UPDATE: Lake Kampeska may have crested Sunday afternoon

April 17, 2023
Mike Tanner

WATERTOWN, S.D.–Good news on the flooding front for some residents of Watertown.

City officials say Lake Kampeska water levels appeared to have crested Sunday afternoon, when the lake reached 44.28 inches over full.

By this (Monday) morning, that level had dropped by 1.8 inches.

The main concern now has turned to ice breakup on the lake, and how strong southeast winds tomorrow (Tuesday) could shift those ice chunks around, and cause structural damage to buildings and retaining walls close to shore.

Lake Pelican continues rising. It was 32.4 inches above full today, and should crest within the next couple of days.

The Big Sioux River has started droppiing slowly at the Broadway gauge in Watertown. It was at 7.42 feet this morning; down .06 from Sunday.