Rock River at Rockton water level

Name: Rock River at Rockton 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, Rock River, Illinois, United States

Directions

High for mid-October

Water level

5.26ft Down 0.10 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 03:30 AM CDT (48 min ago)

Flow: 4,960 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

The Rock River at Rockton is above normal at 5.26 ft.

That puts it 0.96 ft above the median of 4.30 ft for mid-October, based on 33 years of readings. It is 4.74 ft below the flood stage of 10.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 3.69 ft (+1.57 ft).

It has dropped 0.10 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 4.84 ft and 7.26 ft.

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

Compared with 33 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 4.30 ft0.96 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 2.67 ft – 5.68 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (33 years of records)
Same day last year: 3.69 ft+1.57 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 4.84 ft – 7.26 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 3.52 ft – 12.47 ft
Highest on record: 15.54 ftMarch 25, 1975

Floating and fishing near Rock River at Rockton

Experienced paddlers may enjoy higher water, but many outfitters stop rentals once a river runs this high.

Flood stage here is 10.00 ft, 4.74 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

17.50 ft: Structures threatened along Hawick Street in downtown Rockton.
17.00 ft: Rockton Road is threatened west of Rockton.
15.00 ft: Hawick Street threatened near Settlers Park in Rockton.
14.00 ft: Low-lying structures threatened off Main Street in Rockton. Roscoe Road threatened west of Roscoe. Prairie Hill Road inundated north of Rockton.
13.50 ft: Old River Road threatened west of Roscoe Bridge.
12.00 ft: Multiple low-lying roads threatened along the river in Roscoe.
10.50 ft: Edgemere Terrace threatened near Roscoe.
10.00 ft: Low-lying structures are threatened along Edgemere Terrace near Roscoe.
9.00 ft: Low-lying areas of Settlers Park in Rockton are inundated.
8.00 ft: Water overflows low-lying banks along Edgemere Terrace near Roscoe.
7.00 ft: Low-lying areas of Riverside Park near Roscoe are inundated.
5.26 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	15.54 ft	March 25, 1975
2	15.13 ft	March 17, 2019
3	14.72 ft	June 17, 2008
4	14.08 ft	April 4, 1959
5	13.82 ft	March 20, 1948
6	13.77 ft	October 7, 2018
7	13.51 ft	February 26, 2018
8	13.49 ft	April 2, 1960
9	13.46 ft	April 21, 2013
10	13.40 ft	April 22, 1973

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.26 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

18 Sun 59° 39° – Wind 15 mph

19 Mon 65° 38° – Wind 7 mph

20 Tue 67° 46° – Wind 6 mph

21 Wed 68° 47° – Wind 8 mph

22 Thu 69° 52° – Wind 6 mph

23 Fri 72° 55° – Wind 11 mph

24 Sat 71° 58° 0.02 in Wind 17 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:13 AM Sunset 06:11 PM Daylight 10 hr, 58 min First quarter 48%

Map

Other gauges on the Rock River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Rock River at WatertownRiver gauge, Rock River	2.35 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	54 mi
Rock River at JeffersonRiver gauge, Rock River	4.79 ft	Below flood stage	−0.06 ft	40 mi
Rock River at Fort AtkinsonRiver gauge, Rock River	11.63 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	35 mi
Rock River at NewvilleRiver gauge, Rock River	2.64 ft	Below flood stage	−0.21 ft	26 mi
Rock River at AftonRiver gauge, Rock River	5.53 ft	Below flood stage	−0.13 ft	11 mi
Rock River at Latham ParkRiver gauge, Rock River	5.38 ft	Normal	+0.03 ft	5.7 mi
Rock River at Auburn St at RockfordRiver gauge, Rock River	3.28 ft	Normal	+0.02 ft	11 mi
Rock River above Dam at RockfordRiver gauge, Rock River	2.67 ft	High	+0.01 ft	13 mi
Rock River at ByronRiver gauge, Rock River	7.20 ft	Normal	+0.14 ft	25 mi
Rock River at DixonRiver gauge, Rock River	9.52 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	47 mi
Rock River above Sinnissippi Dam at Rock FallsRiver gauge, Rock River	6.68 ft	Very high	−0.07 ft	55 mi
Rock River at ComoRiver gauge, Rock River	5.17 ft	Below flood stage	−0.13 ft	58 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Pecatonica River near ShirlandRiver gauge, Pecatonica River	6.15 ft	Normal	+0.08 ft	5.3 mi
Turtle Creek at Carvers Rock Road near ClintonRiver gauge, Turtle Creek	3.98 ft	Below flood stage	−0.06 ft	16 mi
Kishwaukee River at BelvidereRiver gauge, Kishwaukee River	2.01 ft	Normal	−0.11 ft	17 mi
Kishwaukee River near PerryvilleRiver gauge, Kishwaukee River	6.45 ft	Normal	−0.06 ft	18 mi
Sugar River near BrodheadRiver gauge, Sugar River	1.72 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	20 mi
Piscasaw Creek near WalworthRiver gauge, Piscasaw Creek	3.4 cfs	High	−0.4 cfs	22 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Rock River at Rockton compare with last year?

It is 1.57 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3.69 ft.

What is flood stage for the Rock River at Rockton?

The official flood stage is 10.00 ft. The level is currently 4.74 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Rock River at Rockton in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 4.30 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.67 ft and 5.68 ft, based on 33 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 Rock River at Rockton today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 03:30 AM CDT, the water level was 5.26 ft. Down 0.10 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Rock River at Rockton rising or falling?

Down 0.10 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.39 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Rock River at Rockton normal?

High for mid-October. Compared with 33 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:05437500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 42.45028, -89.07250 (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	5.26 ft	2026-10-18 08:30	Provisional
Flow	4,960 cfs	2026-10-18 08:30	Provisional

Download

Embed this gauge

Add a live card for this gauge to your website. It updates on its own and links back here.

<iframe src="https://nivelmap.com/embed/10303?lang=en" width="360" height="230" style="border:0;max-width:100%" loading="lazy" title="Rock River at Rockton water level"></iframe>

How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Rock River at Rockton (usgs:05437500). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/rock-river-at-rockton

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