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South Fork Bad River near Cottonwood

Highest listed crest 17.89 ftFlood stage 12.0 ft37 crests since 1989

The South Fork Bad River near Cottonwood crested above flood stage 13 times among the 37 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1989 to 2024. The highest, 17.89 ft on May 31, 1991, was moderate flooding, 5.89 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
17.89 ft
May 31, 1991; 15,200 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
12.0 ft
Major flooding from 18.0 ft
Crests at major
0
13 above flood stage
Most recent flood crest
May 22, 2019
16.59 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Jackson 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, South Fork Bad River near Cottonwood
Action stage10.09May 13, 2023The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)12.010May 25, 2015Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage16.03May 22, 2019Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage18.00—Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

37 crests from 1989 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the South Fork Bad River near Cottonwood, 1989 to 2024 681012141618ft Flood stage 12.0 ftMajor 18.0 ft Mar 11, 1989: 7.53 ft, below flood stage; 315 cubic feet per secondMay 20, 1990: 7.31 ft, below flood stage; 273 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 1991: 17.89 ft, moderate flooding; 15,200 cubic feet per secondJun 14, 1992: 10.34 ft, action stage; 998 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 1993: 10.83 ft, action stage; 1,140 cubic feet per secondMar 3, 1994: 11.38 ft, action stage; 1,120 cubic feet per secondMay 14, 1995: 13.13 ft, minor flooding; 3,700 cubic feet per secondMay 28, 1996: 16.71 ft, moderate flooding; 7,100 cubic feet per secondFeb 8, 1997: 15.75 ft, minor floodingJun 3, 1997: 14.39 ft, minor flooding; 4,690 cubic feet per secondJun 15, 1998: 9.56 ft, below flood stage; 740 cubic feet per secondJun 6, 1999: 12.35 ft, minor flooding; 2,120 cubic feet per secondApr 21, 2000: 12.64 ft, minor flooding; 2,210 cubic feet per secondMar 9, 2001: 10.50 ft, action stage; 1,000 cubic feet per secondSep 11, 2002: 7.97 ft, below flood stage; 383 cubic feet per secondFeb 19, 2003: 8.20 ft, below flood stage; 250 cubic feet per secondSep 7, 2004: 8.05 ft, below flood stage; 397 cubic feet per secondMay 13, 2005: 12.09 ft, minor flooding; 1,730 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 2006: 7.24 ft, below flood stage; 241 cubic feet per secondMay 7, 2007: 9.45 ft, below flood stage; 701 cubic feet per secondJun 6, 2008: 13.22 ft, minor flooding; 2,710 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 2009: 10.73 ft, action stage; 1,060 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 2010: 10.84 ft, action stage; 1,100 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 2011: 12.95 ft, minor flooding; 2,240 cubic feet per secondMay 7, 2012: 6.74 ft, below flood stage; 155 cubic feet per secondJun 2, 2013: 9.11 ft, below flood stage; 453 cubic feet per secondOct 16, 2013: 12.18 ft, minor flooding; 1,970 cubic feet per secondMay 25, 2015: 14.30 ft, minor flooding; 4,460 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 2016: 10.74 ft, action stage; 830 cubic feet per secondFeb 19, 2017: 7.32 ft, below flood stage; 195 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 2018: 10.68 ft, action stage; 814 cubic feet per secondMay 22, 2019: 16.59 ft, moderate flooding; 10,300 cubic feet per secondJul 10, 2020: 6.92 ft, below flood stage; 150 cubic feet per secondMay 23, 2021: 7.64 ft, below flood stage; 236 cubic feet per secondJul 5, 2022: 7.89 ft, below flood stage; 240 cubic feet per secondMay 13, 2023: 11.30 ft, action stage; 1,040 cubic feet per secondApr 9, 2024: 9.14 ft, below flood stage; 480 cubic feet per second Highest, 17.89 ft, May 31, 1991 1990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, South Fork Bad River near Cottonwood 1980s: 0 1990s: 6 6 2000s: 3 2010s: 4 2020s: 0 1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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, South Fork Bad River near Cottonwood
1May 31, 199117.89+5.89Moderate15,200
2May 28, 199616.71+4.71Moderate7,100
3May 22, 201916.59+4.59Moderate10,300
4Feb 8, 199715.75+3.75Minor—
5Jun 3, 199714.39+2.39Minor4,690
6May 25, 201514.30+2.30Minor4,460
7Jun 6, 200813.22+1.22Minor2,710
8May 14, 199513.13+1.13Minor3,700
9May 21, 201112.95+0.95Minor2,240
10Apr 21, 200012.64+0.64Minor2,210
11Jun 6, 199912.35+0.35Minor2,120
12Oct 16, 201312.18+0.18Minor1,970
13May 13, 200512.09+0.09Minor1,730
14Mar 3, 199411.38−0.62Action1,120
15May 13, 202311.30−0.70Action1,040
16Mar 15, 201010.84−1.16Action1,100
17Mar 7, 199310.83−1.17Action1,140
18Apr 17, 201610.74−1.26Action830
19Apr 12, 200910.73−1.27Action1,060
20Jun 22, 201810.68−1.32Action814
21Mar 9, 200110.50−1.50Action1,000
22Jun 14, 199210.34−1.66Action998
23Jun 15, 19989.56−2.44Below flood stage740
24May 7, 20079.45−2.55Below flood stage701
25Apr 9, 20249.14−2.86Below flood stage480
26Jun 2, 20139.11−2.89Below flood stage453
27Feb 19, 20038.20−3.80Below flood stage250
28Sep 7, 20048.05−3.95Below flood stage397
29Sep 11, 20027.97−4.03Below flood stage383
30Jul 5, 20227.89−4.11Below flood stage240
31May 23, 20217.64−4.36Below flood stage236
32Mar 11, 19897.53−4.47Below flood stage315
33Feb 19, 20177.32−4.68Below flood stage195
34May 20, 19907.31−4.69Below flood stage273
35Mar 30, 20067.24−4.76Below flood stage241
36Jul 10, 20206.92−5.08Below flood stage150
37May 7, 20126.74−5.26Below flood stage155

Other gauges in Jackson County

Flood gauges in Jackson County
Wanblee8.010.06 ft, Mar 23, 20190
Interior14.016.08 ft, May 22, 20191
Kadoka15.019.50 ft, Mar 8, 19051

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge CTTS2, 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.