Belle Fourche River near Elm Springs, SD
River level and flood forecast · Meade County
Normal3.7 ftas of Mon 1 PM
The river is 15.3 ft below flood stage (19 ft).
Flow: 11 cubic feet per second (USGS).
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 | 24 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 22 ft |
| Flood stage | 19 ft |
| Action stage | 17 ft |
| Record crest (May 5, 1927) | 25.8 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 24 ftMajor flood stage. Major flooding of agricultural land. Extensive flooding along the river with inundation of structures and roads.
- 22 ftModerate flood stage. Additional flooding of agricultural land. Some inundation of structures and roads near the river are possible.
- 19 ftMinor Flood Stage. Flooding of agricultural land along the river.
- 17 ftAction Stage. Flooding of low lying areas along the Belle Fourche River begins.
Highest crests on record
- 25.8 ft — May 5, 1927
- 24 ft — May 25, 1933
- 23.73 ft — June 6, 2008
- 23.72 ft — May 10, 1995
- 22.22 ft — May 21, 1982
Recent crests: 9.66 ft (April 16, 2025) · 16.09 ft (June 24, 2023) · 9.36 ft (June 13, 2022) · 5.36 ft (May 26, 2021) · 7.05 ft (February 6, 2021)
Up and down the river, and nearby
- UpstreamBelle Fourche River near Sturgis, SD
- DownstreamCheyenne River near Plainview, SD
- Elk Creek (SD) near Elm Springs, SD
- Cheyenne River near Wasta, SD
- Elk Creek (SD) near Rapid City, SD
- Cheyenne River near Scenic, SD
- Rapid Creek near Farmingdale, SD
- Rapid Creek above Water Reclamation Facility near Rapid City, SD
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (EMSS2); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.