Big Sioux River near Estelline

Highest listed crest 1,647.03 ftFlood stage 1,644.0 ft7 crests since 2018

The Big Sioux River near Estelline crested above flood stage 6 times among the 7 crests the National Weather Service lists from 2018 to 2025. The highest, 1,647.03 ft on June 30, 2025, was moderate flooding, 3.03 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: 1,647.03 ft; June 30, 2025
Flood stage: 1,644.0 ft; Major flooding from 1,648.0 ft
Crests at major: 0; 6 above flood stage
Most recent flood crest: June 30, 2025; 1,647.03 ft, moderate flooding
Location: Hamlin County; South Dakota
Identifiers: NWS BSES2; No USGS station

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 Estelline

Action stage	1,642.5	1	Jun 24, 2024	The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)	1,644.0	2	Mar 29, 2020	Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage	1,645.5	4	Jun 30, 2025	Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage	1,648.0	0	—	Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

7 crests from 2018 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

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.
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 Estelline

1	Jun 30, 2025	1,647.03	+3.03	Moderate	—
2	Mar 28, 2019	1,646.90	+2.90	Moderate	—
3	Apr 12, 2023	1,646.34	+2.34	Moderate	—
4	Apr 23, 2018	1,645.90	+1.90	Moderate	—
5	Apr 13, 2018	1,644.60	+0.60	Minor	—
6	Mar 29, 2020	1,644.38	+0.38	Minor	—
7	Jun 24, 2024	1,643.82	−0.18	Action	—

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.

June 30, 2025: 1,647.03 ft here, moderate flooding

BruceSD · Jul 1, 2025 · 10.50 ft · Moderate
FlorenceSD · Jun 26, 2025 · 8.97 ft · Moderate
BrookingsSD · Jul 3, 2025 · 10.41 ft · Minor

March 28, 2019: 1,646.90 ft here, moderate flooding

EganSD · Mar 23, 2019 · 1,522.48 ft · Major
TrentSD · Mar 24, 2019 · 1,500.00 ft · Major
Dell RapidsSD · Mar 24, 2019 · 1,487.53 ft · Major
Dell RapidsSD · Mar 24, 2019 · 15.69 ft · Major
WatertownSD · Mar 28, 2019 · 12.31 ft · Major
FlandreauSD · Mar 23, 2019 · 1,543.53 ft · Moderate
Sioux Falls N. Cliff AvenueSD · Mar 26, 2019 · 22.06 ft · Moderate
Sioux Falls I-90SD · Mar 26, 2019 · 16.92 ft · Moderate
BrookingsSD · Mar 25, 2019 · 13.05 ft · Moderate
CastlewoodSD · Mar 28, 2019 · 12.39 ft · Moderate

April 12, 2023: 1,646.34 ft here, moderate flooding

WatertownSD · Apr 12, 2023 · 12.26 ft · Major
FlorenceSD · Apr 13, 2023 · 9.70 ft · Major · its highest
TrentSD · Apr 10, 2023 · 1,498.12 ft · Moderate
Watertown Broadway AvenueSD · Apr 13, 2023 · 11.87 ft · Moderate
WatertownSD · Apr 13, 2023 · 11.85 ft · Moderate
CastlewoodSD · Apr 13, 2023 · 11.64 ft · Moderate
Watertown Sioux Conifer RoadSD · Apr 13, 2023 · 11.18 ft · Moderate · its highest
BrookingsSD · Apr 14, 2023 · 11.16 ft · Moderate
BruceSD · Apr 13, 2023 · 10.17 ft · Moderate
FlandreauSD · Apr 9, 2023 · 1,540.72 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

Canton	SD	1,235.0	1,248.35 ft, Jun 22, 2024	3
Dell Rapids	SD	1,481.0	1,490.00 ft, Sep 13, 2019	2
Flandreau	SD	1,540.0	1,545.29 ft, Sep 13, 2019	1
Hawarden	SD	20.5	39.92 ft, Jun 22, 2024	4
Akron	IA	16.0	27.35 ft, Jun 22, 2024	24
Fairview	SD	1,202.0	1,213.14 ft, Sep 14, 2019	0
Lake Kampeska	SD	21.0	22.40 ft, Mar 15, 2010	0
Lake Poinsett Inlet/Outlet	SD	1,654.0	1,657.60 ft, Apr 5, 2011	2
Sioux City	SD	32.0	44.90 ft, Jun 23, 2024	1
Sioux Falls I-90	SD	12.0	18.91 ft, Sep 14, 2019	1
Sioux Falls N. Cliff Avenue	SD	16.0	26.08 ft, Sep 14, 2019	0
Sioux Falls Western Avenue	SD	8.0	16.90 ft, Mar 14, 2019	4
Trent	SD	1,495.0	1,501.42 ft, Sep 13, 2019	2
Watertown Broadway Avenue	SD	10.5	13.67 ft, Apr 6, 1997	1
Watertown Sioux Conifer Road	SD	9.0	11.18 ft, Apr 13, 2023	0
Watertown	SD	11.0	13.13 ft, Apr 2, 1997	5
Brandon	SD	1,304.0	1,313.53 ft, Sep 14, 2019	2
Brookings	SD	9.0	14.77 ft, Apr 9, 1969	0
Bruce	SD	8.0	12.16 ft, Mar 28, 2011	0
Castlewood	SD	9.0	13.19 ft, Apr 7, 1997	0
Dell Rapids	SD	12.0	16.70 ft, Sep 13, 2019	10
Egan	SD	1,516.5	1,524.20 ft, Sep 12, 2019	2
Estelline this gauge	SD	1,644.0	1,647.03 ft, Jun 30, 2025	0
Florence	SD	8.0	9.70 ft, Apr 13, 2023	6
Jefferson	IA	31.0	44.50 ft, Jun 24, 2024	2
Richland	IA	1,117.0	1,128.70 ft, Jun 23, 2024	5
Watertown	SD	10.0	12.33 ft, Apr 7, 2001	2

Other gauges in Hamlin County

Flood gauges in Hamlin County

Lake Poinsett Inlet/Outlet	1,654.0	1,657.60 ft, Apr 5, 2011	2
Castlewood	9.0	13.19 ft, Apr 7, 1997	0

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge BSES2, 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.