Kayak Love

South Dakota · river

Lake Creek below Refuge near Tuthill

Live conditions for this USGS-monitored stretch of water, updated every 15 minutes.

63of 100

Fair

Paddle Score, from live wind and water conditions

Photograph taken near Lake Creek below Refuge near Tuthill
Nearby on Wikimedia Commons — Lacreek National Wildlife Refuge Prescribed Burn.jpg by Ampatent, CC BY-SA 4.0. Taken within 10km of this location — it may not show the launch itself.

Wind

16 mph

gusting to 19 mph

Air temp

84°F

18% chance of rain

River flow

6.69 cfs

normal for this date

Wind, next 12 hours

mph
Hourly wind forecast
HourWind (mph)Gusts (mph)
4p1218
5p1618
6p1519
7p1318
8p711
9p511
10p1026
11p1527
12a1626
1a1323
2a1526
3a1523

Is this flow normal for July 30?

Today's 6.69 cfs is 12% below the median for this date — which counts as normal water here.

The median flow on this date is 8 cfs, across 86 years of USGS record at this gauge. Whether that is runnable depends on the stretch — this is context, not a recommendation.

Why this score

  • Wind16 mph — hard work, whitecaps likely-37

We don't have launch notes for this one

This page is built from the USGS gauge at this location, so the flow and weather are real — but 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