Rivermatics

USGS Streamgage 06477000

James River near Forestburg, SD

James River near Forestburg, SD is USGS streamgage 06477000 in South Dakota, monitoring river discharge in hydrologic subbasin 10160011. It sits on the James River, alongside 14 other gauges Rivermatics tracks on the same river. It drains a watershed of about 17,613 square miles. Discharge records at this site go back to 1920. Typical flow runs near 348.1 cfs in July and 656.7 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.

View live conditions & forecast →

Gauge details

State
South Dakota
Drainage area
17,613 sq mi
Gauge elevation
1,224 ft
Subbasin (HUC-8)
10160011
Coordinates
43.97389, -98.07056
USGS site number
06477000
Records begin
1920-03-01 (106 years)
Rivermatics forecast
14-day flow outlook

14-day flow forecast

Based on observations through for James River near Forestburg, 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
168 186 204
159 180 201
149 174 201
139 170 209
128 164 208
125 163 213
123 165 231
117 163 241
110 158 239
105 154 239
99 148 237
92.7 143 234
90.4 142 231
86.6 139 228

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 76 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 2.1 42.6 250
February 3.1 38.1 330.1
March 13 226 2,305.3
April 48.6 656.7 6,421
May 48.1 709.8 5,575.8
June 35.3 615.2 3,492.3
July 11.3 348.1 2,272.3
August 2.3 229 2,160.3
September 0.7 100.2 1,718
October 1.8 71.9 1,166.5
November 3.9 97.4 772.5
December 3.5 74.3 407.3

All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).

Common questions

When does James River near Forestburg, SD normally run highest?
May, on the long-term record. The median daily flow that month is about 709.8 cfs, against 38.1 cfs in February, the lowest month. These are historical normals for the date, not a forecast and not today's reading.
What is a normal flow for James River near Forestburg, SD?
It depends on the month. In January, half of days historically fall near 42.6 cfs, with the middle 80% of days between 2.1 and 250 cfs. The month-by-month table on this page gives the full range.
How long has James River near Forestburg, SD been measured?
Discharge records at USGS site 06477000 begin in 1920, about 106 years, covering roughly 9,099 days of published daily values. The long record is what makes the monthly percentiles on this page meaningful.
Is there a flow forecast for James River near Forestburg, 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 James River near Forestburg, SD?
The gauge sits at 43.97389, -98.07056, in South Dakota, in hydrologic subbasin 10160011, at an elevation of about 1,224 feet, draining roughly 17,613 square miles.
Can I use James River near Forestburg, 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 James River

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

Other gauges in this subbasin