Pactola Reservoir water level — South Dakota
Pactola Reservoir in South Dakota was last measured at 59.33 ft (datum NGVD29), as of Aug 31, 2026, 1:15 AM (UTC-06:00) (USGS Water Services). Over its recent trend window the level has been falling (−3.1 ft). This reading is provisional and subject to revision.
- % of conservation pool full
- Not reported
- Storage
- Not reported
- Recent trend
- ↓Falling
−3.1 ft over the trend window
Recent trend
Readings this station published between Jun 2, 2026 and Aug 31, 2026 — a 89-day window — downsampled for display.
Data: USGS Water Services (waterservices.usgs.gov) and USACE CWMS Data (cwms-data.usace.army.mil), retrieved 2026-08-31. Both public domain (a work of the U.S. Government, 17 U.S.C. §105).
Source: USGS site 06411000, retrieved Aug 31, 2026, 8:24 AM (UTC+00:00). Official page for this lake →
About this gauge's record
This site's drainage basin covers approximately 320 sq mi of contributing watershed.
The dam behind Pactola Reservoir
Pactola Reservoir is held back by Pactola Dam (also recorded as Pactola Reservoir) , an earthfill embankment, holding the pool back by sheer mass and an impervious core rather than by the strength of concrete , standing 245 ft high and running 1,255 ft along its crest , built across RAPID CREEK in Pennington County , near RAPID CITY . It was completed in 1956 and modified in 1987H;1987S , and is owned by BUREAU OF RECLAMATION (a federal owner) , to a design credited to BUREAU OF RECLAMATION.
Its recorded primary purpose is flood risk reduction — the pool is drawn down between storms so there is empty space waiting for the next flood, which is why this level can fall in dry weather and climb sharply after rain . It also serves flood risk reduction;irrigation;recreation;water supply.
Its spillway is ungated: once the pool reaches the crest, water leaves on its own and the operator cannot hold it back. The spillway opening is 425 ft wide.
NID classes it high hazard potential. That describes what a failure would cost downstream — loss of life would be expected — and says nothing about how likely a failure is, or what condition the dam is in.
At its normal pool the reservoir covers about 1,557 acres. NID records a maximum storage of 140,898 acre-ft against a normal storage of 55,965 acre-ft. Its maximum discharge capacity is 245,000 cubic feet per second. It is regulated by DENR.
Dam facts: National Inventory of Dams record SD01139 , filed by Bureau of Reclamation — U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, public domain. Water levels above come from USGS Water Services and are a separate source. (How this dam was matched to this gauge →)
How Pactola Reservoir compares nearby
5 of 6 nearby lakes with a current trend are also falling right now.
Nearby lakes
The six nearest published lakes by centroid distance (great-circle) — cross-state neighbors included.
| Lake | State | Level | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deerfield Reservoir | SD | 4.49 ft | 24 km |
| Belle Fourche Reservoir | SD | 58.62 ft | 75 km |
| Lake Francis Case at Chamberlain | SD | 1,351.58 ft | 334 km |
| White Earth Lake | ND | 2,153.35 ft | 491 km |
| Wolford Mountain Reservoir | CO | 7,449.63 ft | 502 km |
| Lake Kampeska at Water Plant at Watertown | SD | 1,718.66 ft | 508 km |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the current water level of Pactola Reservoir?
- As of Aug 31, 2026, 1:15 AM (UTC-06:00), the pool elevation was 59.33 ft (datum NGVD29), provisional and subject to revision. See the trend chart above for the recent direction.
- Is Pactola Reservoir full right now?
- Its managing agency does not publish a %-of-conservation-pool-full figure for this lake, so we show the bare level rather than estimate one.
- Where does this data come from?
- From USGS site 06411000, retrieved Aug 31, 2026, 8:24 AM (UTC+00:00).
More in South Dakota
See every lake tracked in South Dakota, or read the methodology behind these figures.