Kayak Love

South Dakota · river

Big Sioux River at Sioux Falls

USGS monitoring location. Launch access and paddling suitability have not been verified.

Weather comparison · not a safety rating

87

Favorable weather

Weather score out of 100

Weather only. This is a monitoring station, not a verified launch. Access, hazards and suitable flow are unknown.

Weather observation: Tue, 29 Sep 2026 08:15:00 GMT.

River observation: Tue, 29 Sep 2026 08:00:00 GMT.

Page checked: Tue, 29 Sep 2026 08:29:53 GMT. Readings older than one hour are not used for the current score.

Photograph taken near Big Sioux River at Sioux Falls
Nearby on Wikimedia Commons — Sioux Falls Outdoor Campus.jpg by Sdgjake, CC BY-SA 3.0. Taken within 10km of this location — it may not show the launch itself.

Wind

9 mph

gusting to 19 mph

Air temp

63°F

44% chance of rain

River flow

108 cfs

normal for this date

Weather outlook

Wednesday · 100

  • Tue

    49

  • Wed

    100

    Best

  • Thu

    49

  • Fri

    85

  • Sat

    65

  • Sun

    96

  • Mon

    59

Compares forecast wind, air temperature and rain. Does not assess river flow, swell, currents, water temperature or launch access. All times are local to this location.

Wind, next 12 hours

mph
Hourly wind forecast
HourWind (mph)Gusts (mph)
3a1019
4a1019
5a1017
6a1118
7a1121
8a1222
9a1326
10a1329
11a1226
12p1222
1p1017
2p1015

Is this flow normal for September 29?

Today's 108 cfs is 33% above the median for this date — which counts as normal water here.

The median flow on this date is 81 cfs, across 81 years of USGS record at this gauge. Whether that is runnable depends on the stretch — this is context, not a recommendation.

Why this score

  • Wind — 9 mph — moderate wind at the forecast location-7
  • Rain — 44% chance in the next 6 hours-6

We don't have launch notes for this one

This page is built from the USGS gauge at this location, and uses available public readings. We haven't verified where to put in, what the hazards are, or whether this stretch is legal or sensible to paddle. We'd rather say that than invent it. The links below are where to find out.

We also don't have a verified safe-flow range here, so the Paddle Score reflects weather only. Judge the flow number against local knowledge, not against our score.

Do your own homework

We show you live conditions. For local knowledge — where to put in, what the hazards are, whether it's worth the drive — here's where paddlers actually talk about this water. We don't vet these sources; check the dates and judge for yourself.

Nearby water

All paddling spots in South Dakota →