Kayak Love

South Dakota · river

James River at Huron

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

Weather comparison · not a safety rating

77

Mostly favorable

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 04:15:00 GMT.

River observation: Tue, 29 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT.

Page checked: Tue, 29 Sep 2026 04:23:21 GMT. Readings older than one hour are not used for the current score.

Photograph taken near James River at Huron
Nearby on Wikimedia Commons — Drought Increases the Risk of Soil Erosion and Nitrogen Leaching (8075018583).jpg by USDA NRCS South Dakota, Public domain. Taken within 10km of this location — it may not show the launch itself.

Wind

13 mph

gusting to 24 mph

Air temp

66°F

30% chance of rain

River flow

119 cfs

normal for this date

Weather outlook

Wednesday · 94

  • Mon

    51

  • Tue

    50

  • Wed

    94

    Best

  • Thu

    67

  • Fri

    33

  • Sat

    35

  • Sun

    93

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)
11p1324
12a1324
1a1425
2a1329
3a1328
4a1024
5a1221
6a911
7a1119
8a921
9a1122
10a1526

Is this flow normal for September 29?

Today's 119 cfs is 105% above the median for this date — which counts as normal water here.

The median flow on this date is 58 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 — 13 mph — elevated wind-21
  • Gusts — Gusting to 24 mph — 11 mph over sustained-2
  • Rain — 30% chance in the next 6 hours±0

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

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