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Illinois River at Marseilles water level

River gauge, Illinois River, Illinois, United States

Directions

Right now

High for mid-October

Water level

12.75ft Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours

Flow
9,900 cfs
0 13 25 38 Highest onrecord 35.40 ft

History

History
510ftOct 12Oct 13Oct 15Oct 16Oct 18510ftOct 12Oct 15Oct 18
-051015ftSep 19Sep 26Oct 3Oct 11Oct 18-051015ftSep 19Oct 3Oct 18
-01020ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026-01020ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026
-01020ftJanMarMayJulSepNov2026-01020ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

The gauge at Illinois River at Marseilles shows 12.75 ft, above normal for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 10.92 ft, based on 32 years of readings, so the river stage is 1.83 ft above typical. On the same day last year the reading was 11.23 ft, a difference of +1.52 ft.

The level is falling, down 0.04 ft over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 11.24 ft and 15.11 ft.

That stands out in fall, when many rivers are usually near their lowest.

Compared with 32 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
10.92 ft1.83 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date
1.17 ft – 12.98 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (32 years of records)
Same day last year
11.23 ft+1.52 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
11.24 ft – 15.11 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
10.99 ft – 18.81 ft
Highest on record
35.40 ftJanuary 21, 1916

What the stage means on the water

Fast, high water is not the time for casual paddling. Strainers, debris and cold water make an unplanned swim dangerous.

What happens at each level

25.00 ft
Residences are threatened near the river in Marseilles.
17.00 ft
Water overflows low-lying banks just south of the river.
12.75 ft
Right now

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

Highest crests on record

RankLevelDate
135.40 ftJanuary 21, 1916
228.32 ftMay 19, 2020
328.27 ftApril 19, 2013
428.13 ftSeptember 16, 2008
527.02 ftFebruary 22, 2018
626.85 ftFebruary 22, 1997
726.78 ftDecember 4, 1982
826.53 ftMay 2, 2019
926.02 ftMarch 11, 2009
1025.79 ftNovember 29, 1990

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.13 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

18 Sun 62° 37° – Wind 12 mph
19 Mon 68° 40° – Wind 6 mph
20 Tue 68° 49° – Wind 6 mph
21 Wed 70° 49° – Wind 6 mph
22 Thu 72° 53° – Wind 5 mph
23 Fri 74° 58° – Wind 10 mph
24 Sat 74° 58° – Wind 16 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:10 AM Sunset 06:11 PM Daylight 11 hr First quarter 49%

Map

Other gauges on the Illinois River

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Illinois River at MorrisRiver gauge, Illinois River 5.89 ft Normal +0.06 ft 15 mi
Illinois River at SenecaRiver gauge, Illinois River 20.81 ft Normal +0.22 ft 5.7 mi
Illinois River at HenryRiver gauge, Illinois River 15.18 ft Normal −0.01 ft 37 mi
Illinois River at Kingston MinesRiver gauge, Illinois River 5.80 ft Normal −0.44 ft 77 mi
Illinois River at Copperas CreekRiver gauge, Illinois River 5.40 ft Normal −0.29 ft 85 mi
Illinois River at MeredosiaRiver gauge, Illinois River 5.27 ft Normal +0.42 ft 142 mi
Illinois River at Valley CityRiver gauge, Illinois River 4.35 ft Normal +0.39 ft 151 mi
Illinois River at FlorenceRiver gauge, Illinois River 17.16 ft Normal +0.38 ft 154 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Fox River at DaytonRiver gauge, Fox River 7.50 ft High −0.23 ft 5.4 mi
Vermilion River near LeonoreRiver gauge, Vermilion River 3.65 ft Normal −0.05 ft 14 mi
Mazon River near Coal CityRiver gauge, Mazon River 1.54 ft Normal −0.02 ft 19 mi
Aux Sable Creek near MorrisRiver gauge, Aux Sable Creek 3.84 ft Normal −0.38 ft 20 mi
Kankakee River at Inflow of Power Plant near LorenzoRiver gauge, Kankakee River 504.57 ft Very low −0.05 ft 24 mi
Fox River Tailwater at YorkvilleRiver gauge, Fox River Tailwater 7.60 ft Normal +0.04 ft 26 mi
Fox River Bypass at YorkvilleRiver gauge, Fox River Bypass 9.30 ft Normal +0.04 ft 26 mi
Fox River at YorkvilleRiver gauge, Fox River 13.03 ft Normal +0.02 ft 26 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Illinois River at Marseilles higher than last year?

Yes, it is 1.52 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 11.23 ft.

What is a normal level for the Illinois River at Marseilles in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 10.92 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.17 ft and 12.98 ft, based on 32 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 Illinois River at Marseilles today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 04:45 AM CDT, the water level was 12.75 ft. Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Illinois River at Marseilles rising or falling?

Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 0.80 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Illinois River at Marseilles normal?

High for mid-October. Compared with 32 years of daily readings for this time of year.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Illinois River at Marseilles?

The highest level on record is 35.40 ft on January 21, 1916.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
Operator
U.S. Geological Survey
Station code
usgs:05543500 (Agency page)
Coordinates
41.32700, -88.71708 (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

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Water level 12.75 ft 2026-10-18 09:45 Provisional
Flow 9,900 cfs 2026-10-18 09:45 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Illinois River at Marseilles (usgs:05543500). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/illinois-river-at-marseilles

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.