Sep 13, 20192
FlandreauSD1,540.01,545.29 ft, Sep 13, 20191
HawardenSD20.539.92 ft, Jun 22, 20244
Akron this gaugeIA16.027.35 ft, Jun 22, 202424
FairviewSD1,202.01,213.14 ft, Sep 14, 20190
Lake KampeskaSD21.022.40 ft, Mar 15, 20100
Lake Poinsett Inlet/OutletSD1,654.01,657.60 ft, Apr 5, 20112
Sioux CitySD32.044.90 ft, Jun 23, 20241
Sioux Falls I-90SD12.018.91 ft, Sep 14, 20191
Sioux Falls N. Cliff AvenueSD16.026.08 ft, Sep 14, 20190
Sioux Falls Western AvenueSD8.016.90 ft, Mar 14, 20194
TrentSD1,495.01,501.42 ft, Sep 13, 20192
Watertown Broadway AvenueSD10.513.67 ft, Apr 6, 19971
Watertown Sioux Conifer RoadSD9.011.18 ft, Apr 13, 20230
WatertownSD11.013.13 ft, Apr 2, 19975
BrandonSD1,304.01,313.53 ft, Sep 14, 20192
BrookingsSD9.014.77 ft, Apr 9, 19690
BruceSD8.012.16 ft, Mar 28, 20110
CastlewoodSD9.013.19 ft, Apr 7, 19970
Dell RapidsSD12.016.70 ft, Sep 13, 201910
EganSD1,516.51,524.20 ft, Sep 12, 20192
EstellineSD1,644.01,647.03 ft, Jun 30, 20250
FlorenceSD8.09.70 ft, Apr 13, 20236
JeffersonIA31.044.50 ft, Jun 24, 20242
RichlandIA1,117.01,128.70 ft, Jun 23, 20245
WatertownSD10.012.33 ft, Apr 7, 20012

Other gauges in Plymouth County

Flood gauges in Plymouth County
Jefferson31.044.50 ft, Jun 24, 20242
Richland1,117.01,128.70 ft, Jun 23, 20245
James26.032.39 ft, Jun 23, 20240
Le Mars20.027.97 ft, Jun 23, 20243
Merrill12.020.19 ft, Jun 23, 202413
Hinton28.032.68 ft, Jun 17, 20141
Millnerville8.014.54 ft, Jun 17, 20143
Oyens1,266.01,266.94 ft, Jun 22, 20240

Plymouth County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Iowa

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge AKRI4, retrieved October 30, 2026. Stages in feet on the gauge's own datum, not elevation. Crests are as the National Weather Service lists them; preliminary values may be revised.