USGS Streamgage 06442500
Medicine Creek at Kennebec, SD
Medicine Creek at Kennebec, SD is USGS streamgage 06442500 in South Dakota, monitoring river discharge in hydrologic subbasin 10140104. It drains a watershed of about 447 square miles. Discharge records at this site go back to 1952. Typical flow runs near 0 cfs in July and 1.3 cfs in April, with the higher of the two arriving in April.
Gauge details
- State
- South Dakota
- Drainage area
- 447 sq mi
- Gauge elevation
- 1,673 ft
- Subbasin (HUC-8)
- 10140104
- Coordinates
- 43.90525, -99.87578
- USGS site number
- 06442500
- Records begin
- 1952-04-01 (74 years)
Typical flow by month
Long-term daily discharge percentiles from the USGS record (up to 37 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 | 0 | 0 | |
| February | 0 | 0 | 1.7 | |
| March | 0 | 1.3 | 180.2 | |
| April | 0 | 1.3 | 137.7 | |
| May | 0 | 0.3 | 80.7 | |
| June | 0 | 0.1 | 62.2 | |
| July | 0 | 0 | 3.6 | |
| August | 0 | 0 | 0.6 | |
| September | 0 | 0 | 1.3 | |
| October | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| November | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| December | 0 | 0 | 0 |
All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).
Common questions
- When does Medicine Creek at Kennebec, SD normally run highest?
- March, on the long-term record. The median daily flow that month is about 1.3 cfs, against 0 cfs in January, the lowest month. These are historical normals for the date, not a forecast and not today's reading.
- What is a normal flow for Medicine Creek at Kennebec, SD?
- It depends on the month. In January, half of days historically fall near 0 cfs, with the middle 80% of days between 0 and 0 cfs. The month-by-month table on this page gives the full range.
- How long has Medicine Creek at Kennebec, SD been measured?
- Discharge records at USGS site 06442500 begin in 1952, about 74 years. The long record is what makes the monthly percentiles on this page meaningful.
- Where is Medicine Creek at Kennebec, SD?
- The gauge sits at 43.90525, -99.87578, in South Dakota, in hydrologic subbasin 10140104, at an elevation of about 1,673 feet, draining roughly 447 square miles.
- Can I use Medicine Creek at Kennebec, 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.