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James River near Scotland

Highest listed crest 22.22 ftFlood stage 13.0 ft98 crests since 1929

The James River near Scotland crested at major flood stage 16 times among the 98 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1929 to 2025. The highest, 22.22 ft on September 13, 2019, was major flooding, 9.22 feet above flood stage. 2 other gauges on the James River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
22.22 ft
September 13, 2019; 59,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
13.0 ft
Major flooding from 18.0 ft
Crests at major
16
2nd of 155 gauges in South Dakota
Most recent flood crest
June 21, 2024
20.23 ft, major flooding
Location
Hutchinson County
South Dakota

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, James River near Scotland
Action stage11.014Jun 18, 2022The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)13.019May 2, 2023Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage16.05Mar 15, 2020Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage18.016Jun 21, 2024Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

98 crests from 1929 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the James River near Scotland, 1929 to 2025 0510152025ft Flood stage 13.0 ftMajor 18.0 ft Mar 31, 1929: 11.92 ft, action stage; 2,970 cubic feet per secondMay 12, 1930: 5.63 ft, below flood stage; 856 cubic feet per secondApr 28, 1931: 3.12 ft, below flood stage; 289 cubic feet per secondMar 2, 1932: 11.40 ft, action stage; 2,500 cubic feet per secondJul 23, 1933: 4.08 ft, below flood stage; 441 cubic feet per secondSep 25, 1934: 7.22 ft, below flood stage; 1,100 cubic feet per secondJun 29, 1935: 3.12 ft, below flood stage; 296 cubic feet per secondMar 10, 1936: 8.30 ft, below flood stageAug 20, 1937: 10.72 ft, below flood stage; 2,180 cubic feet per secondMar 3, 1938: 10.52 ft, below flood stage; 2,100 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 1939: 4.82 ft, below flood stage; 622 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 1940: 5.94 ft, below flood stage; 910 cubic feet per secondMar 10, 1941: 4.99 ft, below flood stage; 710 cubic feet per secondMay 15, 1942: 15.50 ft, minor flooding; 10,800 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 1943: 12.65 ft, action stage; 3,110 cubic feet per secondJun 13, 1944: 14.14 ft, minor flooding; 5,270 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 1945: 11.49 ft, action stage; 2,500 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 1946: 8.92 ft, below flood stage; 1,760 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 1947: 11.37 ft, action stage; 2,460 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 1948: 15.26 ft, minor flooding; 5,510 cubic feet per secondMar 9, 1949: 14.56 ft, minor floodingApr 1, 1950: 15.89 ft, minor flooding; 6,280 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 1951: 15.00 ft, minor flooding; 5,200 cubic feet per secondApr 23, 1952: 16.23 ft, moderate flooding; 6,480 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 1953: 9.35 ft, below flood stage; 1,940 cubic feet per secondJun 20, 1954: 12.22 ft, action stage; 2,160 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1955: 10.18 ft, below flood stage; 2,220 cubic feet per secondAug 11, 1956: 5.96 ft, below flood stage; 955 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 1957: 9.48 ft, below flood stage; 1,960 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 1958: 7.24 ft, below flood stage; 1,240 cubic feet per secondMay 29, 1959: 3.62 ft, below flood stage; 216 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1960: 18.66 ft, major flooding; 13,900 cubic feet per secondMay 15, 1961: 9.63 ft, below flood stageApr 3, 1962: 18.74 ft, major flooding; 15,200 cubic feet per secondOct 1, 1962: 9.57 ft, below flood stage; 1,720 cubic feet per secondAug 8, 1964: 4.49 ft, below flood stage; 522 cubic feet per secondJun 29, 1965: 7.62 ft, below flood stage; 1,020 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 1966: 11.46 ft, action stage; 2,640 cubic feet per secondJun 29, 1967: 10.78 ft, below flood stage; 2,210 cubic feet per secondSep 23, 1968: 7.48 ft, below flood stage; 1,120 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 1969: 18.55 ft, major flooding; 14,000 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 1970: 9.85 ft, below flood stage; 2,020 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 1971: 13.16 ft, minor flooding; 2,950 cubic feet per secondJun 6, 1972: 14.29 ft, minor flooding; 4,050 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 1973: 13.71 ft, minor flooding; 3,510 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 1974: 7.01 ft, below flood stage; 815 cubic feet per secondAug 22, 1975: 8.42 ft, below flood stage; 1,390 cubic feet per secondNov 21, 1975: 7.90 ft, below flood stageMar 26, 1977: 12.27 ft, action stage; 2,400 cubic feet per secondApr 10, 1978: 15.94 ft, minor flooding; 6,050 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 1979: 13.43 ft, minor flooding; 3,400 cubic feet per secondNov 28, 1979: 9.67 ft, below flood stageMar 31, 1981: 5.49 ft, below flood stageJun 1, 1982: 11.88 ft, action stage; 2,360 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 1983: 13.31 ft, minor flooding; 3,510 cubic feet per secondJun 23, 1984: 20.45 ft, major flooding; 29,400 cubic feet per secondMar 27, 1985: 13.98 ft, minor flooding; 4,110 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 1986: 18.44 ft, major flooding; 12,700 cubic feet per secondMar 26, 1987: 17.90 ft, moderate flooding; 11,500 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 1988: 7.50 ft, below flood stage; 800 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 1989: 11.87 ft, action stage; 2,540 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 1990: 6.17 ft, below flood stage; 476 cubic feet per secondJun 20, 1991: 11.38 ft, action stage; 2,310 cubic feet per secondAug 12, 1992: 7.11 ft, below flood stage; 933 cubic feet per secondJul 6, 1993: 19.76 ft, major flooding; 17,600 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 1994: 16.47 ft, moderate flooding; 7,370 cubic feet per secondMay 29, 1995: 19.39 ft, major flooding; 18,100 cubic feet per secondJun 7, 1996: 14.30 ft, minor flooding; 4,380 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 1997: 19.81 ft, major floodingJun 4, 1998: 13.68 ft, minor flooding; 3,940 cubic feet per secondMay 28, 1999: 14.97 ft, minor flooding; 5,180 cubic feet per secondOct 1, 1999: 9.27 ft, below flood stage; 1,840 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 2001: 19.88 ft, major flooding; 25,600 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 2002: 6.72 ft, below flood stage; 943 cubic feet per secondJul 8, 2003: 8.53 ft, below flood stage; 1,640 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 2004: 9.53 ft, below flood stage; 2,210 cubic feet per secondJun 15, 2005: 12.60 ft, action stage; 3,420 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 2006: 9.72 ft, below flood stage; 2,120 cubic feet per secondMay 11, 2007: 19.46 ft, major flooding; 20,900 cubic feet per secondJun 8, 2008: 18.02 ft, major flooding; 12,900 cubic feet per secondMay 9, 2009: 16.99 ft, moderate flooding; 9,150 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 2010: 19.79 ft, major flooding; 27,500 cubic feet per secondMar 27, 2011: 19.52 ft, major flooding; 28,400 cubic feet per secondMay 12, 2012: 13.05 ft, minor flooding; 5,210 cubic feet per secondJul 6, 2013: 10.09 ft, below flood stage; 2,730 cubic feet per secondJun 21, 2014: 10.39 ft, below flood stage; 2,850 cubic feet per secondJul 7, 2015: 9.12 ft, below flood stage; 2,300 cubic feet per secondMay 2, 2016: 12.69 ft, action stage; 4,070 cubic feet per secondJun 12, 2017: 9.76 ft, below flood stage; 2,280 cubic feet per secondSep 21, 2018: 15.10 ft, minor floodingApr 18, 2019: 18.62 ft, major floodingSep 13, 2019: 22.22 ft, major flooding; 59,000 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 2020: 16.18 ft, moderate flooding; 12,400 cubic feet per secondMar 26, 2021: 6.03 ft, below flood stage; 904 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 2022: 12.51 ft, action stage; 4,460 cubic feet per secondMay 2, 2023: 15.13 ft, minor flooding; 7,930 cubic feet per secondJun 21, 2024: 20.23 ft, major flooding; 27,700 cubic feet per secondAug 7, 2025: 10.32 ft, below flood stage; 2,450 cubic feet per second Highest, 22.22 ft, Sep 13, 2019 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, James River near Scotland 1920s: 0 1930s: 0 1940s: 4 1950s: 3 1960s: 3 1970s: 5 1980s: 5 1990s: 7 7 2000s: 4 2010s: 6 2020s: 3 1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 98 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, James River near Scotland
1Sep 13, 201922.22+9.22Major59,000
2Jun 23, 198420.45+7.45Major29,400
3Jun 21, 202420.23+7.23Major27,700
4Apr 13, 200119.88+6.88Major25,600
5Apr 8, 199719.81+6.81Major—
6Mar 19, 201019.79+6.79Major27,500
7Jul 6, 199319.76+6.76Major17,600
8Mar 27, 201119.52+6.52Major28,400
9May 11, 200719.46+6.46Major20,900
10May 29, 199519.39+6.39Major18,100
11Apr 3, 196218.74+5.74Major15,200
12Apr 6, 196018.66+5.66Major13,900
13Apr 18, 201918.62+5.62Major—
14Apr 13, 196918.55+5.55Major14,000
15Apr 19, 198618.44+5.44Major12,700
16Jun 8, 200818.02+5.02Major12,900
17Mar 26, 198717.90+4.90Moderate11,500
18May 9, 200916.99+3.99Moderate9,150
19Mar 28, 199416.47+3.47Moderate7,370
20Apr 23, 195216.23+3.23Moderate6,480
21Mar 15, 202016.18+3.18Moderate12,400
22Apr 10, 197815.94+2.94Minor6,050
23Apr 1, 195015.89+2.89Minor6,280
24May 15, 194215.50+2.50Minor10,800
25Apr 4, 194815.26+2.26Minor5,510
26May 2, 202315.13+2.13Minor7,930
27Sep 21, 201815.10+2.10Minor—
28Mar 29, 195115.00+2.00Minor5,200
29May 28, 199914.97+1.97Minor5,180
30Mar 9, 194914.56+1.56Minor—
31Jun 7, 199614.30+1.30Minor4,380
32Jun 6, 197214.29+1.29Minor4,050
33Jun 13, 194414.14+1.14Minor5,270
34Mar 27, 198513.98+0.98Minor4,110
35Mar 15, 197313.71+0.71Minor3,510
36Jun 4, 199813.68+0.68Minor3,940
37Mar 23, 197913.43+0.43Minor3,400
38Jun 24, 198313.31+0.31Minor3,510
39Mar 17, 197113.16+0.16Minor2,950
40May 12, 201213.05+0.05Minor5,210
41May 2, 201612.69−0.31Action4,070
42Apr 14, 194312.65−0.35Action3,110
43Jun 15, 200512.60−0.40Action3,420
44Jun 18, 202212.51−0.49Action4,460
45Mar 26, 197712.27−0.73Action2,400
46Jun 20, 195412.22−0.78Action2,160
47Mar 31, 192911.92−1.08Action2,970
48Jun 1, 198211.88−1.12Action2,360
49Apr 18, 198911.87−1.13Action2,540
50Jun 18, 194511.49−1.51Action2,500

The worst floods along the James River

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

September 13, 2019: 22.22 ft here, major flooding

  • YanktonSD · Sep 14, 2019 · 27.84 ft · Major · its highest
  • MitchellSD · Sep 13, 2019 · 25.05 ft · Major

June 23, 1984: 20.45 ft here, major flooding

  • YanktonSD · Jun 23, 1984 · 24.34 ft · Major
  • ForestburgSD · Jun 25, 1984 · 15.75 ft · Moderate
  • HuronSD · Jun 22, 1984 · 13.18 ft · Minor

June 21, 2024: 20.23 ft here, major flooding

  • YanktonSD · Jun 25, 2024 · 22.17 ft · Major
  • MitchellSD · Jun 23, 2024 · 23.73 ft · Moderate
  • ForestburgSD · Jun 25, 2024 · 12.08 ft · Minor

Gauges on the James River

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

Flood gauges on the James River
Grace CityND12.017.74 ft, Apr 17, 20093
KensalND9.016.69 ft, Apr 28, 20095
JamestownND12.016.94 ft, Apr 11, 19691
LaMoureND14.017.56 ft, Apr 15, 20090
HeclaND93.098.04 ft, Apr 1, 19972
ColumbiaSD13.019.81 ft, Jul 16, 20118
StratfordSD14.021.57 ft, Jul 19, 20116
AshtonSD13.026.64 ft, Apr 6, 199716
RedfieldSD20.031.10 ft, Apr 6, 19976
HuronSD11.521.28 ft, Apr 6, 19973
ForestburgSD12.020.61 ft, Apr 6, 19977
MitchellSD17.025.33 ft, Apr 11, 20015
Scotland this gaugeSD13.022.22 ft, Sep 13, 201916
YanktonSD12.027.84 ft, Sep 14, 20199

Other gauges in Hutchinson County

Flood gauges in Hutchinson County
Clayton1,214.01,218.16 ft, Jun 22, 20241
Freeman1,214.01,218.16 ft, Jun 22, 20241

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge SCOS2, 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.