Little Spearfish Creek near Lead, SD
River level and flood forecast · Lawrence County
Normal4.8 ftas of Mon 1 PM
The river is 2.7 ft below flood stage (7.5 ft).
Flow: 12 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 | 10 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 8.5 ft |
| Flood stage | 7.5 ft |
| Action stage | 6 ft |
| Record crest (May 2, 1997) | 23.4 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 10 ftMajor Flood Stage. Water 2-3 feet over Forest Service Road 222. Extensive flooding along the creek with inundation of structures and roads.
- 8.5 ftModerate Flood Stage. Water covers Forest Service Road 222. Some inundation of structures and roads near the creek are possible.
- 7.5 ftMinor Flood Stage. Water approaches Forest Service Road 222. Minor flooding along Little Spearfish Creek.
- 6 ftAction Stage and Bankfull. Lowland flooding along the creek.
- 5 ftWater overflows the natural channel.
Highest crests on record
- 23.4 ft — May 2, 1997
- 22.1 ft — December 6, 2000
- 21.5 ft — May 30, 1996
- 20.4 ft — May 10, 1995
- 18.2 ft — April 6, 2002
Recent crests: 5.29 ft (August 19, 2024) · 4.98 ft (August 4, 2023) · 4.73 ft (August 7, 2022) · 4.68 ft (May 31, 2022) · 4.82 ft (July 13, 2021)
Up and down the river, and nearby
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (LSLS2); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.