Little Sioux River at Spencer

Last updated: Jun 18, 2025, 7:28 AM UTC

No watches, warnings or advisories are in effect for this area.

Warning: no valid ratings curve available. Transformations to and from FEET/CFS/KCFS will not happen.

Observations courtesy of Iowa Flood Center

Scale to Flood Categories

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Observed (OBS) 06/18/2025 1:15 AM CDT

Record: 22.2 ft

CATEGORY STAGE

Major Flooding 16 ft

Moderate Flooding 14 ft

Minor Flooding 10 ft

Action 9 ft

Reliability of the Forecast:

NOTE: Forecasts are issued as needed during times of high water, but are not routinely available.

River forecasts for this location take into account past and future precipitation. The stages/flows that will occur may be different if future rainfall is different than forecast.
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	CATEGORY	STAGE
	Major Flooding	16 ft
	Moderate Flooding	14 ft
	Minor Flooding	10 ft
	Action	9 ft

Flood Impacts 🅘

22 - Increasingly severe flooding begins on the north side of the river in Spencer with water beginning to pour down Grand Ave, roughly to the intersection of 1st St.
21 - Catastrophic flooding is ongoing in Spencer with most of the south side of the city flooded and the highest levees overtopped.
19.5 - Significant flooding is ongoing in Spencer with water all the way to 8th St and S Grand Ave south of the river. Flooding also begins to spill into the lowest portions on the north side of the river such as Park St and also up 3rd Ave W.

Gauge Info

Coordinates	43.1369, -95.1439
RFC	MBRFC
State	IA
WFO	FSD
County	Clay
Data Provider(s)
Iowa Flood Center	Iowa Flood Center

Gauge Location

Recent Crests

1.	22.20 ft	on 06-22-2024
2.	10.89 ft	on 05-16-2023
3.	11.70 ft	on 03-10-2020
4.	17.45 ft	on 03-15-2019
5.	17.40 ft	on 06-26-2018

Historic Crests

1.	22.20 ft	on 06-22-2024
2.	20.20 ft	on 06-08-1953
3.	17.60 ft	on 06-21-1954
4.	17.45 ft	on 03-15-2019
5.	17.40 ft	on 06-26-2018

Vertical Datum Table

type	NGVD29
major Flooding	1311.46 ft
moderate Flooding	1309.46 ft
minor Flooding	1305.46 ft
action	1304.46 ft
Latest Value	1301.92 ft
Gauge Zero	1295.46 ft

Gauge Photos

Photo 1 of 1

Downstream View (May 29, 2024)

Probability Information

Photo 1 of 3

Weekly Chance of Exceeding Levels
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Chance of Exceeding Levels During Entire Period
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Short Range Forecast Uncertainty
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Collaborative Agencies

The National Weather Service prepares its forecasts and other services in collaboration with agencies like the US Geological Survey, US Bureau of Reclamation, US Army Corps of Engineers, Natural Resource Conservation Service, National Park Service, ALERT Users Group, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and many state and local emergency managers across the country. For details, please click here.

WFO Information

Weather Forecast Office

Sioux Falls

26 Weather Lane

Sioux Falls, SD 57104-0198

(605) 330-4247

Ask Questions/Webmaster

Official Homepage

1.	22.20 ft	on 06-22-2024
2.	10.89 ft	on 05-16-2023
3.	11.70 ft	on 03-10-2020
4.	17.45 ft	on 03-15-2019
5.	17.40 ft	on 06-26-2018
6.	12.20 ft	on 05-23-2017
7.	11.47 ft	on 02-22-2016
8.	15.18 ft	on 06-20-2014
9.	12.10 ft	on 06-28-2013
10.	11.90 ft	on 05-31-2012
11.	16.50 ft	on 07-16-2011
12.	15.55 ft	on 03-16-2010
13.	16.00 ft	on 03-15-2007
14.	13.90 ft	on 05-16-2005
15.	14.30 ft	on 09-18-2004
16.	14.70 ft	on 06-15-2001
17.	12.00 ft	on 06-07-1999
18.	13.20 ft	on 03-22-1997
19.	10.30 ft	on 03-31-1996
20.	14.70 ft	on 06-25-1994
21.	17.00 ft	on 07-01-1993
22.	11.90 ft	on 04-22-1992
23.	12.50 ft	on 04-15-1991
24.	10.15 ft	on 06-20-1990
25.	10.50 ft	on 03-11-1989
26.	12.75 ft	on 09-19-1987
27.	13.60 ft	on 03-20-1986
28.	13.90 ft	on 04-24-1985
29.	16.20 ft	on 06-22-1984
30.	15.00 ft	on 06-21-1983
31.	14.30 ft	on 07-10-1982
32.	10.55 ft	on 06-16-1981
33.	13.53 ft	on 07-23-1978
34.	16.20 ft	on 04-07-1969
35.	12.00 ft	on 02-10-1966
36.	17.37 ft	on 04-06-1965
37.	14.50 ft	on 03-31-1962
38.	14.40 ft	on 03-26-1961
39.	13.10 ft	on 03-28-1960
40.	17.60 ft	on 06-21-1954
41.	20.20 ft	on 06-08-1953
42.	16.50 ft	on 04-01-1951
43.	12.30 ft	on 08-31-1942
44.	10.95 ft	on 03-10-1941
45.	7.38 ft	on 06-24-1940
46.	9.98 ft	on 03-14-1939
47.	14.97 ft	on 09-16-1938
48.	13.96 ft	on 06-14-1937
49.	15.40 ft	on 03-21-1936

1.	22.20 ft	on 06-22-2024
2.	20.20 ft	on 06-08-1953
3.	17.60 ft	on 06-21-1954
4.	17.45 ft	on 03-15-2019
5.	17.40 ft	on 06-26-2018
6.	17.37 ft	on 04-06-1965
7.	17.00 ft	on 07-01-1993
8.	16.50 ft	on 07-16-2011
9.	16.50 ft	on 04-01-1951
10.	16.20 ft	on 06-22-1984
11.	16.20 ft	on 04-07-1969
12.	16.00 ft	on 03-15-2007
13.	15.55 ft	on 03-16-2010
14.	15.40 ft	on 03-21-1936
15.	15.18 ft	on 06-20-2014
16.	15.00 ft	on 06-21-1983
17.	14.97 ft	on 09-16-1938
18.	14.70 ft	on 06-15-2001
19.	14.70 ft	on 06-25-1994
20.	14.50 ft	on 03-31-1962
21.	14.40 ft	on 03-26-1961
22.	14.30 ft	on 09-18-2004
23.	14.30 ft	on 07-10-1982
24.	13.96 ft	on 06-14-1937
25.	13.90 ft	on 05-16-2005
26.	13.90 ft	on 04-24-1985
27.	13.60 ft	on 03-20-1986
28.	13.53 ft	on 07-23-1978
29.	13.20 ft	on 03-22-1997
30.	13.10 ft	on 03-28-1960
31.	12.75 ft	on 09-19-1987
32.	12.50 ft	on 04-15-1991
33.	12.30 ft	on 08-31-1942
34.	12.20 ft	on 05-23-2017
35.	12.10 ft	on 06-28-2013
36.	12.00 ft	on 06-07-1999
37.	12.00 ft	on 02-10-1966
38.	11.90 ft	on 05-31-2012
39.	11.90 ft	on 04-22-1992
40.	11.70 ft	on 03-10-2020
41.	11.47 ft	on 02-22-2016
42.	10.95 ft	on 03-10-1941
43.	10.89 ft	on 05-16-2023
44.	10.55 ft	on 06-16-1981
45.	10.50 ft	on 03-11-1989
46.	10.30 ft	on 03-31-1996
47.	10.15 ft	on 06-20-1990
48.	9.98 ft	on 03-14-1939
49.	7.38 ft	on 06-24-1940