Rivers in South Dakota

Vermillion River at Vermillion

Clay County, South DakotaNWS VERS2USGS 06479010Sioux Falls office

Below flood stage
1.44ftStage

Observed Thu, Sep 24, 9:15 AM CDT

Flood stage
21.00 ft
Record crest
33.15 ft2024

Open the live map with the river flood outlook

Flood stages and impacts

CategoryStage
Major flood30.00 ft
Moderate flood22.00 ft
Minor flood21.00 ft
Action18.00 ft
  1. 35.00 ftWater reaches the bottom of the bridge on Highway 19.
  2. 31.00 ftThe University Road bridge at the gauge is overtopped.
  3. 30.00 ftWater reaches the bottom deck of the railroad bridge west of Vermillion. Flood waters are 10 feet deep in some farm houses, and the terminal grain corporation is flooded.
  4. 29.00 ftWater reaches the bottom of the bridge on University Road at the gauge.
  5. 28.00 ftThe lowest portions of University Rd north of the gauge location bridge begin to flood.
  6. 26.00 ftThe bridge on North Crawford Avenue northeast of the gauge is overtopped
  7. 24.00 ftThe bridge on University Road near 312th Street is overtopped.
  8. 23.00 ftWater reaches the bottom of the bridge on North Crawford Avenue northeast of the gauge.
  9. 21.00 ftWater reaches the bottom of the bridge on University Road near 312th Street, significant agricultural flooding begins, and a few farm houses are affected by high water.
  10. 18.00 ftMinor flooding of some low lying agricultural land begins. Portions of the bike trail at Cotton Park in Vermillion begin to flood.

Flood outlook

Chance of flooding, September to November

CategoryChance
Minor flooding9%
Moderate flooding8%
Major floodingUnder 5%

The three-month chances are the River Forecast Centers’ long-range flood outlook, issued September 23, 2026.

Crest history

42 crests on NOAA’s list since 1984.

#DateStage
1June 23, 202433.15 ft
2June 23, 198431.77 ft
3March 16, 201929.87 ft
4July 8, 199326.68 ft
5March 19, 201026.09 ft
6June 28, 201823.80 ft
7April 2, 199722.10 ft
8June 22, 201421.56 ft
9April 24, 201119.76 ft
10June 4, 199519.49 ft
11June 5, 200517.99 ft
12April 23, 198617.91 ft
13March 30, 198716.37 ft
14June 12, 200816.11 ft
15April 30, 200116.08 ft
16February 19, 199416.04 ft
17July 3, 199915.77 ft
18April 27, 198515.68 ft
19May 3, 201615.57 ft
20March 19, 200715.53 ft
21April 27, 199814.60 ft
22July 9, 200314.08 ft
23June 3, 200413.76 ft
24March 29, 202013.58 ft
25June 17, 199013.52 ft

Most recent crests

  • August 1, 2025: 5.61 ft
  • June 23, 2024: 33.15 ft
  • April 5, 2023: 9.81 ft
  • June 2, 2022: 9.05 ft
  • March 26, 2021: 4.34 ft
  • March 29, 2020: 13.58 ft
  • March 16, 2019: 29.87 ft
  • June 28, 2018: 23.80 ft
  • May 2, 2017: 12.67 ft
  • May 3, 2016: 15.57 ft

Nearby

Upstream, downstream and the gauges around this one.

What this means

Forecasts by the Missouri Basin River Forecast Center. Forecasts are issued as needed during times of high water, but are not routinely available. River forecasts for this location take into account past precipitation and the precipitation amounts expected approximately 48 hours into the future from the forecast issuance time. River forecasts for this location take into account past precipitation and the precipitation amounts expected approximately 24 hours into the future from the forecast issuance time. Gauge reading may be affected by ice.

Sources

Stage, flood stages, impacts and crest history from NOAA’s National Water Prediction Service. Streamflow and the daily record from the U.S. Geological Survey.