Rivermatics

USGS Streamgage 06418800

Rapid Creek above Wrf near Rapid City, SD

Rapid Creek above Wrf near Rapid City, SD is USGS streamgage 06418800 in South Dakota, monitoring river discharge in hydrologic subbasin 10120110. It sits on the Rapid Creek, alongside 10 other gauges Rivermatics tracks on the same river. It drains a watershed of about 449 square miles. Discharge records at this site go back to 2016. Typical flow runs near 77.8 cfs in July and 71.4 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
449 sq mi
Gauge elevation
3,007 ft
Subbasin (HUC-8)
10120110
Coordinates
44.02681, -103.10111
USGS site number
06418800
Records begin
2016-08-17 (10 years)
Rivermatics forecast
14-day flow outlook

14-day flow forecast

Based on observations through for Rapid Creek above Wrf near Rapid City, 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
14 16.6 19.9
13.9 17.6 25.9
14.2 19 31.7
14.2 19.7 32.9
15.7 22 41.4
17.1 26.1 52.6
15.5 23.3 45.1
15.1 22 38.3
15 21.5 35.7
15.8 23.2 40.4
14.8 21.1 34.3
14.4 20.7 33.5
13.5 19.3 30.2
12.4 18.3 29.6

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 10 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 31.5 55 84.1
February 36.6 56.3 84.8
March 42.3 57.8 125.1
April 34.4 71.4 276.1
May 33.5 79.5 520.1
June 28.8 88.9 664.7
July 33.7 77.8 654.9
August 27.1 53.7 286.3
September 22.1 47.8 151.8
October 33.4 54.4 179.2
November 45.2 66.7 106.2
December 33.7 62.9 89.4

All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).

Common questions

When does Rapid Creek above Wrf near Rapid City, SD normally run highest?
June, on the long-term record. The median daily flow that month is about 88.9 cfs, against 47.8 cfs in September, the lowest month. These are historical normals for the date, not a forecast and not today's reading.
What is a normal flow for Rapid Creek above Wrf near Rapid City, SD?
It depends on the month. In January, half of days historically fall near 55 cfs, with the middle 80% of days between 31.5 and 84.1 cfs. The month-by-month table on this page gives the full range.
How long has Rapid Creek above Wrf near Rapid City, SD been measured?
Discharge records at USGS site 06418800 begin in 2016, about 10 years, covering roughly 3,584 days of published daily values. The long record is what makes the monthly percentiles on this page meaningful.
Is there a flow forecast for Rapid Creek above Wrf near Rapid City, 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 Rapid Creek above Wrf near Rapid City, SD?
The gauge sits at 44.02681, -103.10111, in South Dakota, in hydrologic subbasin 10120110, at an elevation of about 3,007 feet, draining roughly 449 square miles.
Can I use Rapid Creek above Wrf near Rapid City, 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 Rapid Creek

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

Other gauges in this subbasin