River stage
Scotland, James River
- River level
- 4.26 ft
- Status
- Below flood stage
- 7-day change
- -0.15 ft
- Recent high
- 6.11 ft
- Recent low
- 4.19 ft
Last reported 2026-10-13 | NWS SCOS2
- 30-day change
- -0.32 ft
- Average
- 5.13 ft
- Readings
- 122
- Data span
- 122 days
- Record crest
- 22.22 ft
In brief
The James River at Scotland, SD read 4.26 ft on Oct 13, 2026, 6.74 ft below action stage. That is 0.32 ft lower than 30 days earlier.
Source: National Weather Service gauge SCOS2
River level timeline
Stage threshold profile
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Crest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 22.22 ft | 2019-09-13 |
| 2 | 20.45 ft | 1984-06-23 |
| 3 | 20.23 ft | 2024-06-21 |
| 4 | 19.88 ft | 2001-04-13 |
| 5 | 19.81 ft | 1997-04-08 |
| 6 | 19.79 ft | 2010-03-19 |
| 7 | 19.76 ft | 1993-07-06 |
| 8 | 19.52 ft | 2011-03-27 |
Flood crests recorded at this gauge by the National Weather Service.
What happens at each level
- 11.00 ft
The lower left bank overflows with some very minor flooding of low lying areas.
- 13.00 ft
Significant agricultural flooding begins.
- 14.00 ft
Approximately 4400 acres of farmland are flooded between Mitchell and Yankton.
- 16.00 ft
Approximately 22850 acres of farmland are flooded between Mitchell and Yankton. The lowest portions of SW Jim River Rd between Maxwell rd and Hwy 18 begin to flood and water approaches 431st Ave.
- 17.50 ft
Flooding begins to affect some farm buildings and rural structures and 431st Ave is flooded.
- 18.00 ft
Residential structures are at risk of flooding, especially if levee protection fails. Highway 44 south of Milltown and Keiber Road in Milltown will be flooded.
- 19.00 ft
Structures near the mouth of Wolf Creek may flood if the flow from the creek is also high.
- 20.00 ft
Highway 44 between Parkston and Freeman, Highway 46 west of Irene, Stone Church Road between Highway 46 and Menno, Highway 81 north of Yankton, and the Jamesville Colony Road in northern Yankton County will all be flooded.
- 21.00 ft
Additional levees protecting structures along the river may be overtopped. Water reaches the bottom of the bridge on 431st Avenue 4 miles southeast of the Maxwell Colony. Maxwell road about 200 yards northeast of the bridge begins to flood.
- 22.00 ft
Water reaches the bottom of the bridge on Highway 18 near Olivet and begins to flood the low spot of the road east of the bridge.
Written by the local National Weather Service forecast office for this exact gauge.
Frequently asked questions
Is the James River flooding at Scotland?
No. The James River at Scotland is at 4.26 ft, 6.74 ft below action stage.
What is the flood stage at Scotland?
The National Weather Service sets action stage 11 ft, minor flooding 13 ft, moderate flooding 16 ft and major flooding 18 ft.
What is the highest the James River has been at Scotland?
The highest crest on record is 22.22 ft, on 2019-09-13.
Is the James River high or low right now at Scotland?
At 4.26 ft it is higher than 3% of readings over the last 122 days.
Stage and flood information from the NOAA National Weather Service (gauge SCOS2); daily history from the U.S. Geological Survey (site 06478500). Last reading 2026-10-13. For flood safety decisions always follow official National Weather Service warnings.