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Big Sioux River near Brookings

Highest listed crest 14.77 ftFlood stage 9.0 ft73 crests since 1954

The Big Sioux River near Brookings crested above flood stage 45 times among the 73 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1954 to 2025. The highest, 14.77 ft on April 9, 1969, was moderate flooding, 5.77 feet above flood stage. 3 other gauges on the Big Sioux River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
14.77 ft
April 9, 1969; 33,900 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
9.0 ft
Major flooding from 15.0 ft
Crests at major
0
45 above flood stage
Most recent flood crest
July 3, 2025
10.41 ft, minor flooding
Location
Moody County
Near Brookings (8.7 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 near Brookings
Action stage8.06Apr 2, 2002The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)9.013Jul 3, 2025Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage10.532Jun 27, 2024Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage15.00—Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

73 crests from 1954 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Big Sioux River near Brookings, 1954 to 2025 05101520ft Flood stage 9.0 ftMajor 15.0 ft Mar 22, 1954: 9.79 ft, minor flooding; 1,970 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 1955: 8.62 ft, action stage; 1,180 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 1956: 4.42 ft, below flood stageJun 17, 1957: 11.67 ft, moderate flooding; 5,320 cubic feet per secondMar 27, 1958: 4.58 ft, below flood stage; 382 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 1959: 5.00 ft, below flood stage; 240 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 1960: 12.28 ft, moderate flooding; 9,620 cubic feet per secondMar 2, 1961: 8.50 ft, action stage; 1,340 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 1962: 12.95 ft, moderate flooding; 10,600 cubic feet per secondAug 2, 1963: 9.72 ft, minor flooding; 1,880 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 1964: 7.14 ft, below flood stageApr 6, 1965: 12.34 ft, moderate flooding; 7,700 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1966: 11.66 ft, moderate flooding; 4,560 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 1967: 9.54 ft, minor flooding; 1,880 cubic feet per secondApr 23, 1968: 3.51 ft, below flood stage; 230 cubic feet per secondApr 9, 1969: 14.77 ft, moderate flooding; 33,900 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 1970: 11.24 ft, moderate flooding; 3,350 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 1971: 11.50 ft, moderate flooding; 2,100 cubic feet per secondJun 1, 1972: 11.36 ft, moderate flooding; 5,060 cubic feet per secondMar 8, 1973: 10.26 ft, minor flooding; 3,010 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 1974: 7.57 ft, below flood stage; 950 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 1975: 6.04 ft, below flood stage; 696 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 1976: 7.61 ft, below flood stage; 1,080 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1977: 10.02 ft, minor flooding; 1,750 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 1978: 11.84 ft, moderate flooding; 5,960 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 1979: 11.71 ft, moderate flooding; 4,720 cubic feet per secondJun 25, 1980: 11.93 ft, moderate flooding; 3,820 cubic feet per secondJul 26, 1981: 3.01 ft, below flood stage; 143 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 1982: 6.76 ft, below flood stageMar 7, 1983: 11.16 ft, moderate flooding; 3,300 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 1984: 13.70 ft, moderate flooding; 13,700 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1985: 12.51 ft, moderate flooding; 8,440 cubic feet per secondSep 20, 1986: 12.63 ft, moderate flooding; 6,470 cubic feet per secondMar 27, 1987: 8.02 ft, action stage; 2,400 cubic feet per secondMar 14, 1988: 7.62 ft, below flood stageMar 28, 1989: 9.18 ft, minor flooding; 1,900 cubic feet per secondJun 21, 1990: 9.85 ft, minor flooding; 1,990 cubic feet per secondJun 25, 1991: 8.32 ft, action stage; 1,430 cubic feet per secondJun 20, 1992: 12.28 ft, moderate flooding; 5,760 cubic feet per secondJul 4, 1993: 13.50 ft, moderate flooding; 13,300 cubic feet per secondJun 25, 1994: 12.08 ft, moderate flooding; 5,660 cubic feet per secondApr 20, 1995: 11.90 ft, moderate flooding; 6,910 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1996: 10.48 ft, minor flooding; 2,990 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 1997: 13.19 ft, moderate floodingApr 10, 1998: 8.55 ft, action stage; 2,180 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 1999: 7.96 ft, below flood stage; 1,870 cubic feet per secondMay 19, 2000: 4.86 ft, below flood stage; 683 cubic feet per secondApr 24, 2001: 11.69 ft, moderate flooding; 6,680 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 2002: 8.79 ft, action stage; 2,340 cubic feet per secondMar 20, 2003: 5.78 ft, below flood stage; 965 cubic feet per secondSep 26, 2004: 4.44 ft, below flood stage; 521 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 2005: 6.15 ft, below flood stage; 1,020 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 2006: 9.45 ft, minor flooding; 2,790 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 2007: 12.09 ft, moderate flooding; 6,520 cubic feet per secondJun 10, 2008: 9.55 ft, minor flooding; 2,780 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 2009: 10.84 ft, moderate flooding; 3,740 cubic feet per secondSep 25, 2010: 13.66 ft, moderate flooding; 19,800 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 2011: 13.33 ft, moderate flooding; 15,400 cubic feet per secondMay 9, 2012: 9.06 ft, minor flooding; 2,520 cubic feet per secondJun 29, 2013: 10.47 ft, minor flooding; 3,480 cubic feet per secondJun 10, 2014: 7.66 ft, below flood stage; 1,840 cubic feet per secondAug 22, 2015: 6.54 ft, below flood stage; 1,320 cubic feet per secondJun 19, 2016: 5.53 ft, below flood stage; 1,020 cubic feet per secondMay 25, 2017: 7.40 ft, below flood stage; 1,710 cubic feet per secondApr 24, 2018: 12.30 ft, moderate floodingMar 25, 2019: 13.05 ft, moderate floodingSep 13, 2019: 14.34 ft, moderate flooding; 17,400 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 2020: 11.05 ft, moderate floodingApr 11, 2021: 6.37 ft, below flood stage; 1,310 cubic feet per secondMay 14, 2022: 7.09 ft, below flood stage; 1,570 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 2023: 11.16 ft, moderate flooding; 4,360 cubic feet per secondJun 27, 2024: 11.06 ft, moderate flooding; 3,890 cubic feet per secondJul 3, 2025: 10.41 ft, minor flooding; 3,120 cubic feet per second Highest, 14.77 ft, Apr 9, 1969 1960197019801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Big Sioux River near Brookings 1950s: 2 1960s: 7 7 1970s: 7 1980s: 6 1990s: 7 2000s: 5 2010s: 7 2020s: 4 1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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

The 50 highest of 73 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Big Sioux River near Brookings
1Apr 9, 196914.77+5.77Moderate33,900
2Sep 13, 201914.34+5.34Moderate17,400
3Jun 22, 198413.70+4.70Moderate13,700
4Sep 25, 201013.66+4.66Moderate19,800
5Jul 4, 199313.50+4.50Moderate13,300
6Mar 24, 201113.33+4.33Moderate15,400
7Apr 8, 199713.19+4.19Moderate—
8Mar 25, 201913.05+4.05Moderate—
9Mar 29, 196212.95+3.95Moderate10,600
10Sep 20, 198612.63+3.63Moderate6,470
11Mar 19, 198512.51+3.51Moderate8,440
12Apr 6, 196512.34+3.34Moderate7,700
13Apr 24, 201812.30+3.30Moderate—
14Mar 30, 196012.28+3.28Moderate9,620
15Jun 20, 199212.28+3.28Moderate5,760
16Mar 15, 200712.09+3.09Moderate6,520
17Jun 25, 199412.08+3.08Moderate5,660
18Jun 25, 198011.93+2.93Moderate3,820
19Apr 20, 199511.90+2.90Moderate6,910
20Mar 29, 197811.84+2.84Moderate5,960
21Apr 14, 197911.71+2.71Moderate4,720
22Apr 24, 200111.69+2.69Moderate6,680
23Jun 17, 195711.67+2.67Moderate5,320
24Mar 13, 196611.66+2.66Moderate4,560
25Mar 15, 197111.50+2.50Moderate2,100
26Jun 1, 197211.36+2.36Moderate5,060
27Mar 6, 197011.24+2.24Moderate3,350
28Mar 7, 198311.16+2.16Moderate3,300
29Apr 14, 202311.16+2.16Moderate4,360
30Jun 27, 202411.06+2.06Moderate3,890
31Mar 12, 202011.05+2.05Moderate—
32Mar 28, 200910.84+1.84Moderate3,740
33Mar 19, 199610.48+1.48Minor2,990
34Jun 29, 201310.47+1.47Minor3,480
35Jul 3, 202510.41+1.41Minor3,120
36Mar 8, 197310.26+1.26Minor3,010
37Mar 13, 197710.02+1.02Minor1,750
38Jun 21, 19909.85+0.85Minor1,990
39Mar 22, 19549.79+0.79Minor1,970
40Aug 2, 19639.72+0.72Minor1,880
41Jun 10, 20089.55+0.55Minor2,780
42Jun 17, 19679.54+0.54Minor1,880
43Apr 3, 20069.45+0.45Minor2,790
44Mar 28, 19899.18+0.18Minor1,900
45May 9, 20129.06+0.06Minor2,520
46Apr 2, 20028.79−0.21Action2,340
47Mar 12, 19558.62−0.38Action1,180
48Apr 10, 19988.55−0.45Action2,180
49Mar 2, 19618.50−0.50Action1,340
50Jun 25, 19918.32−0.68Action1,430

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 9, 1969: 14.77 ft here, moderate flooding

September 13, 2019: 14.34 ft here, moderate flooding

  • FlandreauSD · Sep 13, 2019 · 1,545.29 ft · Major · its highest
  • EganSD · Sep 12, 2019 · 1,524.20 ft · Major · its highest
  • TrentSD · Sep 13, 2019 · 1,501.42 ft · Major · its highest
  • Dell RapidsSD · Sep 13, 2019 · 1,490.00 ft · Major · its highest
  • BrandonSD · Sep 14, 2019 · 1,313.53 ft · Major · its highest
  • CantonSD · Sep 13, 2019 · 1,245.88 ft · Major
  • RichlandIA · Sep 17, 2019 · 1,123.51 ft · Major
  • HawardenSD · Sep 15, 2019 · 32.42 ft · Major
  • Sioux Falls I-90SD · Sep 14, 2019 · 18.91 ft · Major · its highest
  • Dell RapidsSD · Sep 13, 2019 · 16.70 ft · Major · its highest

June 22, 1984: 13.70 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 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
Brookings this gaugeSD9.014.77 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 Moody County

Flood gauges in Moody County
Flandreau1,540.01,545.29 ft, Sep 13, 20191
Trent1,495.01,501.42 ft, Sep 13, 20192
Egan1,516.51,524.20 ft, Sep 12, 20192
Flandreau9.014.00 ft, Sep 12, 20190
Chester7.07.45 ft, Jul 10, 20110

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge BRKS2, 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.