TornadoLiveMap

Little Sioux River at Spencer — water level right now

Clay County, Iowa · NWS gauge SPWI4
Loading the latest reading…
–
current stage (ft)
 
10
minor flood stage
 
22.2
record crest
set 2024-06-22
–
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 · 9
minor · 10
moderate · 14
major · 16
Flood stageLevel (ft)What it means
Major flood stage16extensive inundation and significant evacuations — a serious event
Moderate flood stage14some buildings and roads inundated; evacuations possible
Minor flood stage10low-lying roads and fields near the river start to flood
Action stage9water is approaching flood level — time to pay attention

Highest floods on record here

#Crest (ft)Datevs. minor flood stage
122.22024-06-22+12.2 above
220.21953-06-08+10.2 above
317.61954-06-21+7.6 above
417.452019-03-15+7.45 above
517.42018-06-26+7.4 above
617.371965-04-06+7.37 above
7171993-07-01+7 above
816.51951-04-01+6.5 above
916.52011-07-16+6.5 above
1016.21984-06-22+6.2 above
1116.21969-04-07+6.2 above
12162007-03-15+6 above

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

Ocheyedan River near Spencer 3 mi away · loading… Little Sioux River near Spencer / Highway 18 4 mi away · loading… Willow Creek (North Central IA) near Cornell 11 mi away · loading… Ocheyedan River near Everly 12 mi away · loading… Little Sioux River near Milford 13 mi away · loading… Little Sioux River at Linn Grove 17 mi away · loading…

Gauge details

NWS gauge IDSPWI4
CountyClay
StateIowa
NWS forecast officeSioux Falls
River forecast centerMissouri Basin River Forecast Center
Coordinates43.137, -95.144
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 Little Sioux River at Spencer

Is Little Sioux River at Spencer 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 10 ft. Blue means normal, yellow is action stage, orange minor, red moderate and dark red major flooding.

What is flood stage for Little Sioux River at Spencer?

major flood stage 16 ft, moderate flood stage 14 ft, minor flood stage 10 ft, action stage 9 ft. These are official National Weather Service thresholds set specifically for this gauge, not generic values.

What is the record flood at Little Sioux River at Spencer?

The highest crest on file at this gauge is 22.2 ft, reached on 2024-06-22 — that is 12.2 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 Sioux Falls and local emergency management.