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Big Sioux River near Bruce

Highest listed crest 12.16 ftFlood stage 8.0 ft26 crests since 2001

The Big Sioux River near Bruce crested above flood stage 15 times among the 26 crests the National Weather Service lists from 2001 to 2025. The highest, 12.16 ft on March 28, 2011, was moderate flooding, 4.16 feet above flood stage. 9 other gauges on the Big Sioux River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
12.16 ft
March 28, 2011
Flood stage
8.0 ft
Major flooding from 13.0 ft
Crests at major
0
15 above flood stage
Most recent flood crest
July 1, 2025
10.50 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Brookings County
Near Brookings (12.4 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 near Bruce
Action stage7.02Jun 24, 2024The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)8.04May 14, 2022Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage10.011Jul 1, 2025Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage13.00—Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

26 crests from 2001 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Big Sioux River near Bruce, 2001 to 2025 468101214ft Flood stage 8.0 ftMajor 13.0 ft Apr 9, 2001: 10.60 ft, moderate flooding; 3,810 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 2002: 9.01 ft, minor flooding; 1,900 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 2003: 7.54 ft, action stage; 850 cubic feet per secondSep 25, 2004: 4.95 ft, below flood stage; 458 cubic feet per secondOct 30, 2004: 6.40 ft, below flood stage; 867 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 2006: 6.56 ft, below flood stage; 918 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 2007: 10.35 ft, moderate flooding; 2,800 cubic feet per secondMay 12, 2008: 6.99 ft, below flood stage; 1,040 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 2009: 10.75 ft, moderate flooding; 4,140 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 2010: 10.37 ft, moderate flooding; 2,670 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 2011: 12.16 ft, moderate floodingApr 4, 2011: 10.52 ft, moderate flooding; 4,530 cubic feet per secondMay 7, 2012: 5.67 ft, below flood stage; 613 cubic feet per secondJun 25, 2013: 10.46 ft, moderate flooding; 2,780 cubic feet per secondJun 2, 2014: 6.77 ft, below flood stage; 1,000 cubic feet per secondAug 21, 2015: 6.21 ft, below flood stage; 720 cubic feet per secondAug 14, 2016: 5.03 ft, below flood stage; 444 cubic feet per secondFeb 21, 2017: 8.01 ft, minor flooding; 1,330 cubic feet per secondApr 23, 2018: 10.20 ft, moderate floodingMar 29, 2019: 10.88 ft, moderate flooding; 3,750 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 2020: 8.80 ft, minor floodingApr 10, 2021: 6.36 ft, below flood stage; 881 cubic feet per secondMay 14, 2022: 8.24 ft, minor flooding; 1,620 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 2023: 10.17 ft, moderate flooding; 2,530 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 2024: 7.85 ft, action stage; 1,510 cubic feet per secondJul 1, 2025: 10.50 ft, moderate flooding; 3,200 cubic feet per second Highest, 12.16 ft, Mar 28, 2011 20052010201520202025

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Big Sioux River near Bruce 2000s: 4 2010s: 7 7 2020s: 4 2000s2010s2020s
  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 near Bruce
1Mar 28, 201112.16+4.16Moderate—
2Mar 29, 201910.88+2.88Moderate3,750
3Mar 24, 200910.75+2.75Moderate4,140
4Apr 9, 200110.60+2.60Moderate3,810
5Apr 4, 201110.52+2.52Moderate4,530
6Jul 1, 202510.50+2.50Moderate3,200
7Jun 25, 201310.46+2.46Moderate2,780
8Mar 16, 201010.37+2.37Moderate2,670
9Mar 15, 200710.35+2.35Moderate2,800
10Apr 23, 201810.20+2.20Moderate—
11Apr 13, 202310.17+2.17Moderate2,530
12Mar 30, 20029.01+1.01Minor1,900
13Mar 30, 20208.80+0.80Minor—
14May 14, 20228.24+0.24Minor1,620
15Feb 21, 20178.01+0.01Minor1,330
16Jun 24, 20247.85−0.15Action1,510
17Mar 17, 20037.54−0.46Action850
18May 12, 20086.99−1.01Below flood stage1,040
19Jun 2, 20146.77−1.23Below flood stage1,000
20Mar 12, 20066.56−1.44Below flood stage918
21Oct 30, 20046.40−1.60Below flood stage867
22Apr 10, 20216.36−1.64Below flood stage881
23Aug 21, 20156.21−1.79Below flood stage720
24May 7, 20125.67−2.33Below flood stage613
25Aug 14, 20165.03−2.97Below flood stage444
26Sep 25, 20044.95−3.05Below flood stage458

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 28, 2011: 12.16 ft here, moderate flooding

March 29, 2019: 10.88 ft here, moderate flooding

March 24, 2009: 10.75 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
BrookingsSD9.014.77 ft, Apr 9, 19690
Bruce this gaugeSD8.012.16 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 Brookings County

Flood gauges in Brookings County
Medary1,588.01,591.86 ft, Sep 12, 20191
Brookings1,607.01,607.49 ft, Apr 23, 20180
Brookings1,634.01,635.65 ft, Sep 12, 20190

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge BRCS2, 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.