South Fork Sangamon River below Rochester water level
River gauge, South Fork Sangamon River, Illinois, United States
Right now
Normal for mid-October
Water level
History
20252026
What this means
The South Fork Sangamon River below Rochester is at 4.33 ft, in the normal range for mid-October.
The median for mid-October is 4.29 ft, based on 32 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.04 ft above typical. On the same day last year the reading was 3.86 ft, a difference of +0.47 ft.
It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 4.12 ft and 4.39 ft.
Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.
Compared with 32 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 4.29 ft0.04 ft above the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 3.64 ft – 10.78 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (32 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 3.86 ft+0.47 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 4.12 ft – 4.39 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 3.85 ft – 21.90 ft
- Highest on record
- 35.17 ftDecember 30, 2015
Floating and fishing near South Fork Sangamon River below Rochester
Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 35.17 ft | December 30, 2015 |
| 2 | 28.69 ft | April 22, 2013 |
| 3 | 28.53 ft | June 25, 2019 |
| 4 | 28.00 ft | May 5, 2017 |
| 5 | 27.50 ft | January 15, 2020 |
| 6 | 25.66 ft | May 21, 2021 |
| 7 | 25.34 ft | May 18, 2020 |
| 8 | 25.02 ft | May 3, 2020 |
| 9 | 24.85 ft | June 16, 2018 |
| 10 | 24.57 ft | May 2, 2019 |
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.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Other gauges on the South Fork Sangamon River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Fork Sangamon River near RochesterRiver gauge, South Fork Sangamon River | 5.03 ft | Normal | ±0 | 0.8 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sugar Creek near SpringfieldRiver gauge, Sugar Creek | 9.77 ft | Low | −0.01 ft | 2.3 mi |
| Sangamon River at RivertonRiver gauge, Sangamon River | 2.54 ft | Low | +0.10 ft | 6 mi |
| Spring Creek at SpringfieldRiver gauge, Spring Creek | 1.48 ft | Low | −0.16 ft | 8 mi |
| Sangamon River near SpringfieldRiver gauge, Sangamon River | 21.21 ft | Normal | +0.08 ft | 9 mi |
| Lick Creek near ChathamRiver gauge, Lick Creek | 11.83 ft | Normal | −0.02 ft | 11 mi |
| Lake Fork near CornlandRiver gauge, Lake Fork | 8.4 cfs | Low | ±0 | 17 mi |
| Sangamon River at PetersburgRiver gauge, Sangamon River | 4.47 ft | Normal | −0.01 ft | 23 mi |
| Salt Creek near GreenviewRiver gauge, Salt Creek | 1.39 ft | Normal | +0.01 ft | 28 mi |
Questions and answers
Is the South Fork Sangamon River below Rochester higher than last year?
Yes, it is 0.47 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3.86 ft.
What is a normal level for the South Fork Sangamon River below Rochester in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 4.29 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 3.64 ft and 10.78 ft, based on 32 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 Fork Sangamon River below Rochester today?
On Oct 18, 2026, 05:30 AM CDT, the water level was 4.33 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is South Fork Sangamon River below Rochester rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours. Up 0.11 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of South Fork Sangamon River below Rochester normal?
Normal for mid-October. Compared with 32 years of daily readings for this time of year.
What is the highest water level ever recorded at South Fork Sangamon River below Rochester?
The highest level on record is 35.17 ft on December 30, 2015.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- U.S. Geological Survey
- Station code
usgs:05576022(Agency page)- Coordinates
39.75383, -89.56575(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 | 4.33 ft | 2026-10-18 10:30 | Provisional |
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: South Fork Sangamon River below Rochester (usgs:05576022). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/south-fork-sangamon-river-below-rochester
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