Rivermatics

USGS Streamgage 06437000

Belle Fourche River near Sturgis, SD

Belle Fourche River near Sturgis, SD is USGS streamgage 06437000 in South Dakota, monitoring river discharge in hydrologic subbasin 10120202. It sits on the Belle Fourche River, alongside 5 other gauges Rivermatics tracks on the same river. It drains a watershed of about 5,798 square miles. Discharge records at this site go back to 1945. Typical flow runs near 263.2 cfs in July and 126.5 cfs in April, with the higher of the two arriving in July. Rivermatics issues a daily machine-learned flow outlook for this gauge, reaching 14 days ahead.

View live conditions & forecast →

Gauge details

State
South Dakota
Drainage area
5,798 sq mi
Gauge elevation
2,540 ft
Subbasin (HUC-8)
10120202
Coordinates
44.51306, -103.13639
USGS site number
06437000
Records begin
1945-11-07 (81 years)
Rivermatics forecast
14-day flow outlook

14-day flow forecast

Based on observations through for Belle Fourche River near Sturgis, 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.

Forecast daily mean discharge in cubic feet per second, by date
Date Low p10 Expected p50 High p90 Range
114 131 148
111 134 156
111 138 165
109 139 168
108 141 174
104 139 171
106 142 180
111 151 188
105 151 189
95.7 145 182
86.1 137 174
79.1 131 170
70.9 126 167
66.2 121 163

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 73 years of data), averaged within each month. These describe the historical normal range — they are not a forecast and not today's reading.

Historical monthly discharge percentiles in cubic feet per second
Month Low p10 Typical p50 High p90 Range
January 9.5 28.8 245.5
February 12.6 43.4 386.5
March 24.8 96.7 1,029.5
April 34.9 126.5 1,075.5
May 52.5 230.8 1,741.6
June 92.5 263.4 1,694.8
July 136.6 263.2 601
August 147.9 265.7 446.2
September 87 226.9 366.5
October 32.7 76.9 265
November 27.4 52.1 214.7
December 18.2 36.5 226.8

All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).

Common questions

When does Belle Fourche River near Sturgis, SD normally run highest?
August, on the long-term record. The median daily flow that month is about 265.7 cfs, against 28.8 cfs in January, the lowest month. These are historical normals for the date, not a forecast and not today's reading.
What is a normal flow for Belle Fourche River near Sturgis, SD?
It depends on the month. In January, half of days historically fall near 28.8 cfs, with the middle 80% of days between 9.5 and 245.5 cfs. The month-by-month table on this page gives the full range.
How long has Belle Fourche River near Sturgis, SD been measured?
Discharge records at USGS site 06437000 begin in 1945, about 81 years, covering roughly 9,102 days of published daily values. The long record is what makes the monthly percentiles on this page meaningful.
Is there a flow forecast for Belle Fourche River near Sturgis, 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 Belle Fourche River near Sturgis, SD?
The gauge sits at 44.51306, -103.13639, in South Dakota, in hydrologic subbasin 10120202, at an elevation of about 2,540 feet, draining roughly 5,798 square miles.
Can I use Belle Fourche River near Sturgis, 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 Belle Fourche River

Every gauge Rivermatics tracks on this river, ordered by drainage area — upstream first. See the Belle Fourche River in full.

Other gauges in this subbasin