Vermilion River near Leonore water level

Name: Vermilion River near Leonore 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, Vermilion River, Illinois, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

3.65ft Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 05:45 AM CDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 67.8 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Vermilion River near Leonore, where the gauge shows 3.65 ft.

The median for mid-October is 3.29 ft, based on 33 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.36 ft above typical. It is 12.35 ft below the flood stage of 16.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 2.95 ft, a difference of +0.70 ft.

It is still going down, by 0.04 ft over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 3.41 ft – 4.66 ft.

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

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

Key numbers

Median for this date: 3.29 ft0.36 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 2.82 ft – 7.33 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (33 years of records)
Same day last year: 2.95 ft+0.70 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 3.41 ft – 4.66 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 2.94 ft – 18.56 ft
Highest on record: 30.25 ftApril 18, 2013

Paddling and fishing conditions

Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.

For reference, flood stage is 16.00 ft.

What happens at each level

38.00 ft: 1251st Road is threatened near Leonore.
30.00 ft: Water may reach the top of the levee west of the river in Streator. Water may reach the top of the levee at the water treatment plant in Streator. Oakley Avenue may be threatened north of Streator.
29.00 ft: Main Street may be threatened in Streator.
25.00 ft: 18th Road may be threatened north of Streator.
24.00 ft: Without flood protection, multiple roadways and structures may be threatened west of the river near Armory Court in Streator.
21.00 ft: Widespread inundation of agricultural land may occur near Streator and Leonore.
16.00 ft: Water overtops banks at multiple locations along the river near Streator and Leonore.
14.00 ft: Water overtops low-lying banks in Streator.
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: 13 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	30.25 ft	April 18, 2013
2	27.13 ft	December 4, 1982
3	25.22 ft	January 9, 2008
4	25.10 ft	December 29, 2015
5	24.50 ft	May 2, 2019
6	24.30 ft	September 15, 2008
7	23.47 ft	May 16, 2009
8	23.46 ft	March 5, 1979
9	23.17 ft	November 28, 1990
10	23.05 ft	February 14, 1984

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.09 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

18 Sun 63° 37° – Wind 15 mph

19 Mon 69° 37° – Wind 6 mph

20 Tue 68° 49° – Wind 6 mph

21 Wed 70° 49° – Wind 6 mph

22 Thu 72° 53° – Wind 5 mph

23 Fri 73° 57° – Wind 10 mph

24 Sat 75° 58° – Wind 16 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:11 AM Sunset 06:12 PM Daylight 11 hr, 1 min First quarter 49%

Map

Other gauges on the Vermilion River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Vermilion River near DanvilleRiver gauge, Vermilion River	2.95 ft	Normal	+0.27 ft	104 mi
Vermilion River at PontiacRiver gauge, Vermilion River	2.80 ft	Normal	−0.03 ft	28 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Illinois River at MarseillesRiver gauge, Illinois River	12.64 ft	High	+0.16 ft	14 mi
Fox River at DaytonRiver gauge, Fox River	7.49 ft	High	−0.21 ft	14 mi
Illinois River at SenecaRiver gauge, Illinois River	20.73 ft	Normal	+0.09 ft	18 mi
Illinois River at HenryRiver gauge, Illinois River	15.19 ft	Normal	+0.02 ft	23 mi
Illinois River at MorrisRiver gauge, Illinois River	5.88 ft	Normal	+0.10 ft	28 mi
Mazon River near Coal CityRiver gauge, Mazon River	1.54 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	30 mi
Big Bureau Creek at PrincetonRiver gauge, Big Bureau Creek	3.25 ft	Very high	−0.10 ft	31 mi
Aux Sable Creek near MorrisRiver gauge, Aux Sable Creek	3.83 ft	Normal	−0.37 ft	34 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Vermilion River near Leonore higher than last year?

Yes, it is 0.70 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.95 ft.

What is flood stage for the Vermilion River near Leonore?

The official flood stage is 16.00 ft. The level is currently 12.35 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Vermilion River near Leonore in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 3.29 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.82 ft and 7.33 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 Vermilion River near Leonore today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 05:45 AM CDT, the water level was 3.65 ft. Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Vermilion River near Leonore rising or falling?

Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.09 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Vermilion River near Leonore normal?

Normal 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:05555300 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 41.20833, -88.93056 (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	2026-10-18 10:45	Provisional
Flow	67.8 cfs	2026-10-18 10:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Vermilion River near Leonore (usgs:05555300). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/vermilion-river-near-leonore

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