How high is the Big Sioux River at Sioux Falls SD right now?

The Big Sioux River at Sioux Falls SD is currently flowing at 34 cubic feet per second with a gage height of 1.28 feet, based on the most recent USGS instantaneous reading.

Is the flow on the Big Sioux River at Sioux Falls SD normal for this time of year?

Current flow is classified as very low for June 11. Today's discharge is at the 6th percentile compared to the long-term historical record at this gauge.

Is the Big Sioux River at Sioux Falls SD at flood stage?

No — the gage height is 6.72 feet below the NWS flood-stage threshold of 8.0 feet.

What is the historical median flow for the Big Sioux River at Sioux Falls SD on June 11?

The long-term median discharge for this date is 312 cfs based on USGS daily statistics. The 10th–95th percentile range historically is 57 to 1,890 cfs.

Where is the Big Sioux River at Sioux Falls SD stream gauge located?

The Big Sioux River at Sioux Falls SD stream gauge is operated by the USGS in Minnehaha County, SD on the Big Sioux River. USGS site number 06482000 (coordinates 43.5011, -96.7484).

Big Sioux River at Sioux Falls SD

USGS Site No: 06482000 • Big Sioux River • Minnehaha County, SD

Big Sioux River at Sioux Falls SD on the Big Sioux River is currently at 34 cfs (Very Low — 6th percentile for this date) . Gage height: 1.28 ft.

Reading from 1 week ago

↑ Upstream on Big Sioux River

Big Sioux River Near Dell Rapids, SD

Downstream on Big Sioux River ↓

Big Sioux River at North Cliff Ave at Sioux Falls,sd

CFS Discharge

1.28

Gage Height (ft)

Very Low

Flow Condition

Normal

Flood Status

Historical Percentile Comparison

Today's discharge compared to the long-term record for June 11 at this station. Percentile rank shows what fraction of historical years had lower flow on this date.

Percentile	Label	CFS Threshold	Today's Flow
10th	Very Low threshold	57	Today: 34 cfs
25th	Low threshold	148
50th (Median)	Normal (median)	312
75th	High threshold	546
95th	Very High threshold	1,890

30-Day Hydrograph

Recent discharge plotted against the historical 10th–95th percentile envelope for the same calendar days. Source: USGS daily values + long-term statistics.

10th–95th historical Day-of-year median Recent discharge

30-Day Flow History

Date	Discharge (CFS)	Gage Ht (ft)
May 28, 2026	39	1.32
May 27, 2026	49	1.40
May 26, 2026	78	1.57
May 25, 2026	219	2.11
May 24, 2026	57	1.37
May 23, 2026	41	1.34
May 22, 2026	61	1.45
May 21, 2026	28	1.22
May 20, 2026	30	1.24
May 19, 2026	43	1.35
May 18, 2026	85	1.59
May 17, 2026	112	1.58
May 16, 2026	29	1.22
May 15, 2026	45	1.36
Apr 20, 2026	49	1.31
Apr 19, 2026	23	1.16
Apr 18, 2026	25	1.18
Apr 17, 2026	36	1.29
Apr 16, 2026	82	1.58
Apr 15, 2026	109	1.72
Apr 14, 2026	121	1.76
Apr 13, 2026	142	1.84
Apr 12, 2026	135	1.81
Apr 11, 2026	136	1.82
Apr 10, 2026	130	1.79
Apr 9, 2026	133	1.80
Apr 8, 2026	146	1.85
Apr 7, 2026	161	1.90
Apr 6, 2026	163	1.91
Apr 5, 2026	165	1.91

Station Information

USGS Site No: 06482000
State: SD
County: Minnehaha County
Coordinates: 43.5011, -96.7484
Drainage Area: 4,642 mi²
Datum (ft): 1,393.6
HUC Code: 10170203

View on USGS NWIS →

Flood Stage Thresholds

Action Stage: 7.0 ft
Flood Stage: 8.0 ft
Moderate Flood: 12.0 ft
Major Flood: 14.0 ft

Currently 6.72 ft below flood stage.

Recent Extremes

Max discharge: 390 cfs

Oct 19, 2025
Min discharge: 18 cfs

Nov 5, 2025
Days at flood stage: 0

Computed from the local daily-values archive.

Nearby Gauges

Skunk Creek at Sioux Falls,sd
3.1 mi · 12 cfs

Low
Big Sioux River at North Cliff Ave at Sioux Falls,sd
4.9 mi · 302 cfs

Normal
Split Rock Creek at Corson, SD
12.1 mi · 17 cfs

Low
Beaver Creek at Canton SD
16.7 mi

Unknown
East Fork Vermillion River Near Parker, SD
18.5 mi · 17 cfs

Low