Pecatonica River near Shirland water level

Name: Pecatonica River near Shirland 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, Pecatonica River, Illinois, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

6.19ft Up 0.08 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 03:00 PM CDT (52 min ago)

Flow: 1,960 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

The Pecatonica River near Shirland is at 6.19 ft, in the normal range for mid-October.

That puts it 0.98 ft above the median of 5.21 ft for mid-October, based on 24 years of readings. It is 5.81 ft below the flood stage of 12.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 4.21 ft (+1.98 ft).

It has risen 0.08 ft over the past 24 hours. There is still 5.81 ft of room before flood stage. In the last month it has stayed between 5.20 ft and 9.79 ft.

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

Compared with 24 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 5.21 ft0.98 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 3.39 ft – 10.93 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (24 years of records)
Same day last year: 4.21 ft+1.98 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 5.20 ft – 9.79 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 3.92 ft – 14.03 ft
Highest on record: 18.08 ftMarch 25, 1975

Floating and fishing near Pecatonica River near Shirland

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

Flood stage here is 12.00 ft, 5.81 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

19.50 ft: Shirland Community School and other municipal buildings are threatened in Shirland.
19.00 ft: IL-70 (Trask Bridge Road) is threatened east of the river between Pecatonica and Harrison.
18.50 ft: Structures threatened near the river in Pecatonica.
17.50 ft: Residences are threatened along Harrison Road in Harrison. Meridian Road is threatened south of the river east of Shirland.
17.00 ft: Telegraph Road is threatened east of Pecatonica. IL-75 is threatened west of Harrison. Harrison Road is threatened in Harrison.
16.50 ft: Residences are threatened along Hartlien Road in Shirland.
16.00 ft: Water treatment plant property in Pecatonica is threatened.
15.00 ft: Harrison Road (Mitchell Street) threatened between Shirland and Harrison. Widespread inundation of the floodplain reaches up to half mile from the river near Shirland.
14.50 ft: Pecatonica Road and Blair Road are threatened north of Pecatonica.
14.00 ft: Structures threatened at Rivers Edge Campground east of Shirland.
12.00 ft: Low-lying sections of the Winnebago County Fairgrounds are inundated. Low-lying sections of Rivers Edge Campground are inundated east of Shirland.
6.19 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: 18 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	18.08 ft	March 25, 1975
2	17.45 ft	April 4, 1959
3	17.08 ft	April 3, 1960
4	16.73 ft	March 21, 1948
5	16.50 ft	February 19, 1971
6	16.46 ft	March 17, 2019
7	15.93 ft	July 6, 1969
8	15.89 ft	July 28, 2010
9	15.70 ft	May 11, 1973
10	15.58 ft	February 24, 2018

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.31 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

18 Sun 62° 39° – Wind 16 mph

19 Mon 66° 39° – Wind 7 mph

20 Tue 67° 44° – Wind 6 mph

21 Wed 69° 48° – Wind 9 mph

22 Thu 65° 52° – Wind 7 mph

23 Fri 69° 53° – Wind 13 mph

24 Sat 71° 58° 0.05 in Wind 18 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:14 AM Sunset 06:11 PM Daylight 10 hr, 58 min First quarter 52%

Map

Other gauges on the Pecatonica River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Pecatonica River at DarlingtonRiver gauge, Pecatonica River	3.44 ft	Below flood stage	−0.26 ft	51 mi
Pecatonica River at MartintownRiver gauge, Pecatonica River	6.88 ft	Below flood stage	+0.02 ft	32 mi
Pecatonica River at FreeportRiver gauge, Pecatonica River	6.04 ft	Normal	+0.15 ft	24 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Rock River at RocktonRiver gauge, Rock River	5.27 ft	High	−0.05 ft	5.3 mi
Rock River at Latham ParkRiver gauge, Rock River	5.33 ft	Normal	−0.04 ft	8 mi
Rock River at Auburn St at RockfordRiver gauge, Rock River	3.25 ft	Normal	−0.04 ft	12 mi
Rock River above Dam at RockfordRiver gauge, Rock River	2.66 ft	High	−0.02 ft	13 mi
Rock River at AftonRiver gauge, Rock River	5.45 ft	Below flood stage	−0.16 ft	13 mi
Sugar River near BrodheadRiver gauge, Sugar River	1.60 ft	Below flood stage	−0.16 ft	17 mi
Kishwaukee River near PerryvilleRiver gauge, Kishwaukee River	6.35 ft	Normal	−0.13 ft	19 mi
Kishwaukee River at BelvidereRiver gauge, Kishwaukee River	1.98 ft	Normal	−0.10 ft	20 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Pecatonica River near Shirland compare with last year?

It is 1.98 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 4.21 ft.

What is flood stage for the Pecatonica River near Shirland?

The official flood stage is 12.00 ft. The level is currently 5.81 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Pecatonica River near Shirland in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 5.21 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 3.39 ft and 10.93 ft, based on 24 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 Pecatonica River near Shirland today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 03:00 PM CDT, the water level was 6.19 ft. Up 0.08 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Pecatonica River near Shirland rising or falling?

Up 0.08 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.16 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Pecatonica River near Shirland normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 24 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:05437050 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 42.43806, -89.17500 (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	6.19 ft	2026-10-18 20:00	Provisional
Flow	1,960 cfs	2026-10-18 20:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Pecatonica River near Shirland (usgs:05437050). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/pecatonica-river-near-shirland

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