A local forecaster says a number of communities need to be aware of potential flooding from the Big Sioux River.
Mike Gillispie is the hydrologist for the National Weather Service in Sioux Falls. Gillispie says this weekend's concerns on the Big Sioux stretch from Brookings County to northwest Iowa - but a few areas are at increased risk.
"Flandreau, Trent, Dell Rapids, Baltic, Renner. Canton, possibly down there. That'd be probably be it down there. Tributaries coming in - the Brandon area and up from there into Garretson and Sherman areas could see some impacts from Split Rock Creek over there."
Gillispie says so long as levees hold, the City of Sioux Falls itself will have built-in assistance to deal with increased water.
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"Right now, it looks the flows that we're going to have coming in here will be handled pretty well by the diversion dam and the water going around the natural channel going around the west and south parts of Sioux Falls. The parks, obviously, are going to be going underwater like they did this last week. As far as impacts to homes and businesses - that should be pretty well minimized. There's a couple areas on the south and southeast part of Sioux Falls that are a little more prone to flooding that are known about to the city officials and the people who live there. They're going to be at some risk."
Gillispie says Watertown and places near the headwaters of the Big Sioux River may also see impacts later in the month - he says several inches of snow will melt in that region.
Gillispie says Sixmile Creek in Brookings may impact the north and west sides of town.