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South Fork Bad River in South Dakota

River35.5 mi
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Around South Fork Bad River

2 mi

Data Source: Recreation.gov · Public land: USGS PAD-US

About this river

South Fork Bad River is a 35.5 mile river. Streamflow is measured at the USGS gauge South Fork Bad River near Cottonwood, SD (site 06440200). The National Hydrography Dataset places it at stream order 7. Reach geometry comes from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset.

Typical flow by month

1989 to 2026

South Fork Bad River typically runs highest in May, at a median 1.9 cfs, and lowest in January, at 0.0 cfs. The highest flow on record for any single day is 6,430 cfs, in 2019.

Show the numbers
Typical flow by month at South Fork Bad River near Cottonwood, SD, in cfs
MonthTypical (cfs)Usual range (cfs)
January0.00.0 to 0.3
February0.30.0 to 2.5
March0.80.1 to 8.1
April0.60.0 to 8.2
May1.90.1 to 13
June1.20.0 to 14
July0.10.0 to 2.7
August0.00.0 to 1.1
September0.00.0 to 0.1
October0.00.0 to 0.6
November0.00.0 to 0.5
December0.00.0 to 0.1

Typical is the median of each month’s daily median values, and the usual range runs from the median 25th to the median 75th percentile, across about 37 years of record. Statistics published by the US Geological Survey for South Fork Bad River near Cottonwood, SD (site 06440200). Conditions on any given day can fall well outside the usual range. Check the current reading before you go.

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