Elk Creek (SD) near Elm Springs, SD
River level and flood forecast · Meade County
Normal3.5 ftas of Mon 2 PM
The river is 8.5 ft below flood stage (12 ft).
Flow: 0 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 | 14 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 13 ft |
| Flood stage | 12 ft |
| Action stage | 10 ft |
| Record crest (February 18, 1997) | 16.22 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 14 ftMajor Flood Stage. Extensive flooding along the creek with inundation of structures and roads.
- 13 ftModerate Flood Stage. Some inundation of structures and roads near the creek are possible.
- 12 ftMinor flood stage. Flooding of agricultural land.
- 10 ftAction Stage. Flooding of low lying areas along the creek.
- 8 ftWater begins to overflow the lower banks.
Highest crests on record
- 16.22 ft — February 18, 1997
- 14.85 ft — May 28, 1996
- 14.21 ft — June 8, 1994
- 14 ft — June 6, 2008
- 13.7 ft — October 17, 1999
Recent crests: 7.37 ft (April 17, 2024) · 9.95 ft (June 24, 2023) · 8.17 ft (June 13, 2022) · 4.25 ft (May 27, 2021) · 5.5 ft (March 1, 2021)
Up and down the river, and nearby
- UpstreamElk Creek (SD) near Rapid City, SD
- DownstreamCheyenne River near Plainview, SD
- Belle Fourche River near Elm Springs, SD
- Cheyenne River near Wasta, SD
- Cheyenne River near Scenic, SD
- Rapid Creek near Farmingdale, SD
- Rapid Creek above Water Reclamation Facility near Rapid City, SD
- Rapid Creek below Hawthorne Ditch at Rapid City, SD
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (ELCS2); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.