River stage
Mitchell, James River
- River level
- 10.00 ft
- Status
- Below flood stage
- 7-day change
- -0.09 ft
- Recent high
- 13.74 ft
- Recent low
- 9.96 ft
Last reported 2026-10-13 | NWS JRMS2
- 30-day change
- -0.29 ft
- Average
- 11.61 ft
- Readings
- 122
- Data span
- 122 days
- Record crest
- 25.33 ft
In brief
The James River at Mitchell, SD read 10.00 ft on Oct 13, 2026, 6.00 ft below action stage. That is 0.29 ft lower than 30 days earlier.
Source: National Weather Service gauge JRMS2
River level timeline
Stage threshold profile
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Crest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 25.33 ft | 2001-04-11 |
| 2 | 25.20 ft | 2011-03-25 |
| 3 | 25.05 ft | 2019-09-13 |
| 4 | 25.03 ft | 2010-06-16 |
| 5 | 24.38 ft | 2007-05-10 |
| 6 | 23.73 ft | 2024-06-23 |
| 7 | 23.52 ft | 2019-03-25 |
| 8 | 23.14 ft | 1997-04-07 |
Flood crests recorded at this gauge by the National Weather Service.
What happens at each level
- 15.00 ft
The lowest banks begin to be overtopped.
- 17.00 ft
Low lying agricultural land begins to flood.
- 19.00 ft
Sizable areas of agricultural land near the river are flooded.
- 21.50 ft
Shannard/Old Mill Road east of Mitchell is flooded.
- 22.00 ft
Water overtops 257th Street about 100 yards east of the bridge.
- 23.00 ft
416th Avenue is flooded near Rosedale Colony.
- 23.50 ft
1st Avenue by the golf course is flooded.
- 24.00 ft
Highway 38 east of Mitchell begins flooding. 416th Avenue and 257th Street are flooded.
- 25.00 ft
Highway 42 east of Ethan will be flooded. Water reaches the bottom of the bridge on 257th Street at the gauge.
- 27.50 ft
Water reaches the top of the bridge on 416th Ave
Written by the local National Weather Service forecast office for this exact gauge.
Frequently asked questions
Is the James River flooding at Mitchell?
No. The James River at Mitchell is at 10.0 ft, 6.0 ft below action stage.
What is the flood stage at Mitchell?
The National Weather Service sets action stage 16 ft, minor flooding 17 ft, moderate flooding 21.5 ft and major flooding 24 ft.
What is the highest the James River has been at Mitchell?
The highest crest on record is 25.33 ft, on 2001-04-11.
Is the James River high or low right now at Mitchell?
At 10.0 ft it is higher than 1% of readings over the last 122 days.
Stage and flood information from the NOAA National Weather Service (gauge JRMS2); daily history from the U.S. Geological Survey (site 06478000). Last reading 2026-10-13. For flood safety decisions always follow official National Weather Service warnings.