TornadoLiveMap

Pelican Lake near Watertown — water level right now

Codington County, South Dakota · NWS gauge PELS2
Loading the latest reading…
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current stage (ft)
 
1713
minor flood stage
 
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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 · 1712
minor · 1713
moderate · 1714
major · 1716
Flood stageLevel (ft)What it means
Major flood stage1716extensive inundation and significant evacuations — a serious event
Moderate flood stage1714some buildings and roads inundated; evacuations possible
Minor flood stage1713low-lying roads and fields near the river start to flood
Action stage1712water is approaching flood level — time to pay attention

Highest floods on record here

The National Weather Service has no historic crest list on file for this gauge.

Where this gauge is

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

Nearby river gauges

Lake Kampeska at Watertown Water Plant 4 mi away · loading… Big Sioux River at Watertown Broadway Avenue 5 mi away · loading… Big Sioux River at Lake Kampeska 6 mi away · loading… Big Sioux River at Watertown Sioux Conifer Road 6 mi away · loading… Big Sioux River below Watertown 8 mi away · loading… South Branch Tributary Mud Creek near Rauville 8 mi away · loading…

Gauge details

NWS gauge IDPELS2
CountyCodington
StateSouth Dakota
NWS forecast officeAberdeen
River forecast centerMissouri Basin River Forecast Center
Coordinates44.865, -97.212
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 Pelican Lake near Watertown

Is Pelican Lake near Watertown 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 1713 ft. Blue means normal, yellow is action stage, orange minor, red moderate and dark red major flooding.

What is flood stage for Pelican Lake near Watertown?

major flood stage 1716 ft, moderate flood stage 1714 ft, minor flood stage 1713 ft, action stage 1712 ft. These are official National Weather Service thresholds set specifically for this gauge, not generic values.

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.