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Big Sioux River at Sioux Falls Western Avenue

Highest listed crest 16.90 ftFlood stage 8.0 ft45 crests since 1944

The Big Sioux River at Sioux Falls Western Avenue crested at major flood stage 4 times among the 45 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1944 to 2025. The highest, 16.90 ft on March 14, 2019, was major flooding, 8.90 feet above flood stage. 8 other gauges on the Big Sioux River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
16.90 ft
March 14, 2019; 9,200 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
8.0 ft
Major flooding from 15.5 ft
Crests at major
4
25th of 155 gauges in South Dakota
Most recent flood crest
June 22, 2024
15.44 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Minnehaha County
Near Sioux Falls (2.9 mi), Harrisburg (5.0 mi), Brandon (10.4 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 Falls Western Avenue
Action stage6.51May 28, 1959The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)8.020Aug 28, 2021Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage12.010Jun 22, 2024Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage15.54Mar 14, 2019Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

45 crests from 1944 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 Falls Western Avenue, 1944 to 2025 05101520ft Flood stage 8.0 ftMajor 15.5 ft Feb 26, 1944: 10.24 ft, minor flooding; 5,250 cubic feet per secondFeb 15, 1945: 9.40 ft, minor floodingMar 19, 1946: 8.20 ft, minor flooding; 3,460 cubic feet per secondJun 10, 1947: 10.80 ft, minor flooding; 5,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 28, 1948: 13.90 ft, moderate floodingApr 6, 1949: 9.75 ft, minor flooding; 3,140 cubic feet per secondMar 26, 1950: 8.10 ft, minor flooding; 2,560 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1951: 14.30 ft, moderate flooding; 13,100 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 1952: 14.50 ft, moderate flooding; 13,500 cubic feet per secondJun 27, 1953: 8.28 ft, minor flooding; 3,360 cubic feet per secondMar 20, 1954: 8.79 ft, minor flooding; 3,870 cubic feet per secondMar 10, 1955: 8.43 ft, minor flooding; 1,820 cubic feet per secondJul 15, 1956: 4.03 ft, below flood stage; 895 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 1957: 16.01 ft, major flooding; 16,200 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1958: 3.49 ft, below flood stage; 493 cubic feet per secondMay 28, 1959: 7.58 ft, action stage; 2,850 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 1960: 15.56 ft, major flooding; 14,300 cubic feet per secondApr 10, 1969: 14.20 ft, moderate floodingMar 20, 1978: 11.25 ft, minor floodingMar 20, 1979: 11.75 ft, minor floodingJun 21, 1984: 15.80 ft, major floodingApr 23, 1985: 9.32 ft, minor floodingSep 19, 1986: 9.30 ft, minor floodingApr 23, 2001: 13.00 ft, moderate floodingJun 4, 2005: 5.29 ft, below flood stage; 1,200 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 2006: 12.71 ft, moderate flooding; 6,180 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 2007: 11.92 ft, minor flooding; 3,200 cubic feet per secondJun 3, 2008: 5.94 ft, below flood stage; 1,310 cubic feet per secondJul 7, 2009: 5.46 ft, below flood stage; 1,180 cubic feet per secondJul 30, 2010: 12.44 ft, moderate flooding; 5,720 cubic feet per secondJul 27, 2011: 10.89 ft, minor flooding; 4,140 cubic feet per secondMay 9, 2012: 5.19 ft, below flood stage; 1,290 cubic feet per secondMay 26, 2013: 11.26 ft, minor flooding; 4,280 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 2014: 10.73 ft, minor flooding; 3,750 cubic feet per secondAug 27, 2015: 13.17 ft, moderate flooding; 5,700 cubic feet per secondSep 15, 2016: 8.98 ft, minor flooding; 2,900 cubic feet per secondAug 21, 2017: 8.04 ft, minor flooding; 2,550 cubic feet per secondSep 21, 2018: 12.00 ft, moderate floodingMar 14, 2019: 16.90 ft, major flooding; 9,200 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 2020: 5.45 ft, below flood stage; 1,350 cubic feet per secondAug 28, 2021: 8.94 ft, minor flooding; 2,950 cubic feet per secondAug 7, 2022: 5.73 ft, below flood stage; 1,460 cubic feet per secondApr 9, 2023: 5.56 ft, below flood stage; 1,480 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 2024: 15.44 ft, moderate flooding; 9,970 cubic feet per secondJul 10, 2025: 3.65 ft, below flood stage Highest, 16.90 ft, Mar 14, 2019 1960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Big Sioux River at Sioux Falls Western Avenue 1940s: 6 1950s: 7 1960s: 2 1970s: 2 1980s: 3 1990s: 0 2000s: 3 2010s: 9 9 2020s: 2 1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 Falls Western Avenue
1Mar 14, 201916.90+8.90Major9,200
2Jun 17, 195716.01+8.01Major16,200
3Jun 21, 198415.80+7.80Major—
4Mar 30, 196015.56+7.56Major14,300
5Jun 22, 202415.44+7.44Moderate9,970
6Apr 7, 195214.50+6.50Moderate13,500
7Apr 6, 195114.30+6.30Moderate13,100
8Apr 10, 196914.20+6.20Moderate—
9Feb 28, 194813.90+5.90Moderate—
10Aug 27, 201513.17+5.17Moderate5,700
11Apr 23, 200113.00+5.00Moderate—
12Apr 7, 200612.71+4.71Moderate6,180
13Jul 30, 201012.44+4.44Moderate5,720
14Sep 21, 201812.00+4.00Moderate—
15Mar 11, 200711.92+3.92Minor3,200
16Mar 20, 197911.75+3.75Minor—
17May 26, 201311.26+3.26Minor4,280
18Mar 20, 197811.25+3.25Minor—
19Jul 27, 201110.89+2.89Minor4,140
20Jun 10, 194710.80+2.80Minor5,000
21Jun 16, 201410.73+2.73Minor3,750
22Feb 26, 194410.24+2.24Minor5,250
23Apr 6, 19499.75+1.75Minor3,140
24Feb 15, 19459.40+1.40Minor—
25Apr 23, 19859.32+1.32Minor—
26Sep 19, 19869.30+1.30Minor—
27Sep 15, 20168.98+0.98Minor2,900
28Aug 28, 20218.94+0.94Minor2,950
29Mar 20, 19548.79+0.79Minor3,870
30Mar 10, 19558.43+0.43Minor1,820
31Jun 27, 19538.28+0.28Minor3,360
32Mar 19, 19468.20+0.20Minor3,460
33Mar 26, 19508.10+0.10Minor2,560
34Aug 21, 20178.04+0.04Minor2,550
35May 28, 19597.58−0.42Action2,850
36Jun 3, 20085.94−2.06Below flood stage1,310
37Aug 7, 20225.73−2.27Below flood stage1,460
38Apr 9, 20235.56−2.44Below flood stage1,480
39Jul 7, 20095.46−2.54Below flood stage1,180
40Mar 28, 20205.45−2.55Below flood stage1,350
41Jun 4, 20055.29−2.71Below flood stage1,200
42May 9, 20125.19−2.81Below flood stage1,290
43Jul 15, 19564.03−3.97Below flood stage895
44Jul 10, 20253.65−4.35Below flood stage—
45Apr 6, 19583.49−4.51Below flood stage493

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.

March 14, 2019: 16.90 ft here, major flooding

  • 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
  • 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 17, 1957: 16.01 ft here, major flooding

  • AkronIA · Jun 21, 1957 · 19.57 ft · Moderate
  • Dell RapidsSD · Jun 18, 1957 · 14.93 ft · Moderate
  • BrookingsSD · Jun 17, 1957 · 11.67 ft · Moderate

June 21, 1984: 15.80 ft here, major flooding

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 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 Avenue this gaugeSD8.016.90 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 Minnehaha County

Flood gauges in Minnehaha County
Dell Rapids1,481.01,490.00 ft, Sep 13, 20192
Sioux Falls I-9012.018.91 ft, Sep 14, 20191
Sioux Falls N. Cliff Avenue16.026.08 ft, Sep 14, 20190
Brandon1,304.01,313.53 ft, Sep 14, 20192
Dell Rapids12.016.70 ft, Sep 13, 201910
Sioux Falls6.09.63 ft, Sep 14, 20190
Sioux Falls11.518.23 ft, Mar 14, 20191
Hartford10.015.08 ft, Mar 14, 20190
Corson8.519.01 ft, Sep 12, 20194
Crooks9.012.65 ft, Mar 14, 20190

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge WAVS2, 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.