Kayak Love

South Dakota · river

Skunk Creek at Sioux Falls

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

53of 100

Fair

Paddle Score, from live wind and water conditions

Photograph taken near Skunk Creek at Sioux Falls
Nearby on Wikimedia Commons — Great Plains Zoo.jpg by Jake DeGroot, CC BY-SA 3.0. Taken within 10km of this location — it may not show the launch itself.

Wind

19 mph

gusting to 27 mph

Air temp

85°F

4% chance of rain

River flow

3.39 cfs

normal for this date

Best day to paddle this week

Tuesday · 64

  • Today

    51

  • Tue

    64

    Best

  • Wed

    64

  • Thu

    53

  • Fri

    0

  • Sat

    63

  • Sun

    53

Scored from each day's peak forecast wind, heat, and rain chance — river flow isn't forecastable, so check back before you load the boat.

Wind, next 12 hours

mph
Hourly wind forecast
HourWind (mph)Gusts (mph)
3p1927
4p1624
5p1624
6p1525
7p1428
8p1118
9p1324
10p1324
11p1324
12a1427
1a22
2a48

Is this flow normal for September 7?

Today's 3.39 cfs is 66% below the median for this date — which counts as normal water here.

The median flow on this date is 10 cfs, across 76 years of USGS record at this gauge. Whether that is runnable depends on the stretch — this is context, not a recommendation.

Why this score

  • Wind19 mph — stay off open water-47

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