Lake Kampeska water level · SD
Wind forecast, gusts, and gage height for small-craft sailing at Lake Kampeska (Lake Kampeska At Water Plant At Watertown).
Gage height recorded at USGS gauge 06479449, refreshed every 15 minutes to 1 hour depending on the sensor.
17.83ft
recorded Nov 4, 8:15 AM
0.00ft
steady
+0.36ft
rising
17.39–17.83ft
lowest to highest
Recent daily readings
| Date | Level (ft) | Δ day |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 4● | 17.83 | ↑ 0.10 |
| Nov 3 | 17.73 | ↓ 0.01 |
| Nov 2 | 17.74 | ↑ 0.25 |
| Nov 1 | 17.49 | 0 |
| Oct 31 | 17.49 | ↑ 0.03 |
| Oct 30 | 17.46 | 0 |
| Oct 29 | 17.46 | ↓ 0.01 |
| Oct 28 | 17.47 | ↑ 0.01 |
| Oct 27 | 17.46 | ↑ 0.03 |
| Oct 26 | 17.43 | ↑ 0.03 |
| Oct 25 | 17.40 | ↓ 0.01 |
| Oct 24 | 17.41 | ↑ 0.02 |
| Oct 23 | 17.39 | ↓ 0.04 |
| Oct 22 | 17.43 | — |
Readings fetched Nov 4, 8:40 AM; the chart above loads the latest data live from USGS.
Lake Kampeska water level questions
- What is the water level at Lake Kampeska today?
- 17.83 ft, recorded Nov 4, 8:15 AM at USGS gauge 06479449. The chart above refreshes live from the same gauge.
- Is Lake Kampeska rising or falling?
- rising — 0.36 ft over the last 7 days.
- How does this compare to normal for Lake Kampeska?
- Over the last 14 days the gauge has ranged from 17.39 ft to 17.83 ft; today's reading sits near the top of that range.
- Where does the water level data for Lake Kampeska come from?
- USGS gauge 06479449 (Lake Kampeska At Water Plant At Watertown), which reports every 15 minutes to 1 hour. Readings are provisional until reviewed by the USGS.
- What is the water temperature at Lake Kampeska?
- This gauge has no live water-temperature sensor — the fishing tab shows a seasonal estimate based on air temperature.
Gage height history
Gage height · USGS gauge 06479449
Reading the chart. This gauge reports gage height — the depth of water above the sensor reference point, not absolute elevation. Trends matter more than the absolute number: a falling trend means shrinking launch depth.
Water levels respond to dam operations, irrigation drawdown, snowmelt, and recent rainfall. For launch decisions, combine the trend here with the wind forecast — low water plus strong wind makes steep, tired ramps.
About this lake
- Location
- 44.9173°, -97.1871°
- Gauge datum
- 1,701 ft
- USGS gauge
- 06479449
- Water temp sensor
- No
Water level data comes from the USGS gauge above; wind is modeled for the lake’s coordinates by Open-Meteo. Always confirm conditions locally before launching — shorelines, ramps, and trees can all change what you feel on the water. Midwest lakes are dominated by pre-frontal south winds that build through the day, then swing northwest sharply behind a cold front — the shift can arrive in minutes and double the gusts, especially on east–west basins.
Report an issue with lake data