Bear Butte Creek in Boulder Canyon, SD
River level and flood forecast · Lawrence County
Normal3.4 ftas of Mon 2:15 PM
The river is 3.1 ft below flood stage (6.5 ft).
The last 7 days and the forecast
NWS forecast issued Sun, Dec 31, 5 PM. Forecasts change as rain falls and as upstream water arrives.
Flood stages
| Major flood stage | 10 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 8 ft |
| Flood stage | 6.5 ft |
| Action stage | 5.5 ft |
| Record crest (July 4, 2019) | 7.86 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 10 ftMajor flood stage. Extensive flooding along Bear Butte Creek with inundation of structures and roads in Boulder Canyon and Sturgis.
- 8 ftModerate flood stage. Some inundation of structures and roads along Bear Butte Creek in Boulder Canyon and Sturgis.
- 6.5 ftFlood stage. Flooding affects secondary roads near Sturgis. The low water crossing a quarter mile upstream from the gage floods and access to homes is cutoff.
- 5.7 ftAccess roads off of Boulder Canyon Road can become impassable.
- 5.5 ftAction stage. Flooding of low lying areas along the creek.
- 4 ftWater begins to flow in the creek through Sturgis.
Highest crests on record
- 7.86 ft — July 4, 2019
- 6.08 ft — June 6, 2008
- 5.77 ft — June 2, 2007
- 5.72 ft — June 18, 1998
- 5.18 ft — May 21, 2013
Recent crests: 4.71 ft (April 16, 2024) · 4.43 ft (May 17, 2023) · 4.49 ft (May 31, 2022) · 3.64 ft (July 5, 2021) · 4.32 ft (April 24, 2020)
Up and down the river, and nearby
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (BOUS2); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.