James River near Yankton
Observed Thu, Sep 24, 9:00 PM CDT
- Flood stage
- 12.00 ft
- Record crest
- 27.84 ft2019
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 21.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 16.00 ft |
| Minor flood | 12.00 ft |
| Action | 10.00 ft |
- 28.00 ftWater reaches the bottom of the bridge on 309th St.
- 27.00 ftWater reaches the bottom of the railroad bridge near 309th St.
- 25.00 ftHwy 81 may be in danger of flooding. The bridge on 303rd St at the gauge will be overtopped
- 22.00 ft303rd St east of the gauge location begins to flood. Some levees protecting structures along the river may be in danger of being overtopped.
- 21.00 ftWater approaches Hwy 46 and may begin to overtop it.
- 18.50 ftSW Jim River Road near 305th Street begins flooding as does NE Jim River Rd near 300th St.
- 17.00 ftSW Jim River Road north of 303rd Street begins flooding.
- 16.00 ftSW Jim River Road near 301st St floods.
- 14.00 ftSignificant agricultural flooding with the floodplain roughly a mile wide in some areas.
- 12.00 ftAgricultural flooding begins off the left bank near the gauge.
Flood outlook
Chance of flooding, September to November
| Category | Chance |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | 17% |
| Moderate flooding | 7% |
| Major flooding | Under 5% |
The three-month chances are the River Forecast Centers’ long-range flood outlook, issued September 23, 2026.
Crest history
38 crests on NOAA’s list since 1982.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 14, 2019 | 27.84 ft |
| 2 | June 23, 1984 | 24.34 ft |
| 3 | April 9, 1997 | 22.94 ft |
| 4 | March 20, 2010 | 22.75 ft |
| 5 | March 28, 2011 | 22.24 ft |
| 6 | June 25, 2024 | 22.17 ft |
| 7 | April 14, 2001 | 21.95 ft |
| 8 | May 30, 1995 | 21.46 ft |
| 9 | July 8, 1993 | 21.15 ft |
| 10 | April 18, 2019 | 20.30 ft |
| 11 | March 29, 1987 | 19.98 ft |
| 12 | April 22, 1986 | 19.71 ft |
| 13 | April 1, 1994 | 16.87 ft |
| 14 | March 20, 2020 | 16.18 ft |
| 15 | March 31, 1985 | 13.25 ft |
| 16 | May 30, 1999 | 13.20 ft |
| 17 | February 27, 1983 | 12.61 ft |
| 18 | June 9, 1996 | 12.50 ft |
| 19 | May 5, 2023 | 11.65 ft |
| 20 | June 2, 1982 | 11.40 ft |
| 21 | April 20, 1989 | 10.72 ft |
| 22 | June 22, 1991 | 10.70 ft |
| 23 | May 14, 2012 | 9.67 ft |
| 24 | May 5, 2016 | 9.20 ft |
| 25 | June 20, 2022 | 8.60 ft |
Most recent crests
- August 8, 2025: 7.19 ft
- June 25, 2024: 22.17 ft
- May 5, 2023: 11.65 ft
- June 20, 2022: 8.60 ft
- March 27, 2021: 4.91 ft
- March 20, 2020: 16.18 ft
- September 14, 2019: 27.84 ft
- April 18, 2019: 20.30 ft
- June 13, 2017: 7.39 ft
- May 5, 2016: 9.20 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.