James River near Forestburg

Last updated: Jul 20, 2025, 11:34 PM UTC

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

Observations courtesy of U.S. Geological Survey

Scale to Flood Categories

Auto Refresh

Traces and Thresholds Click to turn on/off display

CATEGORY STAGE

Major Flooding 18 ft

Moderate Flooding 14.5 ft

Minor Flooding 12 ft

Action 10 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.
Auto Refresh

	CATEGORY	STAGE
	Major Flooding	18 ft
	Moderate Flooding	14.5 ft
	Minor Flooding	12 ft
	Action	10 ft

Flood Impacts 🅘

20 - 405th Ave is flooded and thus most river crossing are impassible resulting in significant travel disruptions.
19 - Portions of Hwy 34 begin to flood and the bridge on 407th at the gauge is overtopped.
18 - County Road 21 in northern Davison County will be flooded and water may begin to impact the gauge house.
16 - Water reaches the bottom of the bridge at the gauge on 407th and the road north of the bridge may be flooded.
14.5 - Many of the county roads in the area are impassible including 407th, 240th, 241st and 243rd and some roads are under water for as much as 1/2 mile.

Gauge Info

Coordinates	43.9739, -98.0706
RFC	MBRFC
State	SD
WFO	FSD
County	Sanborn
Data Provider(s)
USGS	06477000

Gauge Location

Recent Crests

1.	12.08 ft	on 06-25-2024
2.	15.37 ft	on 04-26-2023
3.	13.98 ft	on 06-13-2022
4.	6.95 ft	on 04-13-2021
5.	15.45 ft	on 03-12-2020

Historic Crests

1.	20.61 ft	on 04-06-1997
2.	20.27 ft	on 03-25-2011
3.	19.14 ft	on 03-25-2010
4.	18.93 ft	on 05-08-2007
5.	18.84 ft	on 04-10-2001

Vertical Datum Table

type	NAVD88
major Flooding	1227.25 ft
moderate Flooding	1223.75 ft
minor Flooding	1221.25 ft
action	1219.25 ft
Latest Value	1216.38 ft
Gauge Zero	1209.25 ft

Gauge Photos

Photo 1 of 2

Downstream View (6/6/2023)

Probability Information

Photo 1 of 3

Weekly Chance of Exceeding Levels
- About this graph
Chance of Exceeding Levels During Entire Period
- About this graph
Short Range Forecast Uncertainty
About this graph | Product Description Document

Unique Local Info

Live River Camera via USGS HIVIS Webpage

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.	12.08 ft	on 06-25-2024
2.	15.37 ft	on 04-26-2023
3.	13.98 ft	on 06-13-2022
4.	6.95 ft	on 04-13-2021
5.	15.45 ft	on 03-12-2020
6.	17.37 ft	on 04-25-2019
7.	12.70 ft	on 04-24-2018
8.	8.56 ft	on 03-25-2017
9.	7.41 ft	on 04-30-2016
10.	9.37 ft	on 07-11-2015
11.	9.04 ft	on 07-13-2014
12.	12.43 ft	on 06-29-2013
13.	9.91 ft	on 03-18-2012
14.	20.27 ft	on 03-25-2011
15.	19.14 ft	on 03-25-2010
16.	16.03 ft	on 05-14-2009
17.	7.23 ft	on 06-16-2008
18.	18.93 ft	on 05-08-2007
19.	10.73 ft	on 04-13-2006
20.	13.47 ft	on 07-23-2005
21.	7.34 ft	on 07-12-2004
22.	6.71 ft	on 07-05-2003
23.	5.64 ft	on 03-31-2002
24.	18.84 ft	on 04-10-2001
25.	9.78 ft	on 10-01-1999
26.	14.75 ft	on 05-22-1999
27.	14.53 ft	on 05-24-1998
28.	20.61 ft	on 04-06-1997
29.	13.75 ft	on 06-04-1996
30.	17.26 ft	on 04-22-1995
31.	15.73 ft	on 03-24-1994
32.	14.13 ft	on 08-04-1993
33.	6.78 ft	on 06-21-1992
34.	12.76 ft	on 06-10-1991
35.	4.44 ft	on 06-19-1990
36.	13.36 ft	on 04-08-1989
37.	5.20 ft	on 05-28-1988
38.	14.59 ft	on 03-29-1987
39.	15.76 ft	on 05-13-1986
40.	13.55 ft	on 03-20-1985
41.	15.75 ft	on 06-25-1984
42.	7.87 ft	on 04-14-1983
43.	8.37 ft	on 05-15-1982
44.	3.20 ft	on 04-03-1981
45.	5.24 ft	on 12-01-1979
46.	11.21 ft	on 05-22-1979
47.	15.24 ft	on 04-02-1978
48.	13.85 ft	on 03-15-1977
49.	5.82 ft	on 11-21-1975
50.	8.12 ft	on 08-09-1975
51.	4.90 ft	on 03-07-1974
52.	13.05 ft	on 03-07-1973
53.	13.55 ft	on 06-01-1972
54.	11.40 ft	on 03-18-1971
55.	11.39 ft	on 03-09-1970
56.	17.16 ft	on 04-09-1969
57.	4.79 ft	on 05-10-1968
58.	10.93 ft	on 06-22-1967
59.	13.00 ft	on 03-15-1966
60.	7.78 ft	on 05-29-1965
61.	5.83 ft	on 08-04-1964
62.	6.17 ft	on 10-01-1962
63.	16.40 ft	on 03-31-1962
64.	7.24 ft	on 03-06-1961
65.	16.27 ft	on 04-02-1960
66.	3.35 ft	on 06-13-1959
67.	7.21 ft	on 04-06-1958
68.	7.02 ft	on 05-30-1957
69.	7.19 ft	on 08-06-1956
70.	9.69 ft	on 03-19-1955
71.	4.86 ft	on 07-06-1954
72.	11.17 ft	on 03-19-1953
73.	15.46 ft	on 04-16-1952
74.	10.84 ft	on 03-31-1951
75.	15.06 ft	on 05-30-1950
76.	18.00 ft	on 03-24-1922
77.	18.00 ft	on 03-29-1920

1.	20.61 ft	on 04-06-1997
2.	20.27 ft	on 03-25-2011
3.	19.14 ft	on 03-25-2010
4.	18.93 ft	on 05-08-2007
5.	18.84 ft	on 04-10-2001
6.	18.00 ft	on 03-29-1920
7.	18.00 ft	on 03-24-1922
8.	17.37 ft	on 04-25-2019
9.	17.26 ft	on 04-22-1995
10.	17.16 ft	on 04-09-1969
11.	16.40 ft	on 03-31-1962
12.	16.27 ft	on 04-02-1960
13.	16.03 ft	on 05-14-2009
14.	15.76 ft	on 05-13-1986
15.	15.75 ft	on 06-25-1984
16.	15.73 ft	on 03-24-1994
17.	15.46 ft	on 04-16-1952
18.	15.45 ft	on 03-12-2020
19.	15.37 ft	on 04-26-2023
20.	15.24 ft	on 04-02-1978
21.	15.06 ft	on 05-30-1950
22.	14.75 ft	on 05-22-1999
23.	14.59 ft	on 03-29-1987
24.	14.53 ft	on 05-24-1998
25.	14.13 ft	on 08-04-1993
26.	13.98 ft	on 06-13-2022
27.	13.85 ft	on 03-15-1977
28.	13.75 ft	on 06-04-1996
29.	13.55 ft	on 03-20-1985
30.	13.55 ft	on 06-01-1972
31.	13.47 ft	on 07-23-2005
32.	13.36 ft	on 04-08-1989
33.	13.05 ft	on 03-07-1973
34.	13.00 ft	on 03-15-1966
35.	12.76 ft	on 06-10-1991
36.	12.70 ft	on 04-24-2018
37.	12.43 ft	on 06-29-2013
38.	12.08 ft	on 06-25-2024
39.	11.40 ft	on 03-18-1971
40.	11.39 ft	on 03-09-1970
41.	11.21 ft	on 05-22-1979
42.	11.17 ft	on 03-19-1953
43.	10.93 ft	on 06-22-1967
44.	10.84 ft	on 03-31-1951
45.	10.73 ft	on 04-13-2006
46.	9.91 ft	on 03-18-2012
47.	9.78 ft	on 10-01-1999
48.	9.69 ft	on 03-19-1955
49.	9.37 ft	on 07-11-2015
50.	9.04 ft	on 07-13-2014
51.	8.56 ft	on 03-25-2017
52.	8.37 ft	on 05-15-1982
53.	8.12 ft	on 08-09-1975
54.	7.87 ft	on 04-14-1983
55.	7.78 ft	on 05-29-1965
56.	7.41 ft	on 04-30-2016
57.	7.34 ft	on 07-12-2004
58.	7.24 ft	on 03-06-1961
59.	7.23 ft	on 06-16-2008
60.	7.21 ft	on 04-06-1958
61.	7.19 ft	on 08-06-1956
62.	7.02 ft	on 05-30-1957
63.	6.95 ft	on 04-13-2021
64.	6.78 ft	on 06-21-1992
65.	6.71 ft	on 07-05-2003
66.	6.17 ft	on 10-01-1962
67.	5.83 ft	on 08-04-1964
68.	5.82 ft	on 11-21-1975
69.	5.64 ft	on 03-31-2002
70.	5.24 ft	on 12-01-1979
71.	5.20 ft	on 05-28-1988
72.	4.90 ft	on 03-07-1974
73.	4.86 ft	on 07-06-1954
74.	4.79 ft	on 05-10-1968
75.	4.44 ft	on 06-19-1990
76.	3.35 ft	on 06-13-1959
77.	3.20 ft	on 04-03-1981