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Vermillion River at Vermillion

Highest listed crest 33.15 ftFlood stage 21.0 ft11 crests since 2015

The Vermillion River at Vermillion crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 11 crests the National Weather Service lists from 2015 to 2025. The highest, 33.15 ft on June 23, 2024, was major flooding, 12.15 feet above flood stage. 3 other gauges on the Vermillion River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 3 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
33.15 ft
June 23, 2024; 35,300 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
21.0 ft
Major flooding from 30.0 ft
Crests at major
1
62nd of 155 gauges in South Dakota
Most recent flood crest
June 23, 2024
33.15 ft, major flooding
Location
Clay County
Near Vermillion (2.5 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Vermillion River at Vermillion
Action stage18.00—The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)21.00—Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage22.02Mar 16, 2019Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage30.01Jun 23, 2024Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

11 crests from 2015 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Vermillion River at Vermillion, 2015 to 2025 010203040ft Flood stage 21.0 ftMajor 30.0 ft Jul 10, 2015: 9.64 ft, below flood stage; 1,370 cubic feet per secondMay 3, 2016: 15.57 ft, below flood stage; 3,590 cubic feet per secondMay 2, 2017: 12.67 ft, below flood stage; 2,330 cubic feet per secondJun 28, 2018: 23.80 ft, moderate floodingMar 16, 2019: 29.87 ft, moderate flooding; 16,600 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 2020: 13.58 ft, below flood stage; 3,190 cubic feet per secondMar 26, 2021: 4.34 ft, below flood stage; 267 cubic feet per secondJun 2, 2022: 9.05 ft, below flood stage; 1,150 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 2023: 9.81 ft, below flood stage; 1,360 cubic feet per secondJun 23, 2024: 33.15 ft, major flooding; 35,300 cubic feet per secondAug 1, 2025: 5.61 ft, below flood stage Highest, 33.15 ft, Jun 23, 2024 201520202025

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Vermillion River at Vermillion 2010s: 2 2 2020s: 1 2010s2020s
  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. 31 crests measured on an earlier gauge datum are left out: 31.77 ft on Jun 23, 1984; 15.68 ft on Apr 27, 1985; 17.91 ft on Apr 23, 1986; 16.37 ft on Mar 30, 1987; 10.23 ft on Feb 29, 1988; 9.41 ft on Mar 13, 1989; and more.

Highest crests

Highest listed crests, Vermillion River at Vermillion
1Jun 23, 202433.15+12.15Major35,300
2Mar 16, 201929.87+8.87Moderate16,600
3Jun 28, 201823.80+2.80Moderate—
4May 3, 201615.57−5.43Below flood stage3,590
5Mar 29, 202013.58−7.42Below flood stage3,190
6May 2, 201712.67−8.33Below flood stage2,330
7Apr 5, 20239.81−11.19Below flood stage1,360
8Jul 10, 20159.64−11.36Below flood stage1,370
9Jun 2, 20229.05−11.95Below flood stage1,150
10Aug 1, 20255.61−15.39Below flood stage—
11Mar 26, 20214.34−16.66Below flood stage267

The worst floods along the Vermillion River

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

June 23, 2024: 33.15 ft here, major flooding

  • ChancellorSD · Jun 22, 2024 · 1,297.87 ft · Major · its highest
  • WakondaSD · Jun 22, 2024 · 18.93 ft · Major · its highest
  • DavisSD · Jun 22, 2024 · 17.90 ft · Major · its highest

March 16, 2019: 29.87 ft here, moderate flooding

  • WakondaSD · Mar 15, 2019 · 18.11 ft · Major
  • DavisSD · Mar 15, 2019 · 16.20 ft · Major

June 28, 2018: 23.80 ft here, moderate flooding

  • WakondaSD · Jun 25, 2018 · 17.50 ft · Major
  • DavisSD · Jun 23, 2018 · 14.40 ft · Moderate

Gauges on the Vermillion River

Flood gauges sharing the river's name, linked within 80 miles of one another.

Flood gauges on the Vermillion River
Lake ThompsonSD1,694.01,695.08 ft, Oct 8, 20190
Vermillion this gaugeSD21.033.15 ft, Jun 23, 20241
ChancellorSD1,290.01,297.87 ft, Jun 22, 20241
DavisSD11.017.90 ft, Jun 22, 20246
WakondaSD14.018.93 ft, Jun 22, 202412

Other gauges in Clay County

Flood gauges in Clay County
Wakonda14.018.93 ft, Jun 22, 202412

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge VERS2, 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.