Search
Menu

Explore

Hazards

Analysis

Rankings

Reference

Lake Kampeska at Watertown Water Plant

Highest listed crest 23.71 ftFlood stage 21.0 ft13 crests since 1997

The Lake Kampeska at Watertown Water Plant crested at major flood stage 2 times among the 13 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1997 to 2023. The highest, 23.71 ft on April 6, 1997, was major flooding, 2.71 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
23.71 ft
April 6, 1997
Flood stage
21.0 ft
Major flooding from 22.5 ft
Crests at major
2
42nd of 155 gauges in South Dakota
Most recent flood crest
April 16, 2023
21.52 ft, minor flooding
Location
Codington County
Near Watertown (1.6 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Lake Kampeska at Watertown Water Plant
Action stage19.03Apr 8, 2020The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)21.03Apr 16, 2023Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage22.00—Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage22.52Jun 22, 2010Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

13 crests from 1997 to 2023. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Lake Kampeska at Watertown Water Plant, 1997 to 2023 1618202224ft Flood stage 21.0 ftMajor 22.5 ft Apr 6, 1997: 23.71 ft, major floodingJun 22, 2010: 22.57 ft, major floodingApr 9, 2011: 21.53 ft, minor floodingOct 1, 2011: 17.50 ft, below flood stageJul 18, 2013: 17.67 ft, below flood stageJun 29, 2014: 19.03 ft, action stageOct 3, 2014: 17.54 ft, below flood stageMay 13, 2016: 16.25 ft, below flood stageSep 30, 2017: 17.33 ft, below flood stageApr 24, 2018: 20.65 ft, action stageMar 30, 2019: 21.68 ft, minor floodingApr 8, 2020: 19.95 ft, action stageApr 16, 2023: 21.52 ft, minor flooding Highest, 23.71 ft, Apr 6, 1997 20002005201020152020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Lake Kampeska at Watertown Water Plant 1990s: 1 2000s: 0 2010s: 3 3 2020s: 1 1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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.
  3. 6 crests measured on an earlier gauge datum are left out: 19.40 ft on May 6, 1986; 18.58 ft on Dec 31, 2005; 21.14 ft on Apr 26, 2007; 20.06 ft on Jun 19, 2008; 21.82 ft on Mar 26, 2009; 19.27 ft on Dec 31, 2009.

Highest crests

Highest listed crests, Lake Kampeska at Watertown Water Plant
1Apr 6, 199723.71+2.71Major—
2Jun 22, 201022.57+1.57Major—
3Mar 30, 201921.68+0.68Minor—
4Apr 9, 201121.53+0.53Minor—
5Apr 16, 202321.52+0.52Minor—
6Apr 24, 201820.65−0.35Action—
7Apr 8, 202019.95−1.05Action—
8Jun 29, 201419.03−1.97Action—
9Jul 18, 201317.67−3.33Below flood stage—
10Oct 3, 201417.54−3.46Below flood stage—
11Oct 1, 201117.50−3.50Below flood stage—
12Sep 30, 201717.33−3.67Below flood stage—
13May 13, 201616.25−4.75Below flood stage—

Other gauges in Codington County

Flood gauges in Codington County
Lake Kampeska21.022.40 ft, Mar 15, 20100
Watertown Broadway Avenue10.513.67 ft, Apr 6, 19971
Watertown Sioux Conifer Road9.011.18 ft, Apr 13, 20230
Watertown11.013.13 ft, Apr 2, 19975
Watertown10.012.33 ft, Apr 7, 20012
Rauville9.010.70 ft, Apr 11, 20230
Rauville4.05.75 ft, Mar 23, 20190
Watertown10.013.55 ft, Apr 11, 20230

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge KMPS2, 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.