An Overview of South Dakota's Rivers and Lakes
Major Water Features
The largest and most famous rivers in South Dakota include the Missouri River, which is integral to the state's geography and history, and the Big Sioux River, known for its scenic beauty and recreational opportunities. Among the prominent lakes, Lake Oahe stands out as one of the largest reservoirs, formed by the Oahe Dam on the Missouri River, offering extensive fishing and boating activities.
Water Sources
Rivers and lakes in South Dakota primarily derive their water from local mountain snowmelt, contributing to seasonal variations in water levels and flow rates. However, some rivers like the Cheyenne River also receive water from distant mountain ranges in neighboring states, ensuring continuous water supply throughout the year.
River Types
South Dakota features major perennial rivers such as the James River, which flows year-round, and exotic rivers like the Bad River, known for its unique geological features. Tributary rivers such as the White River contribute to larger river systems, while distributary rivers and man-made waterways like aqueducts and canals serve irrigation and water management purposes across the state.
Lake Types
Lakes in South Dakota encompass a variety of types, including tectonic lakes like Lake Traverse, formed by geological movements, and fluvial lakes such as Lake Herman, created by riverine processes. Man-made lakes like Lake Sharpe, formed by damming the Missouri River, serve both recreational and water management purposes in the region.
River Directions
Rivers in South Dakota generally run east-west, such as the Big Sioux River and the James River. Some notable exceptions include the Missouri River, which flows primarily north-south through the state.
Lake Origins
The lakes in South Dakota are predominantly man-made, created for flood control, irrigation, and recreational purposes by state and federal agencies. Notable examples include Lake Francis Case and Lake Sharpe, managed by the Army Corps of Engineers.
Waterway Usage
Rivers in South Dakota are essential for local transportation, facilitating shipping and barge traffic primarily for agricultural products and other goods. The Missouri River, for instance, supports significant cargo transportation, although exact numbers can vary annually.
Dams and Usage
South Dakota has numerous dams on its rivers and lakes, primarily used for irrigation, hydroelectric power generation, flood control, and recreational activities. Dams such as the Oahe Dam on the Missouri River provide these essential services while also enhancing regional water management.
Recreational Activities
Rivers and lakes in South Dakota offer abundant recreational opportunities, including fishing on the Missouri River and Lake Francis Case, boating on Lake Sharpe, and kayaking on the Big Sioux River. These water bodies attract outdoor enthusiasts seeking diverse activities like jet skiing, stand-up paddleboarding (SUP), and houseboating.
South Dakota Rivers, Lakes, Streams and Water Features
Antelope Creek, Perkins Co, SD
Antelope Creek, Todd Co, SD
Artichoke Creek, Potter Co, SD
Artichoke Creek, Sully Co, SD
Bad River, Haakon Co, SD
Bear Butte Creek, Lawrence Co, SD
Bear Butte Creek, Meade Co, SD
Bear Creek, Dewey Co, SD
Bear Creek, Ziebach Co, SD
Bear-in-the-Lodge Creek, Bennett Co, SD
Bear-in-the-Lodge Creek, Jackson Co, SD
Beaver Creek, Lincoln Co, SD
Beaver Creek, Minnehaha Co, SD
Beaver Creek, Turner Co, SD
Belle Fourche Reservoir, Butte Co, SD
Belle Fourche River, Butte Co, SD
Belle Fourche River, Meade Co, SD
Belle Fourche River, Pennington Co, SD
Big Sioux River, Brookings Co, SD
Big Sioux River, Codington Co, SD
Big Sioux River, Hamlin Co, SD
Big Sioux River, Lincoln Co, SD
Big Sioux River, Minnehaha Co, SD
Big Sioux River, Moody Co, SD
Big Sioux River, Union Co, SD
Big Stone Lake, Grant Co, SD
Big Stone Lake, Roberts Co, SD
Bitter Lake, Day Co, SD
Black Horse Butte Creek, Corson Co, SD
Black Horse Butte Creek, Perkins Co, SD
Blue Dog Lake, Day Co, SD
Boxelder Creek, Lawrence Co, SD
Boxelder Creek, Meade Co, SD
Boxelder Creek, Pennington Co, SD
Bridger Creek, Haakon Co, SD
Bridger Creek, Ziebach Co, SD
Brushy Creek, Meade Co, SD
Buffalo Lakes,Marshall Co, SD
Bull Creek, Gregory Co, SD
Bull Creek, Harding Co, SD
Bull Creek, Lyman Co, SD
Bull Creek, Tripp Co, SD
Cain Creek, Beadle Co, SD
Cain Creek, Hand Co, SD
Cattail Lake, Marshall Co, SD
Chapelle Creek, Hughes Co, SD
Chapelle Creek, Hyde Co, SD
Cherry Creek, Meade Co, SD
Cherry Creek, Ziebach Co, SD
Cheyenne River, Custer Co, SD
Cheyenne River, Fall River Co, SD
Cheyenne River, Haakon Co, SD
Cheyenne River, Meade Co, SD
Cheyenne River, Pennington Co, SD
Cheyenne River, Ziebach Co, SD
Choteau Creek, Bon Homme Co, SD
Choteau Creek, Charles Mix Co, SD
Choteau Creek, Douglas Co, SD
Collins Slough,Hand Co, SD
Columbia Road Reservoir, Brown Co, SD
Cottonwood Creek, Jackson Co, SD
Cottonwood Creek, Pennington Co, SD
Cottonwood Lake, Spink Co, SD
Cut Meat Creek, Mellette Co, SD
Cut Meat Creek, Todd Co, SD
Deep Creek, Meade Co, SD
Deep Creek, Pennington Co, SD
Dog Ear Creek, Tripp Co, SD
Dry Lake, Hamlin Co, SD
Dry Lake No 1,Clark Co, SD
Dry Lake No 2,Clark Co, SD
E Fork Vermillion River, Kingsbury Co, SD
E Fork Vermillion River, Lake Co, SD
E Fork Vermillion River, McCook Co, SD
E Fork Vermillion River, Miner Co, SD
Elk Creek, Lawrence Co, SD
Elk Creek, Meade Co, SD
Elk Creek, Pennington Co, SD
Elm Creek, Buffalo Co, SD
Elm Creek, Butte Co, SD
Elm Creek, Hand Co, SD
Elm Creek, Hyde Co, SD
Elm Creek, Meade Co, SD
Elm River, Brown Co, SD
Emanuel Creek, Bon Homme Co, SD
Emanuel Creek, Hutchinson Co, SD
Enemy Swim Lake, Day Co, SD
Firesteel Creek, Aurora Co, SD
Firesteel Creek, Davison Co, SD
Firesteel Creek, Jerauld Co, SD
Flight Lake, Potter Co, SD
Foot Creek, Brown Co, SD
Foot Creek, McPherson Co, SD
Foster Creek, Spink Co, SD
French Creek, Custer Co, SD
Goose Lake, Codington Co, SD
Grand River, Corson Co, SD
Grand River, Perkins Co, SD
Grass Lake, Codington Co, SD
Horsehead Creek, Fall River Co, SD
James River, Beadle Co, SD
James River, Brown Co, SD
James River, Davison Co, SD
James River, Hanson Co, SD
James River, Hutchinson Co, SD
James River, Sanborn Co, SD
James River, Spink Co, SD
James River, Yankton Co, SD
Keya Paha River, Todd Co, SD
Keya Paha River, Tripp Co, SD
Lake Albert, Hamlin Co, SD
Lake Albert, Kingsbury Co, SD
Lake Andes, Charles Mix Co, SD
Lake Byron, Beadle Co, SD
Lake Francis Case, Brule Co, SD
Lake Francis Case, Buffalo Co, SD
Lake Francis Case, Charles Mix Co, SD
Lake Francis Case, Gregory Co, SD
Lake Francis Case, Lyman Co, SD
Lake Hendricks, Brookings Co, SD
Lake Kampeska, Codington Co, SD
Lake Madison,Lake Co, SD
Lake Marsh,Hamlin Co, SD
Lake Oahe, Campbell Co, SD
Lake Oahe, Corson Co, SD
Lake Oahe, Dewey Co, SD
Lake Oahe, Haakon Co, SD
Lake Oahe, Hughes Co, SD
Lake Oahe, Potter Co, SD
Lake Oahe, Stanley Co, SD
Lake Oahe, Sully Co, SD
Lake Oahe, Walworth Co, SD
Lake Oahe, Ziebach Co, SD
Lake Pocasse, Campbell Co, SD
Lake Poinsett, Brookings Co, SD
Lake Poinsett, Hamlin Co, SD
Lake Preston Lakebed, Kingsbury Co, SD
Lake Sharpe, Buffalo Co, SD
Lake Sharpe, Hughes Co, SD
Lake Sharpe, Hyde Co, SD
Lake Sharpe, Lyman Co, SD
Lake Sharpe, Stanley Co, SD
Lake Thompson, Kingsbury Co, SD
Lake Traverse, Roberts Co, SD
Lewis and Clark Lake, Bon Homme Co, SD
Lewis and Clark Lake, Yankton Co, SD
Little Minnesota River, Marshall Co, SD
Little Minnesota River, Roberts Co, SD
Little Missouri River, Harding Co, SD
Little Turtle Creek, Hand Co, SD
Little Vermillion River, McCook Co, SD
Little Vermillion River, Miner Co, SD
Little White River, Bennett Co, SD
Little White River, Jones Co, SD
Little White River, Mellette Co, SD
Little White River, Todd Co, SD
Long Creek, Lincoln Co, SD
Long Creek, Minnehaha Co, SD
Long Creek, Turner Co, SD
Long Lake, Clark Co, SD
Long Lake, Day Co, SD
Lost Creek, Hand Co, SD
Medicine Creek, Jones Co, SD
Medicine Creek, Lyman Co, SD
Missouri River, Bon Homme Co, SD
Missouri River, Charles Mix Co, SD
Missouri River, Clay Co, SD
Missouri River, Gregory Co, SD
Missouri River, Union Co, SD
Missouri River, Yankton Co, SD
Moccasin Creek, Brown Co, SD
Moreau River, Dewey Co, SD
Moreau River, Perkins Co, SD
Moreau River, Ziebach Co, SD
Mud Creek, Brown Co, SD
Mud Creek, Day Co, SD
Mud Creek, Spink Co, SD
Mud Lake, Roberts Co, SD
Mud Lake Reservoir, Brown Co, SD
North Deer Creek, Brookings Co, SD
North Deer Creek, Deuel Co, SD
North Fork Grand River, Perkins Co, SD
North Fork Moreau River, Butte Co, SD
North Fork Moreau River, Harding Co, SD
North Fork Moreau River, Perkins Co, SD
Oak Creek, Corson Co, SD
Oak Creek, Mellette Co, SD
Oak Creek, Todd Co, SD
Oak Creek, Tripp Co, SD
Okobojo Creek, Potter Co, SD
Okobojo Creek, Sully Co, SD
Pass Creek, Bennett Co, SD
Pass Creek, Jackson Co, SD
Pelican Lake, Codington Co, SD
Piyas Lake, Marshall Co, SD
Plum Creek, Haakon Co, SD
Plum Creek, Stanley Co, SD
Ponca Creek, Gregory Co, SD
Ponca Creek, Tripp Co, SD
Potato Creek, Bennett Co, SD
Potato Creek, Jackson Co, SD
Preachers Run,Edmunds Co, SD
Preachers Run,Faulk Co, SD
Rabbit Creek, Harding Co, SD
Rabbit Creek, Perkins Co, SD
Rapid Creek, Pennington Co, SD
Rattlesnake Creek, Ziebach Co, SD
Red Lake, Brule Co, SD
Red Owl Creek, Meade Co, SD
Red Scaffold Creek, Meade Co, SD
Red Scaffold Creek, Ziebach Co, SD
Redstone Creek, Clark Co, SD
Redstone Creek, Kingsbury Co, SD
Redstone Creek, Miner Co, SD
Redstone Creek, Sanborn Co, SD
Rock Creek, Hanson Co, SD
Rock Creek, Miner Co, SD
Roy Lake, Marshall Co, SD
Rush Lake, Day Co, SD
Sand Creek, Beadle Co, SD
Sand Creek, Butte Co, SD
Sand Creek, Hand Co, SD
Sand Creek, Harding Co, SD
Sand Creek, Jerauld Co, SD
Sand Creek, Sanborn Co, SD
Shadehill Reservoir, Perkins Co, SD
Smith Creek, Brule Co, SD
Smith Creek, Buffalo Co, SD
Smith Creek, Jerauld Co, SD
Snake Creek, Brown Co, SD
Snake Creek, Edmunds Co, SD
Snake Creek, Spink Co, SD
South Fork Grand River, Harding Co, SD
South Fork Grand River, Perkins Co, SD
South Fork Medicine Knoll Creek, Hand Co, SD
South Fork Medicine Knoll Creek, Hughes Co, SD
South Fork Medicine Knoll Creek, Hyde Co, SD
South Fork Moreau River, Butte Co, SD
South Fork Moreau River, Harding Co, SD
South Fork Moreau River, Perkins Co, SD
South Fork Pearl Creek, Beadle Co, SD
South Fork Pearl Creek, Clark Co, SD
South Fork Pearl Creek, Kingsbury Co, SD
South Fork Snake Creek, Faulk Co, SD
South Fork Snake Creek, Spink Co, SD
South Waubay Lake, Day Co, SD
Spearfish Creek, Butte Co, SD
Spearfish Creek, Lawrence Co, SD
Spring Creek, Campbell Co, SD
Spring Creek, Custer Co, SD
Spring Creek, McPherson Co, SD
Spring Creek, Pennington Co, SD
Spring Lake, Day Co, SD
Sulphur Creek, Butte Co, SD
Sulphur Creek, Meade Co, SD
Swan Lake, Walworth Co, SD
Thunder Butte Creek, Perkins Co, SD
Thunder Butte Creek, Ziebach Co, SD
Timber Creek, Brown Co, SD
Timber Creek, Spink Co, SD
Torrey Lake, Brule Co, SD
Turtle Creek, Beadle Co, SD
Turtle Creek, Hand Co, SD
Turtle Creek, Spink Co, SD
Vermillion River, Clay Co, SD
Vermillion River, Turner Co, SD
Virgin Creek, Dewey Co, SD
Waubay Lake, Day Co, SD
West Branch Firesteel Creek, Aurora Co, SD
West Branch Firesteel Creek, Davison Co, SD
West Branch Firesteel Creek, Jerauld Co, SD
West Fork Vermillion River, McCook Co, SD
West Fork Vermillion River, Turner Co, SD
White Lake, Aurora Co, SD
White River, Jackson Co, SD
White River, Jones Co, SD
White River, Lyman Co, SD
White River, Mellette Co, SD
White River, Pennington Co, SD
White River, Shannon Co, SD
White River, Tripp Co, SD
Whitewood Creek, Butte Co, SD
Whitewood Creek, Lawrence Co, SD
Whitewood Creek, Meade Co, SD
Wolf Creek, Hanson Co, SD
Wolf Creek, McCook Co, SD
Wolf Creek, Miner Co, SD
Wounded Knee Creek, Shannon Co, SD