Kaskaskia River at Cooks Mills water level
River gauge, Kaskaskia River, Illinois, United States
Right now
Low for mid-October
Water level
- Flow
- 19.5 cfs
History
20252026
What this means
At 1.52 ft, the Kaskaskia River at Cooks Mills is below normal for mid-October.
The median for mid-October is 1.93 ft, based on 37 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.41 ft below typical. On the same day last year the reading was 1.28 ft, a difference of +0.24 ft.
It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 1.49 ft and 2.22 ft.
Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.
Compared with 37 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 1.93 ft0.41 ft below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 1.27 ft – 5.78 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (37 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 1.28 ft+0.24 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 1.49 ft – 2.22 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 1.18 ft – 13.31 ft
- Highest on record
- 20.41 ftJune 7, 2008
What the stage means on the water
Low water means more dragging on shallow riffles and slower floats. Fish crowd into the deeper runs, and warm, low water stresses them, so play and release them quickly.
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20.41 ft | June 7, 2008 |
| 2 | 19.28 ft | December 29, 2015 |
| 3 | 17.85 ft | May 13, 2002 |
| 4 | 17.30 ft | April 13, 1994 |
| 5 | 17.13 ft | April 19, 2013 |
| 6 | 16.74 ft | May 11, 1996 |
| 7 | 16.72 ft | February 23, 1985 |
| 8 | 16.61 ft | February 8, 2008 |
| 9 | 16.53 ft | March 5, 1979 |
| 10 | 16.38 ft | May 4, 2017 |
Weather at the gauge
Rain in the last 3 days: 0.37 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Other gauges on the Kaskaskia River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kaskaskia River below FicklinRiver gauge, Kaskaskia River | 2.30 ft | Normal | −0.32 ft | 15 mi |
| Kaskaskia River at ShelbyvilleRiver gauge, Kaskaskia River | 6.42 ft | Normal | ±0 | 23 mi |
| Kaskaskia River near CowdenRiver gauge, Kaskaskia River | 2.28 ft | Normal | −0.01 ft | 33 mi |
| Kaskaskia River at VandaliaRiver gauge, Kaskaskia River | 2.96 ft | Normal | −0.03 ft | 56 mi |
| Kaskaskia River at CarlyleRiver gauge, Kaskaskia River | 5.68 ft | Low | −0.01 ft | 84 mi |
| Kaskaskia River near Venedy StationRiver gauge, Kaskaskia River | 1.35 ft | Low | −0.15 ft | 102 mi |
| Kaskaskia River at New AthensRiver gauge, Kaskaskia River | 68.65 ft | Normal | ±0 | 118 mi |
| Kaskaskia River near Red BudRiver gauge, Kaskaskia River | 68.60 ft | Normal | −0.07 ft | 125 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whitley Creek near AllenvilleRiver gauge, Whitley Creek | 2.18 ft | Normal | ±0 | 8 mi |
| Kaskaskia River Inflow at FicklinRiver gauge, Kaskaskia River Inflow | 7.08 ft | Very low | ±0 | 15 mi |
| Lake Fork at AtwoodRiver gauge, Lake Fork | 3.00 ft | Normal | +0.02 ft | 16 mi |
| West Okaw River near LovingtonRiver gauge, West Okaw River | 2.27 ft | Normal | −0.01 ft | 17 mi |
| Embarras River near CamargoRiver gauge, Embarras River | 3.27 ft | Normal | −0.22 ft | 19 mi |
| Robinson Creek near ShelbyvilleRiver gauge, Robinson Creek | 2.75 ft | High | −0.03 ft | 29 mi |
| Sangamon River at MonticelloRiver gauge, Sangamon River | 5.04 ft | Normal | −0.04 ft | 32 mi |
Questions and answers
Is the Kaskaskia River at Cooks Mills higher than last year?
Yes, it is 0.24 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.28 ft.
What is a normal level for the Kaskaskia River at Cooks Mills in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 1.93 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.27 ft and 5.78 ft, based on 37 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 Kaskaskia River at Cooks Mills today?
On Oct 18, 2026, 04:00 PM CDT, the water level was 1.52 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is Kaskaskia River at Cooks Mills rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.04 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Kaskaskia River at Cooks Mills normal?
Low for mid-October. Compared with 37 years of daily readings for this time of year.
What is the highest water level ever recorded at Kaskaskia River at Cooks Mills?
The highest level on record is 20.41 ft on June 7, 2008.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- U.S. Geological Survey
- Station code
usgs:05591200(Agency page)- Coordinates
39.58347, -88.41381(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 | 1.52 ft | 2026-10-18 21:00 | Provisional |
| Flow | 19.5 cfs | 2026-10-18 21:00 | Provisional |
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Kaskaskia River at Cooks Mills (usgs:05591200). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/kaskaskia-river-at-cooks-mills
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