Rapid Creek below Pactola Dam, SD
River level and flood forecast · Pennington County
Normal7.2 ftas of Mon 1:15 PM
The river is 6.8 ft below flood stage (14 ft).
Flow: 18 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 | 16 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 15 ft |
| Flood stage | 14 ft |
| Action stage | 11.5 ft |
| Record crest (May 19, 1965) | 9 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 16 ftMajor Flood Stage. Extensive flooding along Rapid Creek with extensive inundation of structures and roads.
- 15 ftModerate Flood Stage. Parking lot below the dam becomes flooded. Some inundation of structures and roads along Rapid Creek are possible.
- 14 ftMinor Flood Stage. Minor flooding along the river.
- 12 ftWater touches the bottom of the bridge downstream from Pactola Dam.
- 11.5 ftRapid Creek begins to overflow the lower banks near the creek.
Highest crests on record
- 9 ft — May 19, 1965
- 8.98 ft — May 29, 2015
- 8.93 ft — July 18, 2019
- 8.86 ft — June 7, 1996
- 8.85 ft — July 2, 1998
Recent crests: 7.76 ft (July 31, 2024) · 8.34 ft (July 3, 2023) · 7.96 ft (June 6, 2022) · 8 ft (April 29, 2021) · 8.4 ft (May 4, 2020)
Up and down the river, and nearby
- DownstreamRapid Creek above Johnson Siding, SD
- Rapid Creek at Big Bend, SD
- Victoria Creek above Victoria Dam nr Rapid City, SD
- Boxelder Creek near Nemo, SD
- Rapid Creek at Silver City, SD
- Wild Irishman Gulch near Rapid City, SD
- Victoria Creek below Victoria Dam nr Rapid City, SD
- Rapid Creek above Victoria Creek near Rapid City, SD
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (RCBS2); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.