Iroquois River near Chebanse water level

Name: Iroquois River near Chebanse 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, Iroquois River, Illinois, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

2.88ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 07:45 AM CDT (53 min ago)

Flow: 232 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

The Iroquois River near Chebanse is at 2.88 ft, in the normal range for mid-October.

That puts it 0.23 ft above the median of 2.65 ft for mid-October, based on 32 years of readings. It is 13.12 ft below the flood stage of 16.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 2.32 ft (+0.56 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 2.87 ft and 3.89 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.

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

Key numbers

Median for this date: 2.65 ft0.23 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 2.27 ft – 8.89 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (32 years of records)
Same day last year: 2.32 ft+0.56 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 2.87 ft – 3.89 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 2.35 ft – 12.08 ft
Highest on record: 21.68 ftMarch 7, 1979

Floating and fishing near Iroquois River near Chebanse

Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.

Flood stage here is 16.00 ft, 13.12 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

23.00 ft: Water nears the top of the levees at Watseka wastewater facility.
22.00 ft: Structures threatened at Sugar Island east of Chebanse.
21.50 ft: Widespread inundation of hundreds of residential and commercial structures in Watseka. 7750S Road and Bridge Road threatened at Sugar Island east of Chebanse.
20.00 ft: Widespread inundation of roadways and structures reaches multiple blocks from the river in Watseka. Residential structures threatened near the confluence of the Iroquois and Kankakee Rivers.
18.00 ft: Multiple structures threatened in Watseka.
17.50 ft: 4000S Road, 174S Road, 2000E Road, and River Road threatened south of Aroma Park.
16.00 ft: Agricultural land along the river is inundated.
13.50 ft: 174S Road threatened near 5000S Road northeast of Chebanse.
12.50 ft: Water overflows low-lying banks near Watseka and Chebanse.
2.88 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: 8 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	21.68 ft	March 7, 1979
2	20.60 ft	February 23, 2018
3	20.14 ft	January 11, 2008
4	19.68 ft	May 20, 1943
5	19.02 ft	February 13, 1959
6	18.96 ft	February 24, 1982
7	18.79 ft	July 14, 2015
8	18.70 ft	December 31, 2015
9	18.63 ft	January 15, 2005
10	18.60 ft	May 15, 1970

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

19 Mon 68° 35° – Wind 7 mph

20 Tue 68° 40° – Wind 8 mph

21 Wed 70° 49° – Wind 5 mph

22 Thu 72° 54° – Wind 4 mph

23 Fri 73° 54° – Wind 8 mph

24 Sat 73° 52° – Wind 11 mph

25 Sun 73° 58° 0.00 in Wind 12 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:08 AM Sunset 06:06 PM Daylight 10 hr, 58 min First quarter 59%

Map

Other gauges on the Iroquois River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Iroquois River near ParrRiver gauge, Iroquois River	0.4 cfs	Normal	±0	30 mi
Iroquois River at RensselaerRiver gauge, Iroquois River	4.13 ft	Below flood stage	−0.06 ft	37 mi
Iroquois River near ForesmanRiver gauge, Iroquois River	5.35 ft	Below flood stage	−0.08 ft	29 mi
Iroquois River at IroquoisRiver gauge, Iroquois River	5.53 ft	Normal	−0.07 ft	18 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Kankakee River at MomenceRiver gauge, Kankakee River	2.03 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	13 mi
Sugar Creek at MilfordRiver gauge, Sugar Creek	2.82 ft	Low	−0.01 ft	27 mi
Kankakee River at ShelbyRiver gauge, Kankakee River	5.87 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	28 mi
Kankakee River near WilmingtonRiver gauge, Kankakee River	1.50 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	30 mi
Plum Creek near CreteRiver gauge, Plum Creek	7.67 ft	Normal	±0	32 mi
Mazon River near Coal CityRiver gauge, Mazon River	1.47 ft	Normal	−0.06 ft	34 mi
Kankakee River at Inflow of Power Plant near LorenzoRiver gauge, Kankakee River	504.57 ft	Very low	−0.05 ft	35 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Iroquois River near Chebanse compare with last year?

It is 0.56 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.32 ft.

What is flood stage for the Iroquois River near Chebanse?

The official flood stage is 16.00 ft. The level is currently 13.12 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Iroquois River near Chebanse in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 2.65 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.27 ft and 8.89 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 Iroquois River near Chebanse today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 07:45 AM CDT, the water level was 2.88 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Iroquois River near Chebanse rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.24 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Iroquois River near Chebanse normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 32 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:05526000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 41.00922, -87.82406 (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	2.88 ft	2026-10-19 12:45	Provisional
Flow	232 cfs	2026-10-19 12:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Iroquois River near Chebanse (usgs:05526000). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/iroquois-river-near-chebanse

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