Kayak Love

South Dakota · river

Medicine Creek near Lower Brule

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

80of 100

Good

Paddle Score, from live wind and water conditions

Photograph taken near Medicine Creek near Lower Brule
Nearby on Wikimedia Commons — Iron Nation's Gravesite Lyman Co SD looking southwest.jpg by SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0. Taken within 10km of this location — it may not show the launch itself.

Wind

12 mph

gusting to 15 mph

Air temp

81°F

41% chance of rain

River flow

0.45 cfs

normal for this date

Wind, next 12 hours

mph
Hourly wind forecast
HourWind (mph)Gusts (mph)
5p1316
6p1216
7p1317
8p912
9p716
10p26
11p1020
12a1730
1a617
2a914
3a1121
4a712

Is this flow normal for July 30?

Today's 0.45 cfs is 275% above the median for this date — which counts as normal water here.

The median flow on this date is 0 cfs, across 11 years of USGS record at this gauge. Whether that is runnable depends on the stretch — this is context, not a recommendation.

Why this score

  • Wind12 mph — hard work, whitecaps likely-16
  • Rain41% chance in the next 6 hours-4

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