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Big Sioux River above Hawarden

Highest listed crest 39.92 ftFlood stage 20.5 ft12 crests since 2015

The Big Sioux River above Hawarden crested at major flood stage 4 times among the 12 crests the National Weather Service lists from 2015 to 2025. The highest, 39.92 ft on June 22, 2024, was major flooding, 19.42 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
39.92 ft
June 22, 2024; 164,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
20.5 ft
Major flooding from 30.0 ft
Crests at major
4
25th of 155 gauges in South Dakota
Most recent flood crest
June 22, 2024
39.92 ft, major flooding
Location
Union County
South Dakota

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 above Hawarden
Action stage18.52Jun 1, 2022The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)20.53Apr 13, 2023Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage24.00—Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage30.04Jun 22, 2024Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

12 crests from 2015 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Big Sioux River above Hawarden, 2015 to 2025 152025303540ft Flood stage 20.5 ftMajor 30.0 ft Jul 9, 2015: 18.30 ft, below flood stage; 6,290 cubic feet per secondMay 2, 2016: 22.38 ft, minor flooding; 11,300 cubic feet per secondMay 23, 2017: 20.35 ft, action stage; 8,180 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 2018: 34.00 ft, major flooding; 50,800 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 2019: 35.20 ft, major flooding; 58,100 cubic feet per secondSep 15, 2019: 32.42 ft, major floodingMar 30, 2020: 23.02 ft, minor flooding; 12,500 cubic feet per secondAug 30, 2021: 17.30 ft, below flood stage; 5,070 cubic feet per secondJun 1, 2022: 18.88 ft, action stage; 6,820 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 2023: 22.89 ft, minor flooding; 12,400 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 2024: 39.92 ft, major flooding; 164,000 cubic feet per secondJul 6, 2025: 16.39 ft, below flood stage; 4,110 cubic feet per second Highest, 39.92 ft, Jun 22, 2024 201520202025

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Big Sioux River above Hawarden 2010s: 4 4 2020s: 3 2010s2020s
  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

Highest listed crests, Big Sioux River above Hawarden
1Jun 22, 202439.92+19.42Major164,000
2Mar 15, 201935.20+14.70Major58,100
3Jun 22, 201834.00+13.50Major50,800
4Sep 15, 201932.42+11.92Major—
5Mar 30, 202023.02+2.52Minor12,500
6Apr 13, 202322.89+2.39Minor12,400
7May 2, 201622.38+1.88Minor11,300
8May 23, 201720.35−0.15Action8,180
9Jun 1, 202218.88−1.62Action6,820
10Jul 9, 201518.30−2.20Below flood stage6,290
11Aug 30, 202117.30−3.20Below flood stage5,070
12Jul 6, 202516.39−4.11Below flood stage4,110

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: 39.92 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
  • AkronIA · Jun 22, 2024 · 27.35 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

March 15, 2019: 35.20 ft here, major flooding

  • RichlandIA · Mar 16, 2019 · 1,124.50 ft · Major
  • JeffersonIA · Mar 17, 2019 · 40.42 ft · Major
  • AkronIA · Mar 16, 2019 · 23.94 ft · Major
  • Sioux Falls Western AvenueSD · Mar 14, 2019 · 16.90 ft · Major · its highest
  • 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

June 22, 2018: 34.00 ft here, major flooding

  • RichlandIA · Jun 24, 2018 · 1,124.40 ft · Major
  • AkronIA · Jun 23, 2018 · 23.45 ft · Major
  • CantonSD · Jun 22, 2018 · 1,242.20 ft · Moderate
  • JeffersonIA · Jun 26, 2018 · 38.40 ft · Moderate

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
Hawarden this gaugeSD20.539.92 ft, Jun 22, 20244
AkronIA16.027.35 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 Union County

Flood gauges in Union County
Sioux City32.044.90 ft, Jun 23, 20241
Richland1,125.01,133.76 ft, Mar 14, 20192

Union County: every hazard · River floods across the country · South Dakota

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge HWDI4, 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.