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Big Sioux River at Watertown Broadway Avenue

Highest listed crest 13.67 ftFlood stage 10.5 ft26 crests since 1997

The Big Sioux River at Watertown Broadway Avenue crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 26 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1997 to 2025. The highest, 13.67 ft on April 6, 1997, was major flooding, 3.17 feet above flood stage. 8 other gauges on the Big Sioux River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 2 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
13.67 ft
April 6, 1997; 2,760 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
10.5 ft
Major flooding from 13.5 ft
Crests at major
1
62nd of 155 gauges in South Dakota
Most recent flood crest
August 22, 2025
10.85 ft, minor flooding
Location
Codington County
Near Watertown (2.3 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 Watertown Broadway Avenue
Action stage10.01Mar 22, 2007The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)10.53Aug 22, 2025Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage11.06Apr 13, 2023Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage13.51Apr 6, 1997Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

26 crests from 1997 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Big Sioux River at Watertown Broadway Avenue, 1997 to 2025 68101214ft Flood stage 10.5 ftMajor 13.5 ft Apr 6, 1997: 13.67 ft, major flooding; 2,760 cubic feet per secondJun 25, 2000: 6.43 ft, below flood stage; 89 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 2001: 12.71 ft, moderate flooding; 2,020 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 2002: 8.72 ft, below flood stage; 275 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 2003: 7.64 ft, below flood stage; 195 cubic feet per secondMay 29, 2004: 6.93 ft, below flood stage; 128 cubic feet per secondJun 13, 2005: 8.18 ft, below flood stage; 235 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 2006: 8.08 ft, below flood stage; 251 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 2007: 10.47 ft, action stage; 573 cubic feet per secondOct 10, 2008: 9.11 ft, below flood stage; 300 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 2009: 10.99 ft, minor flooding; 752 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 2010: 11.07 ft, moderate flooding; 911 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 2011: 11.97 ft, moderate flooding; 1,350 cubic feet per secondJun 20, 2012: 8.93 ft, below flood stage; 353 cubic feet per secondApr 30, 2013: 8.66 ft, below flood stage; 345 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 2014: 9.26 ft, below flood stage; 330 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 2015: 8.21 ft, below flood stage; 150 cubic feet per secondAug 12, 2016: 9.35 ft, below flood stage; 340 cubic feet per secondSep 23, 2017: 8.61 ft, below flood stage; 167 cubic feet per secondApr 23, 2018: 11.30 ft, moderate flooding; 2,760 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 2019: 11.77 ft, moderate floodingApr 4, 2020: 9.58 ft, below flood stage; 457 cubic feet per secondApr 10, 2021: 7.85 ft, below flood stage; 218 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 2022: 10.65 ft, minor flooding; 714 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 2023: 11.87 ft, moderate flooding; 1,420 cubic feet per secondAug 22, 2025: 10.85 ft, minor flooding; 455 cubic feet per second Highest, 13.67 ft, Apr 6, 1997 200020052010201520202025

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Big Sioux River at Watertown Broadway Avenue 1990s: 1 2000s: 2 2010s: 4 4 2020s: 3 1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 Watertown Broadway Avenue
1Apr 6, 199713.67+3.17Major2,760
2Apr 7, 200112.71+2.21Moderate2,020
3Apr 12, 201111.97+1.47Moderate1,350
4Apr 13, 202311.87+1.37Moderate1,420
5Mar 28, 201911.77+1.27Moderate—
6Apr 23, 201811.30+0.80Moderate2,760
7Mar 24, 201011.07+0.57Moderate911
8Mar 24, 200910.99+0.49Minor752
9Aug 22, 202510.85+0.35Minor455
10May 31, 202210.65+0.15Minor714
11Mar 22, 200710.47−0.03Action573
12Apr 4, 20209.58−0.92Below flood stage457
13Aug 12, 20169.35−1.15Below flood stage340
14Jun 22, 20149.26−1.24Below flood stage330
15Oct 10, 20089.11−1.39Below flood stage300
16Jun 20, 20128.93−1.57Below flood stage353
17Mar 31, 20028.72−1.78Below flood stage275
18Apr 30, 20138.66−1.84Below flood stage345
19Sep 23, 20178.61−1.89Below flood stage167
20Mar 13, 20158.21−2.29Below flood stage150
21Jun 13, 20058.18−2.32Below flood stage235
22Apr 1, 20068.08−2.42Below flood stage251
23Apr 10, 20217.85−2.65Below flood stage218
24Mar 17, 20037.64−2.86Below flood stage195
25May 29, 20046.93−3.57Below flood stage128
26Jun 25, 20006.43−4.07Below flood stage89

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.

April 6, 1997: 13.67 ft here, major flooding

April 7, 2001: 12.71 ft here, moderate flooding

  • WatertownSD · Apr 8, 2001 · 12.69 ft · Major
  • WatertownSD · Apr 7, 2001 · 12.33 ft · Major · its highest
  • FlorenceSD · Apr 7, 2001 · 9.07 ft · Major
  • CastlewoodSD · Apr 8, 2001 · 12.27 ft · Moderate
  • BruceSD · Apr 9, 2001 · 10.60 ft · Moderate

April 12, 2011: 11.97 ft here, moderate 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 AvenueSD8.016.90 ft, Mar 14, 20194
TrentSD1,495.01,501.42 ft, Sep 13, 20192
Watertown Broadway Avenue this gaugeSD10.513.67 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 Codington County

Flood gauges in Codington County
Lake Kampeska21.022.40 ft, Mar 15, 20100
Watertown Sioux Conifer Road9.011.18 ft, Apr 13, 20230
Watertown11.013.13 ft, Apr 2, 19975
Watertown10.012.33 ft, Apr 7, 20012
Lake Kampeska at Watertown Water Plant21.023.71 ft, Apr 6, 19972
Rauville9.010.70 ft, Apr 11, 20230
Rauville4.05.75 ft, Mar 23, 20190
Watertown10.013.55 ft, Apr 11, 20230

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge WBWS2, 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.