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Big Sioux River at Lake Poinsett Inlet/Outlet — water level right now

Hamlin County, South Dakota · NWS gauge PONS2
Loading the latest reading…
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current stage (ft)
 
1654
minor flood stage
 
1657.6
record crest
set 2011-04-05
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flood status
official NWS category
Official NOAA forecast → Full US flood map →

Flood stages at this gauge

Where the water stands right now against the four official thresholds:

action · 1651.5
minor · 1654
moderate · 1655
major · 1657
Flood stageLevel (ft)What it means
Major flood stage1657extensive inundation and significant evacuations — a serious event
Moderate flood stage1655some buildings and roads inundated; evacuations possible
Minor flood stage1654low-lying roads and fields near the river start to flood
Action stage1651.5water is approaching flood level — time to pay attention

Highest floods on record here

#Crest (ft)Datevs. minor flood stage
11657.62011-04-05+3.6 above
216572019-04-22+3 above
31656.442010-07-17+2.44 above
41656.21997-05-12+2.2 above
51655.52001-05-02+1.5 above
61654.962010-05-19+0.96 above
71654.51985-05-07+0.5 above
81654.312020-04-14+0.31 above
91654.31995-05-02+0.3 above
101653.761969-04-180.24 below
111653.51994-05-100.5 below
121653.41986-10-080.6 below

Historic crests recorded at this gauge by the National Weather Service — the 12 highest on file.

Where this gauge is

The marker is this gauge; nearby gauges load live and are clickable.

Nearby river gauges

Big Sioux River near Estelline 5 mi away · loading… Big Sioux River near Castlewood 9 mi away · loading… Big Sioux River near Bruce 11 mi away · loading… Big Sioux River below Watertown 17 mi away · loading… North Deer Creek above Brookings 18 mi away · loading… Big Sioux River at Watertown Broadway Avenue 21 mi away · loading…

Gauge details

NWS gauge IDPONS2
CountyHamlin
StateSouth Dakota
NWS forecast officeAberdeen
River forecast centerMissouri Basin River Forecast Center
Coordinates44.596, -97.027
Time zoneCST6CDT
Turn Around, Don't Drown. Six inches of moving water can knock you off your feet and twelve inches can float a car. Never drive around barricades or into water of unknown depth — most flood deaths happen in vehicles.

Questions about Big Sioux River at Lake Poinsett Inlet/Outlet

Is Big Sioux River at Lake Poinsett Inlet/Outlet flooding right now?

The live reading at the top of this page answers that: the gauge is compared against its official NWS flood stages every 15 minutes. Minor flooding at this gauge begins at 1654 ft. Blue means normal, yellow is action stage, orange minor, red moderate and dark red major flooding.

What is flood stage for Big Sioux River at Lake Poinsett Inlet/Outlet?

major flood stage 1657 ft, moderate flood stage 1655 ft, minor flood stage 1654 ft, action stage 1651.5 ft. These are official National Weather Service thresholds set specifically for this gauge, not generic values.

What is the record flood at Big Sioux River at Lake Poinsett Inlet/Outlet?

The highest crest on file at this gauge is 1657.6 ft, reached on 2011-04-05 — that is 3.6 ft above minor flood stage. The full list of the highest crests is in the table on this page.

Where does this data come from?

From the NOAA National Water Prediction Service, the official U.S. river gauge network — a U.S. government work in the public domain. Live stage is refreshed every 15 minutes; flood thresholds and historic crests are refreshed monthly. For life-safety decisions follow NWS Aberdeen and local emergency management.