How high is the James River Near Yankton, SD right now?

The James River Near Yankton, SD is currently flowing at 1,020 cubic feet per second with a gage height of 3.17 feet, based on the most recent USGS instantaneous reading.

Is the flow on the James River Near Yankton, SD normal for this time of year?

Current flow is classified as normal for June 11. Today's discharge is at the 42th percentile compared to the long-term historical record at this gauge.

Is the James River Near Yankton, SD at flood stage?

No — the gage height is 8.83 feet below the NWS flood-stage threshold of 12.0 feet.

What is the historical median flow for the James River Near Yankton, SD on June 11?

The long-term median discharge for this date is 1,240 cfs based on USGS daily statistics. The 10th–95th percentile range historically is 159 to 8,540 cfs.

Where is the James River Near Yankton, SD stream gauge located?

The James River Near Yankton, SD stream gauge is operated by the USGS in Yankton County, SD on the James River. USGS site number 06478513 (coordinates 42.9958, -97.3698).

James River Near Yankton, SD

USGS Site No: 06478513 • James River • Yankton County, SD

James River Near Yankton, SD on the James River is currently at 1,020 cfs (Normal — 42th percentile for this date) . Gage height: 3.17 ft.

Reading from 1 week ago

↑ Upstream on James River

James River Near Scotland,sd

1,020

CFS Discharge

3.17

Gage Height (ft)

Normal

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	159
25th	Low threshold	589
50th (Median)	Normal (median)	1,240	Today: 1,020 cfs
75th	High threshold	3,330
95th	Very High threshold	8,540

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	1,060	3.25
May 27, 2026	1,090	3.31
May 26, 2026	1,080	3.28
May 25, 2026	1,020	3.16
May 24, 2026	1,010	3.15
May 23, 2026	1,010	3.15
May 22, 2026	1,010	3.15
May 21, 2026	1,040	3.20
May 20, 2026	1,090	3.31
May 19, 2026	1,150	3.42
May 18, 2026	1,190	3.50
May 17, 2026	1,090	3.31
May 16, 2026	1,040	3.20
May 15, 2026	1,050	3.23
Apr 20, 2026	1,190	3.51
Apr 19, 2026	1,200	3.52
Apr 18, 2026	1,190	3.51
Apr 17, 2026	1,190	3.50
Apr 16, 2026	1,180	3.48
Apr 15, 2026	1,180	3.49
Apr 14, 2026	1,190	3.51
Apr 13, 2026	1,160	3.44
Apr 12, 2026	1,150	3.42
Apr 11, 2026	1,150	3.43
Apr 10, 2026	1,150	3.42
Apr 9, 2026	1,130	3.39
Apr 8, 2026	1,120	3.37
Apr 7, 2026	1,110	3.35
Apr 6, 2026	1,100	3.34
Apr 5, 2026	1,090	3.33

Station Information

USGS Site No: 06478513
State: SD
County: Yankton County
Coordinates: 42.9958, -97.3698
Drainage Area: 20,962 mi²
Datum (ft): 1,154.1
HUC Code: 10160011

View on USGS NWIS →

Flood Stage Thresholds

Action Stage: 10.0 ft
Flood Stage: 12.0 ft
Moderate Flood: 16.0 ft
Major Flood: 21.0 ft

Currently 8.83 ft below flood stage.

Recent Extremes

Max discharge: 3,270 cfs

Aug 7, 2025
Min discharge: 386 cfs

Mar 4, 2026
Days at flood stage: 0

Computed from the local daily-values archive.

Nearby Gauges

Missouri River at Yankton, SD
9.0 mi · 0 cfs

Unknown
James River Near Scotland,sd
18.8 mi · 1,020 cfs

Normal
Bow Creek Near Wynot, Nebr.
18.8 mi · 67 cfs

Very Low
Vermillion River Near Wakonda SD
20.5 mi

Unknown
Vermillion River Near Vermillion,sd
25.7 mi · 86 cfs

Low