USGS Streamgage 06437200
Bear Butte Creek near Galena, SD
Bear Butte Creek near Galena, SD is USGS streamgage 06437200 in South Dakota, monitoring river discharge in hydrologic subbasin 10120202. It sits on the Bear Butte Creek, alongside 2 other gauges Rivermatics tracks on the same river. It drains a watershed of about 52 square miles. Discharge records at this site go back to 1965. Typical flow runs near 1.2 cfs in July and 10.8 cfs in April, with the higher of the two arriving in April.
Gauge details
- State
- South Dakota
- Drainage area
- 52 sq mi
- Gauge elevation
- 3,774 ft
- Subbasin (HUC-8)
- 10120202
- Coordinates
- 44.39639, -103.58222
- USGS site number
- 06437200
- Records begin
- 1965-05-15 (61 years)
Typical flow by month
Long-term daily discharge percentiles from the USGS record (up to 5 years of data), averaged within each month. These describe the historical normal range — they are not a forecast and not today's reading.
| Month | Low p10 | Typical p50 | High p90 | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | — | 0 | — | |
| February | — | 0 | — | |
| March | — | 0.3 | — | |
| April | — | 10.8 | — | |
| May | — | 11.3 | — | |
| June | — | 3.9 | — | |
| July | — | 1.2 | — | |
| August | — | 0 | — | |
| September | — | 0 | — | |
| October | — | 0 | — | |
| November | — | 0 | — | |
| December | — | 0 | — |
All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).
Common questions
- When does Bear Butte Creek near Galena, SD normally run highest?
- May, on the long-term record. The median daily flow that month is about 11.3 cfs, against 0 cfs in January, the lowest month. These are historical normals for the date, not a forecast and not today's reading.
- How long has Bear Butte Creek near Galena, SD been measured?
- Discharge records at USGS site 06437200 begin in 1965, about 61 years, covering roughly 78 days of published daily values. The long record is what makes the monthly percentiles on this page meaningful.
- Where is Bear Butte Creek near Galena, SD?
- The gauge sits at 44.39639, -103.58222, in South Dakota, in hydrologic subbasin 10120202, at an elevation of about 3,774 feet, draining roughly 52 square miles.
- Can I use Bear Butte Creek near Galena, SD data for flood or safety decisions?
- No. Rivermatics provides estimates, not guarantees, and the readings and forecasts here may be delayed, inaccurate, or wrong. Do not use them for navigation or for any safety, rescue, or emergency decision. Check the National Weather Service and USGS directly, and use your own judgment.
Upstream and downstream on the Bear Butte Creek
Every gauge Rivermatics tracks on this river, ordered by drainage area — upstream first. See the Bear Butte Creek in full.
- Bear Butte Creek near Deadwood, SD 16 sq mi
- Bear Butte Creek near Galena, SD this page
- Bear Butte Creek near Sturgis, SD 181 sq mi