446  
NOUS43 KFSD 181930 CCA  
PNSFSD  
IAZ001>003-012>014-020>022-031-032-MNZ071-072-080-081-089-090-097-  
098-NEZ013-014-SDZ038>040-050-052>071-190015-  
 
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD  
230 PM CDT THU JUN 18 2026  
   
..CORRECTED THE CANTON NEW MAJOR FLOOD STAGE
 
 
TO: FAMILY OF SERVICES /FOS/SUBSCRIBERS...NOAA WEATHER WISE  
SERVICE/NWWS/SUBSCRIBERS...EMERGENCY MANAGERS WEATHER INFORMATION  
NETWORK/EMWIN/SUBSCRIBERS...NOAAPORT SUBSCRIBERS...OTHER NATIONAL  
WEATHER SERVICE/NWS/CUSTOMER AND PARTNERS...NWS EMPLOYEES.  
 
FROM: TODD HEITKAMP, NWS SIOUX FALLS METEOROLOGIST-IN-CHARGE  
ANDREW KALIN, NWS SIOUX FALLS SENIOR SERVICE HYDROLOGIST  
 
SUBJECT: UPCOMING CHANGE TO FLOOD SEVERITY CATEGORIES ON THE BIG  
SIOUX RIVER, SKUNK CREEK, SPLIT ROCK CREEK, AND FLOYD RIVER  
 
A COMBINATION OF RECENT IN-PERSON RIVER SURVEYS, LIDAR ANALYSIS,  
ARCHIVED SATELLITE IMAGERY, IMPACTS FROM PREVIOUS FLOOD EVENTS AND  
CONSULTATION WITH LOCAL AND STATE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS  
HAVE CONCLUDED THAT ADJUSTMENTS TO THE FLOOD SEVERITY CATEGORIES AT  
SELECT RIVER GAUGE LOCATIONS WITHIN THE BIG SIOUX RIVER AND FLOYD  
RIVER BASINS IN SOUTHEASTERN SOUTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST IOWA WOULD  
BETTER ALIGN THE CATEGORIES WITH THE NOTED IMPACTS.  
 
STRUCTURES BEING MOVED OUT OF THE FLOODPLAIN, ROADS AND HIGHWAYS  
BEING RAISED OR NEW RIVER GAUGE INSTALLATIONS IMPACTING THE RIVER  
REACH OF AN ASSOCIATED GAUGE ARE FACTORS THAT HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO  
THE CHANGES IN IMPACTS OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS. BELOW ARE THE  
IMPACTED RIVER GAUGE LOCATIONS AND NEW CATEGORY LEVELS:  
 
BIG SIOUX RIVER NEAR DELL RAPIDS (DERS2)  
PREVIOUS ACTION STAGE: 11.0 FT NEW ACTION STAGE: 10.0 FT  
PREVIOUS MINOR STAGE: 12.0 FT NEW MINOR STAGE: NO CHANGE  
PREVIOUS MODERATE STAGE: 14.0 FT NEW MODERATE STAGE: NO CHANGE  
PREVIOUS MAJOR STAGE: 15.0 FT NEW MAJOR STAGE: NO CHANGE  
 
SKUNK CREEK AT SIOUX FALLS (SIFS2)  
PREVIOUS ACTION STAGE: 9.5 FT NEW ACTION STAGE: NO CHANGE  
PREVIOUS MINOR STAGE: 11.5 FT NEW MINOR STAGE: NO CHANGE  
PREVIOUS MODERATE STAGE: 15.0 FT NEW MODERATE STAGE: 14.0 FT  
PREVIOUS MAJOR STAGE: 17.0 FT NEW MAJOR STAGE: 18.0 FT  
 
SPLIT ROCK CREEK NEAR CORSON (COSS2)  
PREVIOUS ACTION STAGE: 7.5 FT NEW ACTION STAGE: NO CHANGE  
PREVIOUS MINOR STAGE: 8.5 FT NEW MINOR STAGE: NO CHANGE  
PREVIOUS MODERATE STAGE: 11.0 FT NEW MODERATE STAGE: NO CHANGE  
PREVIOUS MAJOR STAGE: 14.0 FT NEW MAJOR STAGE: 16.0 FT  
 
FLOYD RIVER AT SHELDON (SHLI4)  
PREVIOUS ACTION STAGE: 10.0 FT NEW ACTION STAGE: NO CHANGE  
PREVIOUS MINOR STAGE: 12.0 FT NEW MINOR STAGE: NO CHANGE  
PREVIOUS MODERATE STAGE: 14.0 FT NEW MODERATE STAGE: NO CHANGE  
PREVIOUS MAJOR STAGE: 16.0 FT NEW MAJOR STAGE: 18.0 FT  
 
BIG SIOUX RIVER SIOUX FALLS WESTERN AVE (WAVS2)  
PREVIOUS ACTION STAGE: 7.0 FT NEW ACTION STAGE: 6.5 FT  
PREVIOUS MINOR STAGE: 8.0 FT NEW MINOR STAGE: NO CHANGE  
PREVIOUS MODERATE STAGE: 12.0 FT NEW MODERATE STAGE: NO CHANGE  
PREVIOUS MAJOR STAGE: 14.0 FT NEW MAJOR STAGE: NO CHANGE  
 
BIG SIOUX RIVER NEAR BRANDON (BBSS2)  
PREVIOUS ACTION STAGE: 1302.0 FT NEW ACTION STAGE: NO CHANGE  
PREVIOUS MINOR STAGE: 1304.0 FT NEW MINOR STAGE: NO CHANGE  
PREVIOUS MODERATE STAGE: 1307.0 FT NEW MODERATE STAGE: 1309.0 FT  
PREVIOUS MAJOR STAGE: 1309.0 NEW MAJOR STAGE: 1312.0 FT  
 
BIG SIOUX RIVER NEAR CANTON (CBSS2)  
PREVIOUS ACTION STAGE: 1233.0 FT NEW ACTION STAGE: NO CHANGE  
PREVIOUS MINOR STAGE: 1235.0 FT NEW MINOR STAGE: NO CHANGE  
PREVIOUS MODERATE STAGE: 1238.0 FT NEW MODERATE STAGE: NO CHANGE  
PREVIOUS MAJOR STAGE: 1240.0 FT NEW MAJOR STAGE: 1245.0 FT  
 
THIS CHANGE IS PLANNED TO GO INTO EFFECT ON OR AROUND JUNE 25, 2026.  
 
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, PLEASE CONTACT:  
 
ANDREW KALIN  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS, SD  
26 WEATHER LANE  
SIOUX FALLS, SD 57104  
605-330-4247  
ANDREW.KALIN@NOAA.GOV  
 

 
 
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