Sangamon River near Springfield water level

Name: Sangamon River near Springfield 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, Sangamon River, Illinois, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

21.17ft Up 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 17, 2026, 02:15 PM CDT (1 hour ago)

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

The gauge at Sangamon River near Springfield reads 21.17 ft, a normal level for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 21.19 ft, based on 15 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.02 ft below typical. On the same day last year the reading was 20.84 ft, a difference of +0.33 ft.

The water is rising: up 0.06 ft over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 21.07 ft and 21.91 ft.

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

Compared with 15 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 21.19 ft0.02 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 20.88 ft – 27.47 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (15 years of records)
Same day last year: 20.84 ft+0.33 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 21.07 ft – 21.91 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 20.83 ft – 34.32 ft
Highest on record: 45.41 ftDecember 31, 2015

What the stage means on the water

A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.

What happens at each level

42.00 ft: Water over road on Business 55 near Riverside Park entrance.
35.00 ft: Riverside Park is inundated.
21.17 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	45.41 ft	December 31, 2015
2	40.92 ft	April 22, 2013
3	39.58 ft	May 6, 2017
4	39.57 ft	June 24, 2019
5	39.32 ft	June 25, 2010
6	39.20 ft	May 19, 2020
7	38.48 ft	January 14, 2020
8	38.41 ft	May 3, 2019
9	38.39 ft	June 20, 2011
10	38.11 ft	May 1, 2020

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.67 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

17 Sat 57° 37° – Wind 10 mph

18 Sun 65° 38° – Wind 11 mph

19 Mon 70° 46° – Wind 7 mph

20 Tue 72° 49° – Wind 7 mph

21 Wed 73° 52° – Wind 7 mph

22 Thu 73° 56° – Wind 7 mph

23 Fri 78° 54° – Wind 10 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:11 AM Sunset 06:17 PM Daylight 11 hr, 6 min First quarter 43%

Map

Other gauges on the Sangamon River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Sangamon River at FisherRiver gauge, Sangamon River	4.70 ft	Normal	+0.03 ft	75 mi
Sangamon River at MonticelloRiver gauge, Sangamon River	5.09 ft	Normal	−0.03 ft	55 mi
Sangamon River at Route 48 at DecaturRiver gauge, Sangamon River	2.20 ft	Normal	−0.03 ft	34 mi
Sangamon River at RivertonRiver gauge, Sangamon River	2.49 ft	Low	+0.11 ft	4.0 mi
Sangamon River at PetersburgRiver gauge, Sangamon River	4.47 ft	Normal	+0.07 ft	15 mi
Sangamon River near OakfordRiver gauge, Sangamon River	3.46 ft	Normal	±0	26 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Spring Creek at SpringfieldRiver gauge, Spring Creek	1.57 ft	Low	−0.35 ft	6.0 mi
Sugar Creek near SpringfieldRiver gauge, Sugar Creek	9.75 ft	Very low	−0.05 ft	6 mi
South Fork Sangamon River below RochesterRiver gauge, South Fork Sangamon River	4.35 ft	Normal	−0.04 ft	9 mi
South Fork Sangamon River near RochesterRiver gauge, South Fork Sangamon River	5.03 ft	Normal	±0	9 mi
Lake Fork near CornlandRiver gauge, Lake Fork	8.4 cfs	Normal	−0.7 cfs	13 mi
Lick Creek near ChathamRiver gauge, Lick Creek	11.81 ft	Normal	−0.03 ft	14 mi
Salt Creek near GreenviewRiver gauge, Salt Creek	1.42 ft	Normal	+0.15 ft	19 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Sangamon River near Springfield higher than last year?

Yes, it is 0.33 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 20.84 ft.

What is a normal level for the Sangamon River near Springfield in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 21.19 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 20.88 ft and 27.47 ft, based on 15 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 Sangamon River near Springfield today?

On Oct 17, 2026, 02:15 PM CDT, the water level was 21.17 ft. Up 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Sangamon River near Springfield rising or falling?

Up 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.05 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Sangamon River near Springfield normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 15 years of daily readings for this time of year.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Sangamon River near Springfield?

The highest level on record is 45.41 ft on December 31, 2015.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:05576900 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 39.87139, -89.61406 (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	21.17 ft	2026-10-17 19:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Sangamon River near Springfield (usgs:05576900). Accessed October 17, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/sangamon-river-near-springfield

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