South Branch Kishwaukee River at Dekalb water level

Name: South Branch Kishwaukee River at Dekalb 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, South Branch Kishwaukee River, Illinois, United States

Directions

High for mid-October

Water level

3.65ft Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 09:30 PM CDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 71.7 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

The gauge at South Branch Kishwaukee River at Dekalb shows 3.65 ft, above normal for mid-October.

That puts it 0.50 ft above the median of 3.15 ft for mid-October, based on 33 years of readings. It is 6.35 ft below the flood stage of 10.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 3.20 ft (+0.45 ft).

The level is falling, down 0.06 ft over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 3.65 ft and 7.92 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: 3.15 ft0.50 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 2.54 ft – 4.13 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (33 years of records)
Same day last year: 3.20 ft+0.45 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 3.65 ft – 7.92 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 2.58 ft – 7.92 ft
Highest on record: 15.80 ftJuly 2, 1983

What the stage means on the water

Fast, high water is not the time for casual paddling. Strainers, debris and cold water make an unplanned swim dangerous.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 10.00 ft, still 6.35 ft away.

What happens at each level

17.50 ft: Bethany Road threatened.
16.00 ft: Multiple structures threatened at Northern Illinois University. DeKalb Sanitary District property threatened.
15.50 ft: Coltonville Road threatened north of DeKalb. Park Avenue (IL-72) and Madison Avenue may be threatened in Genoa.
15.00 ft: Annie Glidden Road threatened near Taylor Street.
14.50 ft: Roadways and structures threatened at Edgebrook Mobile Home Park. First Street threatened.
14.00 ft: IL-64 is threatened west of Sycamore.
13.50 ft: Flood waters overtop levee north of Hillcrest Street in DeKalb.
13.00 ft: Water overtops the levee at the east lagoon at Northern Illinois University. Castle Drive and Lucinda Avenue threatened.
12.50 ft: A few structures threatened at Northern Illinois University.
12.00 ft: Low-lying portions of River Heights Golf Course inundated.
11.00 ft: Clifford Drive is threatened near Prairie Park in DeKalb. Creek Court threatened south of DeKalb.
10.50 ft: Residences threatened near the river on Taylor Street. Fairview Drive is threatened near the river south of DeKalb.
3.65 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: 6 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	15.80 ft	July 2, 1983
2	15.34 ft	August 24, 2007
3	15.24 ft	October 11, 1954
4	15.24 ft	October 1, 1954
5	12.97 ft	July 18, 1996
6	12.64 ft	February 21, 1997
7	12.33 ft	June 12, 1929
8	12.28 ft	May 24, 1927
9	11.32 ft	September 9, 1980
10	11.28 ft	September 14, 2008

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.52 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

17 Sat 55° 34° – Wind 9 mph

18 Sun 58° 39° – Wind 14 mph

19 Mon 63° 39° – Wind 7 mph

20 Tue 65° 47° – Wind 7 mph

21 Wed 66° 48° – Wind 7 mph

22 Thu 69° 53° – Wind 6 mph

23 Fri 69° 52° – Wind 10 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:13 AM Sunset 06:09 PM Daylight 10 hr, 56 min First quarter 55%

Map

Other gauges on the South Branch Kishwaukee River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
South Branch Kishwaukee River near FairdaleRiver gauge, South Branch Kishwaukee River	2.68 ft	High	−0.11 ft	14 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Ferson Creek near St. CharlesRiver gauge, Ferson Creek	1.90 ft	Below flood stage	−0.07 ft	22 mi
Mill Creek near BataviaRiver gauge, Mill Creek	2.48 ft	Normal	−0.19 ft	22 mi
Kishwaukee River near PerryvilleRiver gauge, Kishwaukee River	6.36 ft	Normal	−0.11 ft	22 mi
Kishwaukee River at BelvidereRiver gauge, Kishwaukee River	1.96 ft	Normal	−0.08 ft	23 mi
Blackberry Creek near MontgomeryRiver gauge, Blackberry Creek	4.07 ft	High	−0.14 ft	23 mi
Blackberry Creek near YorkvilleRiver gauge, Blackberry Creek	4.10 ft	Normal	−0.18 ft	24 mi
Fox River at South Elgin, Il (Tailwater)River gauge, Fox River	6.85 ft	Normal	−0.03 ft	24 mi
Fox River at South ElginRiver gauge, Fox River	12.78 ft	Normal	−0.06 ft	24 mi

Questions and answers

How does the South Branch Kishwaukee River at Dekalb compare with last year?

It is 0.45 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3.20 ft.

What is flood stage for the South Branch Kishwaukee River at Dekalb?

The official flood stage is 10.00 ft. The level is currently 6.35 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the South Branch Kishwaukee River at Dekalb in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 3.15 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.54 ft and 4.13 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 South Branch Kishwaukee River at Dekalb today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 09:30 PM CDT, the water level was 3.65 ft. Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is South Branch Kishwaukee River at Dekalb rising or falling?

Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.04 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of South Branch Kishwaukee River at Dekalb 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:05439000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 41.93111, -88.75972 (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	3.65 ft	2026-10-19 02:30	Provisional
Flow	71.7 cfs	2026-10-19 02:30	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/8287?lang=en" width="360" height="230" style="border:0;max-width:100%" loading="lazy" title="South Branch Kishwaukee River at Dekalb water level"></iframe>

How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: South Branch Kishwaukee River at Dekalb (usgs:05439000). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/south-branch-kishwaukee-river-at-dekalb

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