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Big Sioux River below Watertown

Highest listed crest 13.13 ftFlood stage 11.0 ft27 crests since 1995

The Big Sioux River below Watertown crested at major flood stage 5 times among the 27 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1995 to 2025. The highest, 13.13 ft on April 2, 1997, was major flooding, 2.13 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
13.13 ft
April 2, 1997; 6,700 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
11.0 ft
Major flooding from 12.0 ft
Crests at major
5
21st of 155 gauges in South Dakota
Most recent flood crest
August 22, 2025
11.68 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Codington County
Near Watertown (6.7 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 below Watertown
Action stage10.03Mar 19, 2007The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)11.03Apr 22, 2018Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage11.53Aug 22, 2025Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage12.05Apr 12, 2023Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

27 crests from 1995 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Big Sioux River below Watertown, 1995 to 2025 468101214ft Flood stage 11.0 ftMajor 12.0 ft Mar 12, 1995: 11.74 ft, moderate flooding; 1,600 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1996: 11.78 ft, moderate flooding; 950 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 1997: 13.13 ft, major flooding; 6,700 cubic feet per secondFeb 23, 1998: 10.17 ft, action stage; 880 cubic feet per secondJun 10, 1999: 7.21 ft, below flood stage; 368 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 2001: 12.69 ft, major flooding; 4,000 cubic feet per secondAug 21, 2002: 10.76 ft, action stage; 800 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 2003: 9.18 ft, below flood stage; 600 cubic feet per secondSep 23, 2004: 5.71 ft, below flood stage; 146 cubic feet per secondJun 15, 2005: 7.14 ft, below flood stage; 277 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 2006: 7.05 ft, below flood stage; 365 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 2007: 10.52 ft, action stage; 1,300 cubic feet per secondJun 12, 2008: 7.96 ft, below flood stage; 477 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 2009: 11.37 ft, minor flooding; 1,860 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 2010: 11.07 ft, minor flooding; 1,460 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 2011: 12.56 ft, major flooding; 1,800 cubic feet per secondJun 21, 2012: 6.98 ft, below flood stage; 336 cubic feet per secondApr 28, 2013: 7.80 ft, below flood stage; 510 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 2014: 7.06 ft, below flood stage; 329 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 2015: 8.83 ft, below flood stage; 300 cubic feet per secondAug 12, 2016: 7.89 ft, below flood stage; 410 cubic feet per secondFeb 19, 2017: 9.60 ft, below flood stage; 650 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 2018: 11.49 ft, minor flooding; 1,820 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 2019: 12.31 ft, major flooding; 2,560 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 2020: 8.79 ft, below flood stage; 713 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 2023: 12.26 ft, major flooding; 2,540 cubic feet per secondAug 22, 2025: 11.68 ft, moderate flooding; 1,610 cubic feet per second Highest, 13.13 ft, Apr 2, 1997 200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Big Sioux River below Watertown 1990s: 3 2000s: 2 2010s: 4 4 2020s: 2 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 below Watertown
1Apr 2, 199713.13+2.13Major6,700
2Apr 8, 200112.69+1.69Major4,000
3Mar 23, 201112.56+1.56Major1,800
4Mar 28, 201912.31+1.31Major2,560
5Apr 12, 202312.26+1.26Major2,540
6Mar 13, 199611.78+0.78Moderate950
7Mar 12, 199511.74+0.74Moderate1,600
8Aug 22, 202511.68+0.68Moderate1,610
9Apr 22, 201811.49+0.49Minor1,820
10Mar 23, 200911.37+0.37Minor1,860
11Mar 18, 201011.07+0.07Minor1,460
12Aug 21, 200210.76−0.24Action800
13Mar 19, 200710.52−0.48Action1,300
14Feb 23, 199810.17−0.83Action880
15Feb 19, 20179.60−1.40Below flood stage650
16Mar 18, 20039.18−1.82Below flood stage600
17Mar 13, 20158.83−2.17Below flood stage300
18Apr 2, 20208.79−2.21Below flood stage713
19Jun 12, 20087.96−3.04Below flood stage477
20Aug 12, 20167.89−3.11Below flood stage410
21Apr 28, 20137.80−3.20Below flood stage510
22Jun 10, 19997.21−3.79Below flood stage368
23Jun 15, 20057.14−3.86Below flood stage277
24Jun 22, 20147.06−3.94Below flood stage329
25Apr 1, 20067.05−3.95Below flood stage365
26Jun 21, 20126.98−4.02Below flood stage336
27Sep 23, 20045.71−5.29Below flood stage146

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 2, 1997: 13.13 ft here, major flooding

April 8, 2001: 12.69 ft here, major flooding

March 23, 2011: 12.56 ft here, major flooding

  • AkronIA · Mar 26, 2011 · 20.39 ft · Major
  • Dell RapidsSD · Mar 24, 2011 · 15.63 ft · Major
  • FlandreauSD · Mar 25, 2011 · 1,543.85 ft · Moderate
  • Sioux Falls N. Cliff AvenueSD · Mar 25, 2011 · 21.53 ft · Moderate
  • BrookingsSD · Mar 24, 2011 · 13.33 ft · Moderate
  • CastlewoodSD · Mar 23, 2011 · 12.29 ft · Moderate
  • BruceSD · Mar 28, 2011 · 12.16 ft · Moderate · its highest
  • WatertownSD · Mar 23, 2011 · 10.30 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
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
Watertown this gaugeSD11.013.13 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 Broadway Avenue10.513.67 ft, Apr 6, 19971
Watertown Sioux Conifer Road9.011.18 ft, Apr 13, 20230
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 BSWS2, 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.