USGS Streamgage 06402500
Beaver Creek near Buffalo Gap, SD
Beaver Creek near Buffalo Gap, SD is USGS streamgage 06402500 in South Dakota, monitoring river discharge in hydrologic subbasin 10120109. It drains a watershed of about 127 square miles. Discharge records at this site go back to 1927. Typical flow runs near 4.2 cfs in July and 8.2 cfs in April, with the higher of the two arriving in April. Rivermatics issues a daily machine-learned flow outlook for this gauge, reaching 14 days ahead.
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Gauge details
- State
- South Dakota
- Drainage area
- 127 sq mi
- Gauge elevation
- 3,169 ft
- Subbasin (HUC-8)
- 10120109
- Coordinates
- 43.46667, -103.30556
- USGS site number
- 06402500
- Records begin
- 1927-01-01 (99 years)
- Rivermatics forecast
- 14-day flow outlook
14-day flow forecast
Based on observations through for Beaver Creek near Buffalo Gap, SD. Each day carries a median estimate and the band the model expects the flow to fall within — not a single number to plan against. Forecasts are re-issued daily; see the live screen for the current outlook.
| Date | Low p10 | Expected p50 | High p90 | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.6 | 6.2 | 6.7 | ||
| 5.2 | 6.1 | 6.9 | ||
| 5 | 6.1 | 7 | ||
| 4.8 | 6 | 7.5 | ||
| 4.5 | 6 | 7.3 | ||
| 4.4 | 6 | 7.5 | ||
| 4.7 | 6.4 | 9.3 | ||
| 4.4 | 6.3 | 8.9 | ||
| 4 | 6.2 | 8.6 | ||
| 4 | 6.2 | 8.5 | ||
| 4 | 6.2 | 8.4 | ||
| 4.1 | 6.3 | 8.5 | ||
| 4.1 | 6.3 | 8.7 | ||
| 4.1 | 6.4 | 8.8 |
All values in cubic feet per second (cfs). Estimates only — do not use them for navigation or for any safety, rescue, or emergency decision.
Typical flow by month
Long-term daily discharge percentiles from the USGS record (up to 88 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 | 7.4 | 10 | 12.4 | |
| February | 7.7 | 10 | 12 | |
| March | 6.9 | 9.6 | 12.4 | |
| April | 1.3 | 8.2 | 12.4 | |
| May | 0.7 | 5.2 | 12.5 | |
| June | 0.6 | 6.5 | 15.1 | |
| July | 0.4 | 4.2 | 12.1 | |
| August | 0.3 | 3.3 | 11.1 | |
| September | 0.7 | 5.7 | 10.7 | |
| October | 2.3 | 8.4 | 11.7 | |
| November | 5.9 | 9.7 | 12 | |
| December | 7.1 | 9.9 | 12.2 |
All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).
Common questions
- When does Beaver Creek near Buffalo Gap, SD normally run highest?
- January, on the long-term record. The median daily flow that month is about 10 cfs, against 3.3 cfs in August, the lowest month. These are historical normals for the date, not a forecast and not today's reading.
- What is a normal flow for Beaver Creek near Buffalo Gap, SD?
- It depends on the month. In January, half of days historically fall near 10 cfs, with the middle 80% of days between 7.4 and 12.4 cfs. The month-by-month table on this page gives the full range.
- How long has Beaver Creek near Buffalo Gap, SD been measured?
- Discharge records at USGS site 06402500 begin in 1927, about 99 years, covering roughly 9,115 days of published daily values. The long record is what makes the monthly percentiles on this page meaningful.
- Is there a flow forecast for Beaver Creek near Buffalo Gap, SD?
- Yes. Rivermatics trains a machine-learned model — a temporal-fusion transformer — on this basin's observed flows, weather, and snowpack, and issues a daily flow outlook reaching 14 days ahead: a median estimate inside a confidence band, not a single number to bet on. Every forecast is scored against days the model never trained on, and that track record is published on the live gauge screen. Open live conditions to see the current outlook.
- Where is Beaver Creek near Buffalo Gap, SD?
- The gauge sits at 43.46667, -103.30556, in South Dakota, in hydrologic subbasin 10120109, at an elevation of about 3,169 feet, draining roughly 127 square miles.
- Can I use Beaver Creek near Buffalo Gap, 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.