River stage
Yankton, James River
- River level
- 3.51 ft
- Status
- Below flood stage
- 7-day change
- -0.09 ft
- Recent high
- 4.41 ft
- Recent low
- 2.97 ft
Last reported 2026-10-13 | NWS YNNS2
- 30-day change
- -0.23 ft
- Average
- 3.78 ft
- Readings
- 116
- Data span
- 122 days
- Record crest
- 27.84 ft
In brief
The James River at Yankton, SD read 3.51 ft on Oct 13, 2026, 6.49 ft below action stage. That is 0.23 ft lower than 30 days earlier.
Source: National Weather Service gauge YNNS2
River level timeline
Stage threshold profile
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Crest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 27.84 ft | 2019-09-14 |
| 2 | 24.34 ft | 1984-06-23 |
| 3 | 22.94 ft | 1997-04-09 |
| 4 | 22.75 ft | 2010-03-20 |
| 5 | 22.24 ft | 2011-03-28 |
| 6 | 22.17 ft | 2024-06-25 |
| 7 | 21.95 ft | 2001-04-14 |
| 8 | 21.46 ft | 1995-05-30 |
Flood crests recorded at this gauge by the National Weather Service.
What happens at each level
- 12.00 ft
Agricultural flooding begins off the left bank near the gauge.
- 14.00 ft
Significant agricultural flooding with the floodplain roughly a mile wide in some areas.
- 16.00 ft
SW Jim River Road near 301st St floods.
- 17.00 ft
SW Jim River Road north of 303rd Street begins flooding.
- 18.50 ft
SW Jim River Road near 305th Street begins flooding as does NE Jim River Rd near 300th St.
- 21.00 ft
Water approaches Hwy 46 and may begin to overtop it.
- 22.00 ft
303rd St east of the gauge location begins to flood. Some levees protecting structures along the river may be in danger of being overtopped.
- 25.00 ft
Hwy 81 may be in danger of flooding. The bridge on 303rd St at the gauge will be overtopped
- 27.00 ft
Water reaches the bottom of the railroad bridge near 309th St.
- 28.00 ft
Water reaches the bottom of the bridge on 309th St.
Written by the local National Weather Service forecast office for this exact gauge.
Frequently asked questions
Is the James River flooding at Yankton?
No. The James River at Yankton is at 3.51 ft, 6.49 ft below action stage.
What is the flood stage at Yankton?
The National Weather Service sets action stage 10 ft, minor flooding 12 ft, moderate flooding 16 ft and major flooding 21 ft.
What is the highest the James River has been at Yankton?
The highest crest on record is 27.84 ft, on 2019-09-14.
Is the James River high or low right now at Yankton?
At 3.51 ft it is higher than 21% of readings over the last 122 days.
Stage and flood information from the NOAA National Weather Service (gauge YNNS2); daily history from the U.S. Geological Survey (site 06478513). Last reading 2026-10-13. For flood safety decisions always follow official National Weather Service warnings.