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Elm River near Westport

Highest listed crest 22.63 ftFlood stage 14.0 ft78 crests since 1947

The Elm River near Westport crested at major flood stage 7 times among the 78 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1947 to 2025. The highest, 22.63 ft on March 25, 2009, was major flooding, 8.63 feet above flood stage. 2 other gauges on the Elm River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
22.63 ft
March 25, 2009; 11,900 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
14.0 ft
Major flooding from 19.0 ft
Crests at major
7
12th of 155 gauges in South Dakota
Most recent flood crest
April 19, 2023
16.75 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Brown County
Near Aberdeen (13.3 mi)

Flood stages

The thresholds the National Weather Service uses for this gauge today, and how many listed crests reached each.

Flood categories, Elm River near Westport
Action stage12.09Apr 22, 2018The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)14.06May 4, 2022Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage16.07Apr 19, 2023Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage19.07Jul 27, 2020Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

78 crests from 1947 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Elm River near Westport, 1947 to 2025 0510152025ft Flood stage 14.0 ftMajor 19.0 ft Apr 14, 1947: 11.45 ft, below flood stage; 2,100 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 1948: 12.51 ft, action stage; 2,870 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 1949: 8.20 ft, below flood stage; 840 cubic feet per secondMay 11, 1950: 10.79 ft, below flood stage; 1,870 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 1951: 9.40 ft, below flood stage; 550 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 1952: 20.10 ft, major flooding; 7,520 cubic feet per secondJun 20, 1953: 10.00 ft, below flood stage; 1,420 cubic feet per secondJun 14, 1954: 10.50 ft, below flood stage; 1,560 cubic feet per secondJul 16, 1955: 7.08 ft, below flood stage; 453 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 1956: 5.56 ft, below flood stage; 111 cubic feet per secondSep 3, 1957: 5.54 ft, below flood stage; 89 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 1958: 9.20 ft, below flood stage; 1,060 cubic feet per secondJul 15, 1959: 4.95 ft, below flood stage; 39 cubic feet per secondApr 9, 1960: 8.88 ft, below flood stage; 1,170 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 1961: 4.89 ft, below flood stage; 34 cubic feet per secondJul 10, 1962: 12.85 ft, action stage; 2,670 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 1963: 6.78 ft, below flood stage; 348 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 1964: 13.09 ft, action stage; 2,660 cubic feet per secondApr 9, 1965: 9.82 ft, below flood stage; 845 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 1966: 17.40 ft, moderate flooding; 5,020 cubic feet per secondMay 5, 1967: 7.15 ft, below flood stage; 542 cubic feet per secondMay 18, 1968: 5.65 ft, below flood stage; 126 cubic feet per secondApr 10, 1969: 22.11 ft, major flooding; 12,600 cubic feet per secondApr 29, 1970: 5.46 ft, below flood stage; 91 cubic feet per secondJul 4, 1971: 6.35 ft, below flood stage; 254 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1972: 15.86 ft, minor flooding; 4,000 cubic feet per secondMar 26, 1973: 4.79 ft, below flood stageJul 1, 1973: 4.77 ft, below flood stage; 24 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 1974: 5.79 ft, below flood stage; 138 cubic feet per secondJun 23, 1975: 14.79 ft, minor flooding; 3,950 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 1976: 7.04 ft, below flood stage; 472 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 1977: 4.96 ft, below flood stage; 67 cubic feet per secondMar 27, 1978: 17.20 ft, moderate flooding; 3,700 cubic feet per secondApr 21, 1979: 13.95 ft, action stage; 3,350 cubic feet per secondJul 20, 1981: 5.53 ft, below flood stage; 122 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 1982: 16.24 ft, moderate flooding; 4,300 cubic feet per secondMar 10, 1983: 9.31 ft, below flood stage; 1,050 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 1984: 11.94 ft, below flood stage; 1,650 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 1985: 5.12 ft, below flood stage; 75 cubic feet per secondApr 30, 1986: 9.94 ft, below flood stage; 1,520 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 1987: 13.87 ft, action stage; 3,450 cubic feet per secondMay 16, 1988: 4.61 ft, below flood stage; 39 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 1989: 15.02 ft, minor flooding; 3,300 cubic feet per secondAug 26, 1990: 4.50 ft, below flood stage; 25 cubic feet per secondJun 28, 1991: 6.06 ft, below flood stage; 238 cubic feet per secondSep 6, 1992: 4.98 ft, below flood stage; 59 cubic feet per secondJul 22, 1993: 8.91 ft, below flood stage; 923 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 1994: 13.62 ft, action stage; 3,290 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 1995: 17.71 ft, moderate flooding; 5,000 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 1996: 15.40 ft, minor flooding; 3,100 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 1997: 21.56 ft, major flooding; 9,380 cubic feet per secondJun 27, 1998: 6.99 ft, below flood stage; 497 cubic feet per secondMay 14, 1999: 15.82 ft, minor flooding; 3,670 cubic feet per secondMar 26, 2000: 6.91 ft, below flood stage; 456 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 2001: 13.17 ft, action stage; 2,460 cubic feet per secondAug 18, 2002: 4.74 ft, below flood stage; 18 cubic feet per secondMay 23, 2003: 5.60 ft, below flood stage; 158 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 2004: 6.32 ft, below flood stage; 319 cubic feet per secondJun 11, 2005: 17.78 ft, moderate flooding; 4,670 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 2006: 5.40 ft, below flood stage; 137 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 2007: 10.61 ft, below flood stage; 1,000 cubic feet per secondAug 13, 2008: 5.53 ft, below flood stage; 151 cubic feet per secondMar 25, 2009: 22.63 ft, major flooding; 11,900 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 2010: 19.78 ft, major flooding; 7,180 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 2011: 17.47 ft, moderate floodingMay 6, 2012: 5.24 ft, below flood stage; 97 cubic feet per secondApr 29, 2013: 5.66 ft, below flood stage; 177 cubic feet per secondJun 23, 2014: 8.18 ft, below flood stage; 850 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 2015: 10.55 ft, below flood stage; 1,690 cubic feet per secondAug 14, 2016: 9.34 ft, below flood stage; 1,220 cubic feet per secondFeb 23, 2017: 12.48 ft, action stage; 2,300 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 2018: 13.20 ft, action stage; 2,680 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 2019: 20.80 ft, major flooding; 7,200 cubic feet per secondJul 27, 2020: 20.45 ft, major flooding; 7,260 cubic feet per secondOct 10, 2021: 5.49 ft, below flood stage; 61 cubic feet per secondMay 4, 2022: 14.39 ft, minor flooding; 3,320 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 2023: 16.75 ft, moderate flooding; 4,570 cubic feet per secondAug 13, 2025: 9.21 ft, below flood stage; 1,210 cubic feet per second Highest, 22.63 ft, Mar 25, 2009 19501960197019801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Elm River near Westport 1940s: 0 1950s: 1 1960s: 2 1970s: 3 1980s: 2 1990s: 4 4 2000s: 2 2010s: 3 2020s: 3 1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 78 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Elm River near Westport
1Mar 25, 200922.63+8.63Major11,900
2Apr 10, 196922.11+8.11Major12,600
3Mar 30, 199721.56+7.56Major9,380
4Apr 4, 201920.80+6.80Major7,200
5Jul 27, 202020.45+6.45Major7,260
6Apr 8, 195220.10+6.10Major7,520
7Mar 21, 201019.78+5.78Major7,180
8Jun 11, 200517.78+3.78Moderate4,670
9Mar 16, 199517.71+3.71Moderate5,000
10Jun 24, 201117.47+3.47Moderate—
11Mar 17, 196617.40+3.40Moderate5,020
12Mar 27, 197817.20+3.20Moderate3,700
13Apr 19, 202316.75+2.75Moderate4,570
14Apr 3, 198216.24+2.24Moderate4,300
15Mar 19, 197215.86+1.86Minor4,000
16May 14, 199915.82+1.82Minor3,670
17Mar 17, 199615.40+1.40Minor3,100
18Mar 28, 198915.02+1.02Minor3,300
19Jun 23, 197514.79+0.79Minor3,950
20May 4, 202214.39+0.39Minor3,320
21Apr 21, 197913.95−0.05Action3,350
22Mar 24, 198713.87−0.13Action3,450
23Mar 22, 199413.62−0.38Action3,290
24Apr 22, 201813.20−0.80Action2,680
25Apr 11, 200113.17−0.83Action2,460
26Jun 22, 196413.09−0.91Action2,660
27Jul 10, 196212.85−1.15Action2,670
28Mar 29, 194812.51−1.49Action2,870
29Feb 23, 201712.48−1.52Action2,300
30Mar 29, 198411.94−2.06Below flood stage1,650
31Apr 14, 194711.45−2.55Below flood stage2,100
32May 11, 195010.79−3.21Below flood stage1,870
33Mar 19, 200710.61−3.39Below flood stage1,000
34May 21, 201510.55−3.45Below flood stage1,690
35Jun 14, 195410.50−3.50Below flood stage1,560
36Jun 20, 195310.00−4.00Below flood stage1,420
37Apr 30, 19869.94−4.06Below flood stage1,520
38Apr 9, 19659.82−4.18Below flood stage845
39Apr 2, 19519.40−4.60Below flood stage550
40Aug 14, 20169.34−4.66Below flood stage1,220
41Mar 10, 19839.31−4.69Below flood stage1,050
42Aug 13, 20259.21−4.79Below flood stage1,210
43Mar 4, 19589.20−4.80Below flood stage1,060
44Jul 22, 19938.91−5.09Below flood stage923
45Apr 9, 19608.88−5.12Below flood stage1,170
46Apr 2, 19498.20−5.80Below flood stage840
47Jun 23, 20148.18−5.82Below flood stage850
48May 5, 19677.15−6.85Below flood stage542
49Jul 16, 19557.08−6.92Below flood stage453
50Mar 23, 19767.04−6.96Below flood stage472

The worst floods along the Elm River

For this gauge's highest crests, the other gauges on the Elm River that crested above flood stage within a week.

March 25, 2009: 22.63 ft here, major flooding

  • FrederickSD · Mar 23, 2009 · 15.98 ft · Minor
  • OrdwaySD · Mar 26, 2009 · 15.65 ft · Minor

March 30, 1997: 21.56 ft here, major flooding

  • OrdwaySD · Mar 29, 1997 · 15.55 ft · Minor

April 4, 2019: 20.80 ft here, major flooding

  • OrdwaySD · Apr 5, 2019 · 15.88 ft · Minor · its highest
  • FrederickSD · Mar 30, 2019 · 15.68 ft · Minor

Gauges on the Elm River

In USGS station-number order, which runs downstream within a river basin.

Flood gauges on the Elm River
FrederickSD13.019.56 ft, Jul 25, 20200
Westport this gaugeSD14.022.63 ft, Mar 25, 20097
OrdwaySD13.015.88 ft, Apr 5, 20190

Other gauges in Brown County

Flood gauges in Brown County
Ordway13.015.88 ft, Apr 5, 20190
Frederick13.019.56 ft, Jul 25, 20200
Aberdeen9.010.38 ft, Mar 16, 20100
Columbia13.019.81 ft, Jul 16, 20118
Aberdeen6.08.00 ft, May 6, 20070

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge WESS2, 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.