Big Muddy River at Rte 127 at Murphysboro water level

Name: Big Muddy River at Rte 127 at Murphysboro water level (U.S. Geological Survey)
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
License: https://www.usgs.gov/information-policies-and-instructions/copyrights-and-credits

River gauge, Big Muddy River, Illinois, United States

Directions

Very low for mid-October

Water level

3.27ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 08:00 AM CDT (49 min ago)

Flow: 34.2 cfs
Water temperature: 64 °F

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %) Minor flood stage

What this means

The Big Muddy River at Rte 127 at Murphysboro is running far below normal at 3.27 ft.

That puts it 0.51 ft below the median of 3.78 ft for mid-October, based on 29 years of readings. It is 18.73 ft below the flood stage of 22.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 3.52 ft (−0.25 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that. The sensor also reports a water temperature of 64 °F.

Compared with 29 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 3.78 ft0.51 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 3.29 ft – 18.17 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (29 years of records)
Same day last year: 3.52 ft−0.25 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 3.17 ft – 12.10 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 3.17 ft – 18.55 ft
Highest on record: 40.47 ftMay 3, 2011

Floating and fishing near Big Muddy River at Rte 127 at Murphysboro

Low water exposes gravel bars that make good wading access, but some boat ramps may be left high and dry.

Flood stage here is 22.00 ft, 18.73 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

36.00 ft: Damage begins to property near Shoemaker Drive in Murphysboro. Evacuations may be needed to parts of a mobile home park.
34.00 ft: Areas around S 3rd & 4th Streets begin to flood.
24.00 ft: Some minor flooding in S 3rd & Division / Plum Street area.
22.00 ft: Minor flooding occurs affecting mainly low lying areas.
20.00 ft: Some farmers may have to move livestock and equipment to higher ground.
3.27 ft: Right now

Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.

Highest crests on record

Chance of at least minor flooding in October to December: 19 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	40.47 ft	May 3, 2011
2	39.03 ft	May 12, 1961
3	38.56 ft	May 6, 2017
4	37.65 ft	May 2, 1996
5	37.24 ft	March 23, 2008
6	36.85 ft	May 5, 1983
7	36.39 ft	April 9, 2025
8	36.11 ft	January 2, 2016
9	35.60 ft	November 19, 1993
10	34.06 ft	March 15, 1935

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

19 Mon 71° 39° – Wind 5 mph

20 Tue 73° 44° – Wind 5 mph

21 Wed 78° 51° – Wind 4 mph

22 Thu 79° 53° – Wind 5 mph

23 Fri 79° 54° – Wind 8 mph

24 Sat 79° 52° – Wind 10 mph

25 Sun 77° 56° – Wind 10 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:10 AM Sunset 06:16 PM Daylight 11 hr, 6 min First quarter 59%

Map

Other gauges on the Big Muddy River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Big Muddy River below Rend Lake near BentonRiver gauge, Big Muddy River	7.56 ft	No reference yet	±0	27 mi
Big Muddy River at PlumfieldRiver gauge, Big Muddy River	2.56 ft	Low	−0.10 ft	19 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Crab Orchard Creek near MarionRiver gauge, Crab Orchard Creek	0.61 ft	Very low	−0.01 ft	24 mi
Mississippi River at ChesterRiver gauge, Mississippi River	12.19 ft	Below flood stage	−0.32 ft	29 mi
South Fork Saline Creek near PerryvilleRiver gauge, South Fork Saline Creek	6.6 cfs	Very low	±0	33 mi
Mississippi River at Cape GirardeauRiver gauge, Mississippi River	17.29 ft	Below flood stage	−0.84 ft	33 mi
South Fork Saline River near Carrier MillsRiver gauge, South Fork Saline River	2.20 ft	Low	±0	36 mi
Cache River at FormanRiver gauge, Cache River	8.25 ft	Normal	−0.03 ft	37 mi
Rayse Creek near WaltonvilleRiver gauge, Rayse Creek	1.21 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	38 mi
Mississippi River at ThebesRiver gauge, Mississippi River	16.37 ft	Below flood stage	−0.89 ft	38 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Big Muddy River at Rte 127 at Murphysboro compare with last year?

It is 0.25 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3.52 ft.

What is flood stage for the Big Muddy River at Rte 127 at Murphysboro?

The official flood stage is 22.00 ft. The level is currently 18.73 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Big Muddy River at Rte 127 at Murphysboro in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 3.78 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 3.29 ft and 18.17 ft, based on 29 years of records.

Is gage height the same as water depth?

No. Gage height is measured from a fixed reference point chosen by the agency, so a reading of 10 ft does not mean the river is 10 ft deep.

What is the water level of Big Muddy River at Rte 127 at Murphysboro today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 08:00 AM CDT, the water level was 3.27 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Big Muddy River at Rte 127 at Murphysboro rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 1.95 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Big Muddy River at Rte 127 at Murphysboro normal?

Very low for mid-October. Compared with 29 years of daily readings for this time of year.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:05599490 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 37.75833, -89.32778 (WGS84)
Vertical datum: NAVD88
Update interval: every 15 minutes
Licence: Public domain. Data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), provisional data subject to revision

Published series

Parameter	Last value	Time (UTC)	Quality
Water level	3.27 ft	2026-10-19 13:00	Provisional
Flow	34.2 cfs	2026-10-19 12:00	Provisional
Water temperature	64 °F	2026-10-19 13:00	Provisional

Download

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Big Muddy River at Rte 127 at Murphysboro (usgs:05599490). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/big-muddy-river-at-rte-127-at-murphysboro

How we check values

Each reading is stored as published. We hold back values that jump faster than physically plausible and show the measurement time with every value.

Readings are provisional, can be delayed or wrong and are not a flood warning. Read the disclaimer