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Big Sioux River at Sioux City

Highest listed crest 44.90 ftFlood stage 32.0 ft12 crests since 2014

The Big Sioux River at Sioux City crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 12 crests the National Weather Service lists from 2014 to 2025. The highest, 44.90 ft on June 23, 2024, was major flooding, 12.90 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
44.90 ft
June 23, 2024; 97,200 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
32.0 ft
Major flooding from 41.0 ft
Crests at major
1
62nd of 155 gauges in South Dakota
Most recent flood crest
June 23, 2024
44.90 ft, major flooding
Location
Union County
Near Sioux City (5.0 mi), South Sioux City (5.5 mi)

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 Sioux City
Action stage29.01Jun 25, 2018The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)32.02Mar 17, 2019Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage38.00—Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage41.01Jun 23, 2024Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

12 crests from 2014 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Big Sioux River at Sioux City, 2014 to 2025 1020304050ft Flood stage 32.0 ftMajor 41.0 ft Jun 20, 2014: 37.70 ft, minor flooding; 64,300 cubic feet per secondJul 10, 2015: 15.09 ft, below flood stage; 4,720 cubic feet per secondMay 4, 2016: 19.04 ft, below flood stage; 11,000 cubic feet per secondMay 26, 2017: 17.73 ft, below flood stage; 8,850 cubic feet per secondJun 25, 2018: 31.57 ft, action stageMar 17, 2019: 37.46 ft, minor flooding; 61,600 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 2020: 21.89 ft, below flood stage; 12,200 cubic feet per secondSep 1, 2021: 12.37 ft, below flood stageJun 2, 2022: 14.94 ft, below flood stage; 6,450 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 2023: 18.57 ft, below flood stage; 12,500 cubic feet per secondJun 23, 2024: 44.90 ft, major flooding; 97,200 cubic feet per secondJul 8, 2025: 13.27 ft, below flood stage; 4,370 cubic feet per second Highest, 44.90 ft, Jun 23, 2024 201520202025

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Big Sioux River at Sioux City 2010s: 2 2 2020s: 1 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 at Sioux City
1Jun 23, 202444.90+12.90Major97,200
2Jun 20, 201437.70+5.70Minor64,300
3Mar 17, 201937.46+5.46Minor61,600
4Jun 25, 201831.57−0.43Action—
5Apr 2, 202021.89−10.11Below flood stage12,200
6May 4, 201619.04−12.96Below flood stage11,000
7Apr 15, 202318.57−13.43Below flood stage12,500
8May 26, 201717.73−14.27Below flood stage8,850
9Jul 10, 201515.09−16.91Below flood stage4,720
10Jun 2, 202214.94−17.06Below flood stage6,450
11Jul 8, 202513.27−18.73Below flood stage4,370
12Sep 1, 202112.37−19.63Below flood stage—

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 23, 2024: 44.90 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
  • JeffersonIA · Jun 24, 2024 · 44.50 ft · Major · its highest
  • HawardenSD · Jun 22, 2024 · 39.92 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

June 20, 2014: 37.70 ft here, minor flooding

March 17, 2019: 37.46 ft here, minor flooding

  • EganSD · Mar 23, 2019 · 1,522.48 ft · Major
  • TrentSD · Mar 24, 2019 · 1,500.00 ft · Major
  • Dell RapidsSD · Mar 24, 2019 · 1,487.53 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
  • AkronIA · Mar 16, 2019 · 23.94 ft · Major
  • Sioux Falls Western AvenueSD · Mar 14, 2019 · 16.90 ft · Major · its highest
  • Dell RapidsSD · Mar 24, 2019 · 15.69 ft · Major
  • FlandreauSD · Mar 23, 2019 · 1,543.53 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
HawardenSD20.539.92 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 City this gaugeSD32.044.90 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
Hawarden20.539.92 ft, Jun 22, 20244
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 SXCI4, 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.