Rivermatics

USGS Streamgage 06411500

Rapid Creek below Pactola Dam, SD

Rapid Creek below Pactola Dam, SD is USGS streamgage 06411500 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 321 square miles. Discharge records at this site go back to 1929. Typical flow runs near 79.3 cfs in July and 36.3 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
321 sq mi
Gauge elevation
4,417 ft
Subbasin (HUC-8)
10120110
Coordinates
44.07667, -103.48167
USGS site number
06411500
Records begin
1929-05-01 (97 years)
Rivermatics forecast
14-day flow outlook

14-day flow forecast

Based on observations through for Rapid Creek below Pactola Dam, 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
42 44.2 45.8
40.3 43.8 46.6
38.2 43.3 46.7
36.2 42.6 47.2
33.7 42 47.4
32.4 41.3 47.9
32.5 45.6 63.8
28.7 40.7 53.6
25.5 39.1 53
24.3 38.2 53.1
23.2 37.4 52.7
22.5 37 52.6
21.8 36.7 52.4
22.2 36.8 52.5

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 63 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 14.1 20.6 44.7
February 14 20 44.6
March 13.9 24.5 66.1
April 15.3 36.3 127.8
May 20.2 66.3 240.9
June 27.5 71.9 353.3
July 45.5 79.3 165.6
August 38 61.5 125.3
September 25 45.9 86.7
October 13.8 22.5 62.3
November 13.7 20.8 49.7
December 14 20.3 49.2

All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).

Common questions

When does Rapid Creek below Pactola Dam, SD normally run highest?
July, on the long-term record. The median daily flow that month is about 79.3 cfs, against 20 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 Rapid Creek below Pactola Dam, SD?
It depends on the month. In January, half of days historically fall near 20.6 cfs, with the middle 80% of days between 14.1 and 44.7 cfs. The month-by-month table on this page gives the full range.
How long has Rapid Creek below Pactola Dam, SD been measured?
Discharge records at USGS site 06411500 begin in 1929, about 97 years, covering roughly 9,200 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 below Pactola Dam, 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 below Pactola Dam, SD?
The gauge sits at 44.07667, -103.48167, in South Dakota, in hydrologic subbasin 10120110, at an elevation of about 4,417 feet, draining roughly 321 square miles.
Can I use Rapid Creek below Pactola Dam, 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