River stage
Columbia, James River
- River level
- 4.66 ft
- Status
- Below flood stage
- 7-day change
- +0.59 ft
- Recent high
- 10.70 ft
- Recent low
- 3.91 ft
Last reported 2026-10-13 | NWS CMBS2
- 30-day change
- +0.75 ft
- Average
- 5.48 ft
- Readings
- 122
- Data span
- 122 days
- Record crest
- 19.81 ft
In brief
The James River at Columbia, SD read 4.66 ft on Oct 13, 2026, 7.34 ft below action stage. That is 0.75 ft higher than 30 days earlier.
Source: National Weather Service gauge CMBS2
River level timeline
Stage threshold profile
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Crest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 19.81 ft | 2011-07-16 |
| 2 | 19.73 ft | 2009-04-24 |
| 3 | 19.08 ft | 1997-04-18 |
| 4 | 19.05 ft | 2010-04-02 |
| 5 | 18.96 ft | 2019-04-21 |
| 6 | 18.75 ft | 2019-11-12 |
| 7 | 18.57 ft | 2022-05-31 |
| 8 | 18.03 ft | 2023-05-14 |
Flood crests recorded at this gauge by the National Weather Service.
What happens at each level
- 13.00 ft
Flooding of the lower lying agricultural areas begins.
- 15.00 ft
Water begins to approach several structures in the Tacoma Park area. Significant amounts of agricultural land are flooded.
- 17.00 ft
Water reaches the base of the levee at the old location of Columbia Park.
- 18.00 ft
127th/Tacoma Park Rd begins to flood, as does 117th St between 395th and 400th Ave.
- 18.50 ft
The water reaches the bottom of the bridge at the gauging location on 396th/Brown County 16.
- 19.50 ft
396th/Brown County 16 and Hamlin Garland Memorial Hwy/Brown County 11 both begin to flood, as does 400th Avenue, 123rd Street, Dakota Ave, Larson Road and Tacoma Loop are flooded. The river reaches the top of the levee at the old location of Columbia Park.
- 20.00 ft
The bridge at the gauge location on 396th/Brown County 16 is overtopped.
- 21.00 ft
The bridge on 127th/Tacoma Park Rd is overtopped.
- 23.00 ft
Water begins to enter the south end of Columbia near the ballfield.
Written by the local National Weather Service forecast office for this exact gauge.
Frequently asked questions
Is the James River flooding at Columbia?
No. The James River at Columbia is at 4.66 ft, 7.34 ft below action stage.
What is the flood stage at Columbia?
The National Weather Service sets action stage 12 ft, minor flooding 13 ft, moderate flooding 16 ft and major flooding 18 ft.
What is the highest the James River has been at Columbia?
The highest crest on record is 19.81 ft, on 2011-07-16.
Is the James River high or low right now at Columbia?
At 4.66 ft it is higher than 35% of readings over the last 122 days.
Stage and flood information from the NOAA National Weather Service (gauge CMBS2); daily history from the U.S. Geological Survey (site 06471000). Last reading 2026-10-13. For flood safety decisions always follow official National Weather Service warnings.