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Hydrograph River at a Glance Download
Little Sioux River at Spencer Stage (ft)Flow (cfs)Observed: 5.2 ft at 6:00PM Jan 23, 2023Observed: 5.17 ft at 7:00PM Jan 23, 2023Observed: 5.17 ft at 8:00PM Jan 23, 2023Observed: 5.16 ft at 9:00PM Jan 23, 2023Observed: 5.16 ft at 10:00PM Jan 23, 2023Observed: 5.12 ft at 11:00PM Jan 23, 2023Observed: 5.14 ft at 12:00AM Jan 24, 2023Observed: 5.03 ft at 1:00AM Jan 24, 2023Observed: 5.04 ft at 2:00AM Jan 24, 2023Observed: 5.12 ft at 3:00AM Jan 24, 2023Observed: 5.06 ft at 4:00AM Jan 24, 2023Observed: 5.09 ft at 5:00AM Jan 24, 2023Observed: 5.1 ft at 6:00AM Jan 24, 2023Observed: 5.16 ft at 7:00AM Jan 24, 2023Observed: 5.19 ft at 8:00AM Jan 24, 2023Observed: 5.13 ft at 9:00AM Jan 24, 2023Observed: 5.01 ft at 10:00AM Jan 24, 2023Observed: 4.83 ft at 11:00AM Jan 24, 2023Observed: 4.95 ft at 12:00PM Jan 24, 2023Observed: 5.04 ft at 1:00PM Jan 24, 2023Observed: 5.13 ft at 2:00PM Jan 24, 2023Observed: 5.11 ft at 3:00PM Jan 24, 2023Observed: 5.13 ft at 4:00PM Jan 24, 2023Observed: 5.16 ft at 5:00PM Jan 24, 2023Observed: 5.18 ft at 6:00PM Jan 24, 2023Observed: 5.17 ft at 7:00PM Jan 24, 2023Observed: 5.17 ft at 8:00PM Jan 24, 2023Observed: 5.13 ft at 9:00PM Jan 24, 2023Observed: 5.14 ft at 10:00PM Jan 24, 2023Observed: 5.08 ft at 11:00PM Jan 24, 2023Observed: 5.08 ft at 12:00AM Jan 25, 2023Observed: 5.06 ft at 1:00AM Jan 25, 2023Observed: 5.11 ft at 2:00AM Jan 25, 2023Observed: 5.14 ft at 3:00AM Jan 25, 2023Observed: 5.15 ft at 4:00AM Jan 25, 2023Observed: 5.24 ft at 5:00AM Jan 25, 2023Observed: 5.19 ft at 6:00AM Jan 25, 2023Observed: 5.22 ft at 7:00AM Jan 25, 2023Observed: 5.19 ft at 8:00AM Jan 25, 2023Observed: 5.16 ft at 9:00AM Jan 25, 2023Observed: 5.14 ft at 10:00AM Jan 25, 2023Observed: 5.13 ft at 11:00AM Jan 25, 2023Observed: 5.13 ft at 12:00PM Jan 25, 2023Observed: 5.1 ft at 1:00PM Jan 25, 2023Observed: 5.09 ft at 2:00PM Jan 25, 2023Observed: 5.11 ft at 3:00PM Jan 25, 2023Observed: 5.13 ft at 4:00PM Jan 25, 2023Observed: 5.13 ft at 5:00PM Jan 25, 2023Observed: 5.13 ft at 6:00PM Jan 25, 2023Observed: 5.14 ft at 7:00PM Jan 25, 2023Observed: 5.13 ft at 8:00PM Jan 25, 2023Observed: 5.13 ft at 9:00PM Jan 25, 2023Observed: 5.13 ft at 10:00PM Jan 25, 2023Observed: 5.15 ft at 11:00PM Jan 25, 2023Observed: 5.14 ft at 12:00AM Jan 26, 2023Observed: 5.14 ft at 1:00AM Jan 26, 2023Observed: 5.16 ft at 2:00AM Jan 26, 2023Observed: 5.11 ft at 3:00AM Jan 26, 2023Observed: 5.16 ft at 4:00AM Jan 26, 2023Observed: 5.16 ft at 5:00AM Jan 26, 2023Observed: 5.15 ft at 6:00AM Jan 26, 2023Observed: 5.15 ft at 7:00AM Jan 26, 2023Observed: 5.14 ft at 8:00AM Jan 26, 2023Observed: 4.94 ft at 9:00AM Jan 26, 2023Observed: 4.86 ft at 10:00AM Jan 26, 2023Observed: 4.81 ft at 11:00AM Jan 26, 2023Observed: 4.79 ft at 12:00PM Jan 26, 2023Observed: 4.87 ft at 1:00PM Jan 26, 2023Observed: 5.02 ft at 2:00PM Jan 26, 2023Observed: 5.05 ft at 3:00PM Jan 26, 2023Observed: 5.1 ft at 4:00PM Jan 26, 2023Observed: 5.15 ft at 5:00PM Jan 26, 2023Observed: 5.16 ft at 6:00PM Jan 26, 2023Observed: 5.17 ft at 7:00PM Jan 26, 2023Observed: 5.18 ft at 8:00PM Jan 26, 2023Observed: 5.21 ft at 9:00PM Jan 26, 2023Observed: 5.21 ft at 10:00PM Jan 26, 2023Observed: 5.2 ft at 11:00PM Jan 26, 2023Observed: 5.21 ft at 12:00AM Jan 27, 2023Observed: 5.21 ft at 1:00AM Jan 27, 2023Observed: 5.27 ft at 2:00AM Jan 27, 2023Observed: 5.23 ft at 3:00AM Jan 27, 2023Observed: 5.25 ft at 4:00AM Jan 27, 2023Observed: 5.3 ft at 5:00AM Jan 27, 2023Observed: 5.29 ft at 6:00AM Jan 27, 2023Observed: 5.29 ft at 7:00AM Jan 27, 2023Observed: 5.23 ft at 8:00AM Jan 27, 2023Observed: 5.2 ft at 9:00AM Jan 27, 2023Observed: 5.22 ft at 10:00AM Jan 27, 2023Observed: 5.17 ft at 11:00AM Jan 27, 2023Observed: 5.03 ft at 12:00PM Jan 27, 2023Observed: 5.03 ft at 1:00PM Jan 27, 2023Observed: 5.16 ft at 2:00PM Jan 27, 2023Observed: 5.17 ft at 3:00PM Jan 27, 2023Observed: 5.19 ft at 4:00PM Jan 27, 2023Observed: 5.19 ft at 5:00PM Jan 27, 2023Observed: 5.2 ft at 6:00PM Jan 27, 2023Observed: 5.17 ft at 7:00PM Jan 27, 2023Observed: 5.13 ft at 8:00PM Jan 27, 2023Observed: 5.14 ft at 9:00PM Jan 27, 2023Observed: 5.1 ft at 10:00PM Jan 27, 2023Observed: 5.17 ft at 11:00PM Jan 27, 2023Observed: 5.19 ft at 12:00AM Jan 28, 2023Observed: 5.22 ft at 1:00AM Jan 28, 2023Observed: 5.22 ft at 2:00AM Jan 28, 2023Observed: 5.2 ft at 3:00AM Jan 28, 2023Observed: 5.17 ft at 4:00AM Jan 28, 2023Observed: 5.19 ft at 5:00AM Jan 28, 2023Observed: 5.14 ft at 6:00AM Jan 28, 2023Observed: 5.17 ft at 7:00AM Jan 28, 2023Observed: 5.15 ft at 8:00AM Jan 28, 2023Observed: 5.26 ft at 10:00AM Jan 28, 2023Observed: 5.19 ft at 11:00AM Jan 28, 2023Observed: 5.31 ft at 12:00PM Jan 28, 2023Observed: 5.24 ft at 1:00PM Jan 28, 2023Observed: 5.33 ft at 2:00PM Jan 28, 2023Observed: 5.37 ft at 3:00PM Jan 28, 2023Observed: 5.32 ft at 4:00PM Jan 28, 2023Observed: 5.33 ft at 5:00PM Jan 28, 2023Observed: 5.35 ft at 6:00PM Jan 28, 2023Observed: 5.38 ft at 7:00PM Jan 28, 2023Observed: 5.39 ft at 8:00PM Jan 28, 2023Observed: 5.35 ft at 9:00PM Jan 28, 2023Observed: 5.37 ft at 10:00PM Jan 28, 2023Observed: 5.37 ft at 11:00PM Jan 28, 2023Observed: 5.38 ft at 12:00AM Jan 29, 2023Highest Observation: 5.4 ft at 1:00AM Jan 29, 2023Highest Observation: 5.4 ft at 2:00AM Jan 29, 2023Highest Observation: 5.4 ft at 3:00AM Jan 29, 2023Observed: 5.39 ft at 4:00AM Jan 29, 2023Observed: 5.36 ft at 5:00AM Jan 29, 2023Observed: 5.36 ft at 6:00AM Jan 29, 2023Observed: 5.36 ft at 7:00AM Jan 29, 2023Observed: 5.36 ft at 8:00AM Jan 29, 2023Observed: 5.23 ft at 9:00AM Jan 29, 2023Observed: 5.18 ft at 10:00AM Jan 29, 2023Observed: 5.14 ft at 11:00AM Jan 29, 2023Observed: 5.11 ft at 12:00PM Jan 29, 2023Observed: 5.11 ft at 1:00PM Jan 29, 2023Observed: 5.23 ft at 2:00PM Jan 29, 2023Observed: 5.28 ft at 3:00PM Jan 29, 2023Observed: 5.31 ft at 4:00PM Jan 29, 2023Observed: 5.33 ft at 5:00PM Jan 29, 2023Observed: 5.35 ft at 6:00PM Jan 29, 2023Observed: 5.37 ft at 7:00PM Jan 29, 2023Observed: 5.37 ft at 8:00PM Jan 29, 2023Highest Observation: 5.4 ft at 9:00PM Jan 29, 2023Observed: 5.38 ft at 10:00PM Jan 29, 2023Observed: 5.36 ft at 11:00PM Jan 29, 2023Observed: 5.35 ft at 12:00AM Jan 30, 2023Observed: 5.36 ft at 1:00AM Jan 30, 2023Observed: 5.35 ft at 2:00AM Jan 30, 2023Observed: 5.33 ft at 3:00AM Jan 30, 2023Observed: 5.33 ft at 4:00AM Jan 30, 2023Observed: 5.27 ft at 5:00AM Jan 30, 2023Observed: 5.29 ft at 6:00AM Jan 30, 2023Observed: 5.28 ft at 7:00AM Jan 30, 2023Observed: 5.21 ft at 8:00AM Jan 30, 2023Observed: 5.11 ft at 9:00AM Jan 30, 2023Observed: 4.96 ft at 10:00AM Jan 30, 2023Observed: 4.97 ft at 11:00AM Jan 30, 2023Observed: 4.95 ft at 12:00PM Jan 30, 2023Observed: 4.96 ft at 1:00PM Jan 30, 2023Observed: 5.11 ft at 2:00PM Jan 30, 2023Observed: 5.17 ft at 3:00PM Jan 30, 2023Observed: 5.19 ft at 4:00PM Jan 30, 2023Observed: 5.24 ft at 5:00PM Jan 30, 2023Observed: 5.21 ft at 6:00PM Jan 30, 2023Observed: 5.18 ft at 7:00PM Jan 30, 2023Observed: 5.1 ft at 8:00PM Jan 30, 2023Observed: 5.19 ft at 9:00PM Jan 30, 2023Observed: 5.25 ft at 10:00PM Jan 30, 2023Observed: 5.22 ft at 11:00PM Jan 30, 2023Observed: 5.28 ft at 12:00AM Jan 31, 2023Observed: 5.27 ft at 1:00AM Jan 31, 2023Observed: 5.26 ft at 2:00AM Jan 31, 2023Observed: 5.28 ft at 5:00AM Jan 31, 2023Observed: 5.31 ft at 7:00AM Jan 31, 2023Observed: 5.1 ft at 9:00AM Jan 31, 2023Observed: 4.98 ft at 10:00AM Jan 31, 2023Observed: 4.91 ft at 12:00PM Jan 31, 2023Observed: 4.97 ft at 1:00PM Jan 31, 2023Observed: 5.14 ft at 2:00PM Jan 31, 2023Observed: 5.2 ft at 3:00PM Jan 31, 2023Observed: 5.23 ft at 4:00PM Jan 31, 2023Observed: 5.27 ft at 5:00PM Jan 31, 2023Observed: 5.27 ft at 6:00PM Jan 31, 2023Observed: 5.29 ft at 7:00PM Jan 31, 2023Observed: 5.32 ft at 8:00PM Jan 31, 2023Observed: 5.19 ft at 9:00PM Jan 31, 2023Observed: 5.37 ft at 10:00PM Jan 31, 2023Observed: 5.35 ft at 11:00PM Jan 31, 2023Observed: 5.36 ft at 12:00AM Feb 01, 2023Observed: 5.24 ft at 1:00AM Feb 01, 2023Observed: 5.37 ft at 2:00AM Feb 01, 2023Observed: 5.3 ft at 3:00AM Feb 01, 2023Observed: 5.34 ft at 4:00AM Feb 01, 2023Observed: 5.32 ft at 5:00AM Feb 01, 2023Observed: 5.33 ft at 6:00AM Feb 01, 2023Observed: 5.31 ft at 7:00AM Feb 01, 2023Observed: 5.32 ft at 8:00AM Feb 01, 2023Observed: 5.12 ft at 9:00AM Feb 01, 2023Observed: 5.01 ft at 10:00AM Feb 01, 2023Observed: 4.96 ft at 11:00AM Feb 01, 2023Observed: 4.95 ft at 12:00PM Feb 01, 2023Observed: 5.03 ft at 1:00PM Feb 01, 2023Observed: 5.17 ft at 2:00PM Feb 01, 2023Observed: 5.25 ft at 3:00PM Feb 01, 2023Observed: 5.29 ft at 4:00PM Feb 01, 2023Observed: 5.27 ft at 5:00PM Feb 01, 2023Observed: 5.31 ft at 6:00PM Feb 01, 2023Observed: 5.3 ft at 7:00PM Feb 01, 2023Observed: 5.3 ft at 8:00PM Feb 01, 2023Observed: 5.25 ft at 9:00PM Feb 01, 2023Observed: 5.27 ft at 10:00PM Feb 01, 2023Observed: 5.29 ft at 11:00PM Feb 01, 2023Observed: 5.24 ft at 12:00AM Feb 02, 2023Observed: 5.26 ft at 1:00AM Feb 02, 2023Observed: 5.29 ft at 2:00AM Feb 02, 2023Observed: 5.3 ft at 3:00AM Feb 02, 2023Observed: 5.32 ft at 4:00AM Feb 02, 2023Observed: 5.34 ft at 5:00AM Feb 02, 2023Iowa Flood CenterSPWI4(plotting HGIR5) Graph Created (6:19AM Feb 2, 2023)ObservedLatest observed value: 5.34 ft at 5:00 AM CST 2-Feb-2023. Flood Stage is 10 ft
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About this graph
Tabular Data (UTC)
Tabular Data (CST)
XML Data
RSS Files
Datum: NGVD29
Metadata
NOTE: 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.

NOTE: Gauge reading may be affected by ice.

NOTE: Forecasts for the Little Sioux River at Spencer are issued as needed during times of high water, but are not routinely available.

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Upstream Gauge - near Spencer / Highway 18 Upstream Gauge Downstream Gauge Downstream Gauge - at Linn Grove
Flood Categories (in feet)
Major Flood Stage: 16
Moderate Flood Stage: 14
Flood Stage: 10
Action Stage: 9
Low Stage (in feet): -9999

Historic Crests
(1) 20.20 ft on 06/08/1953
(2) 17.60 ft on 06/21/1954
(3) 17.45 ft on 03/15/2019
(4) 17.40 ft on 06/26/2018
(5) 17.37 ft on 04/06/1965
Show More Historic Crests

(P): Preliminary values subject to further review.

Recent Crests
(1) 11.70 ft on 03/10/2020
(2) 17.45 ft on 03/15/2019
(3) 17.40 ft on 06/26/2018
(4) 12.20 ft on 05/23/2017
(5) 11.47 ft on 02/22/2016
Show More Recent Crests

(P): Preliminary values subject to further review.

Low Water Records
Currently none available.

For more information on your flood risk go to www.floodsmart.gov.
Zoom Level:14
KML Image
Gauge LocationGauge Map Marker
 Disclaimer
Latitude/Longitude Disclaimer: The gauge location shown in the above map is the approximate location based on the latitude/longitude coordinates provided to the NWS by the gauge owner.
Flood Impacts & Photos Collapse
If you notice any errors in the below information, please contact our Webmaster
21 the levees in Spencer are overtopped, and Park Street and Grand Avenue in Spencer are flooded.
19.5 flooding begins to affect the Breezy Meadows Addition in Spencer, and most of the city south of the river is flooded.
18 the Spencer Golf and Country Club begins flooding.
16.5 Highway 71 and Highway 18 begin to flood, and West Park Street, 1st Street, and 2nd Street in Spencer are flooded. Some homes and businesses in the southern portions of Spencer are also flooded.
16 Highway 18 near Hawk Valley WMA east of Spencer beings flooding.
14.5 County Road B40 southeast of Spencer begins flooding.
14 city sewers in Spencer can begin to back up. Highway 18 between Spencer and Dickens can start flooding if flows on the tributary creeks are also very high.
10 the right bank overflows, and minor flooding of the Spencer city park and some rural agricultural areas begins.
9.5 the lower left bank overflows and very minor flooding of low lands begins.
Photos
(1) Upstream View
(2) Downstream View
About This Location Collapse

Latitude: 43.136667° N, Longitude: 95.143889° W, Horizontal Datum: NAD27

River Stage
Reference Frame		 Gauge Height Flood Stage Uses
NWS stage 0 ft 10 ft Interpreting hydrographs and NWS watch, warnings, and forecasts, and inundation maps
Vertical Datum Elevation
(gauge height = 0)		 Elevation
(gauge height = flood stage)		 Elevation information source
NAVD88 Not Available Not Available Survey grade GPS equipment, FEMA flood plain maps, newer USGS topographic maps
NGVD 29 1294.56 ft 1304.56 ft Older USGS topographic maps, NGVD29 benchmarks
MSL Not Available Not Available Older USGS topographic maps, MSL benchmarks
Other Not Available Not Available  
Additional Information Collapse
How low could the river get?
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Hydrologic Resources Additional Resources
Collaborative Agencies Collapse
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.
NWS Information
National Weather Service
Sioux Falls Weather Forecast Office
26 Weather Lane
Sioux Falls, SD 57104-0198
(605) 330-4247
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