Kankakee River near Wilmington water level

Name: Kankakee River near Wilmington 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, Kankakee River, Illinois, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

1.52ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 11:45 AM CDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 2,070 cfs
Water temperature: 55 °F

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

The Kankakee River near Wilmington is at 1.52 ft, in the normal range for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 1.20 ft, based on 33 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.32 ft above typical. It is 4.98 ft below the flood stage of 6.50 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 1.05 ft, a difference of +0.47 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 1.43 ft and 2.15 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns. The water temperature at the gauge is 55 °F.

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

Key numbers

Median for this date: 1.20 ft0.32 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 0.90 ft – 3.06 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (33 years of records)
Same day last year: 1.05 ft+0.47 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 1.43 ft – 2.15 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 1.10 ft – 5.35 ft
Highest on record: 16.70 ftJanuary 1, 1887

Floating and fishing near Kankakee River near Wilmington

Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.

Flood stage here is 6.50 ft, 4.98 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

16.00 ft: I-55 threatened north of the river northwest of Wilmington.
14.00 ft: IL-113 threatened west of Kankakee near Limestone.
13.50 ft: Multiple residences threatened along Water Street in Wilmington. South River Road threatened near I-55 northwest of Wilmington.
13.00 ft: Kankakee Community College threatened. Numerous residences threatened on the south side of the river near downtown Kankakee. Multiple residences threatened along Amber Lane northwest of Wilmington.
12.50 ft: Numerous residences threatened along Readman Lane northwest of Wilmington.
12.00 ft: Residences threatened near Potawatamie Trail and Hawkins Drive west of Kankakee. Riverside Hospital property threatened in Kankakee.
11.50 ft: Washington Avenue/McMullen Drive threatened in downtown Kankakee. Bradley Water Treatment Plant property threatened.
10.50 ft: Residences threatened along River Street in downtown Kankakee. Numerous residences threatened along Cobb Boulevard in eastern Kankakee. A few residences threatened along Water Street and Towpath Lane in Wilmington. Access road threatened at Milliken Lake in Des Plaines Fish and Wildlife Area.
10.00 ft: Water treatment plant in Kankakee is threatened. Multiple businesses and residences threatened along Baltimore Street on Alden Island in Wilmington.
9.50 ft: Kennedy Drive threatened near the river and Court Street in Kankakee.
9.00 ft: Structures threatened along Water Street near Jeffers Park in Kankakee. Multiple residences threatened in Aroma Park. A few low-lying structures surrounded by water along Amber Lane, Readman Lane, and Cottage Road northwest of Wilmington. IL-53 threatened in Wilmington.
8.50 ft: Widows Road threatened near Wilmington Water Treatment Plant.
1.52 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: 8 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	16.70 ft	January 1, 1887
2	16.70 ft	February 5, 1883
3	13.88 ft	January 30, 1968
4	13.18 ft	February 5, 2019
5	12.83 ft	February 25, 1985
6	12.78 ft	January 21, 1974
7	12.07 ft	March 8, 1979
8	12.00 ft	January 26, 2008
9	11.76 ft	December 17, 1972
10	11.57 ft	February 1, 1949

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.44 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

18 Sun 63° 38° – Wind 14 mph

19 Mon 66° 38° – Wind 6 mph

20 Tue 69° 44° – Wind 6 mph

21 Wed 70° 50° – Wind 6 mph

22 Thu 71° 54° – Wind 6 mph

23 Fri 70° 60° – Wind 13 mph

24 Sat 74° 56° – Wind 16 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:08 AM Sunset 06:09 PM Daylight 11 hr First quarter 51%

Map

Other gauges on the Kankakee River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Kankakee River at DavisRiver gauge, Kankakee River	6.34 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	77 mi
Kankakee River at Dunns BridgeRiver gauge, Kankakee River	4.31 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	64 mi
Kankakee River near KoutsRiver gauge, Kankakee River	5.26 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	60 mi
Kankakee River at ShelbyRiver gauge, Kankakee River	5.87 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	45 mi
Kankakee River at MomenceRiver gauge, Kankakee River	2.03 ft	Normal	−0.03 ft	30 mi
Kankakee River at Inflow of Power Plant near LorenzoRiver gauge, Kankakee River	504.57 ft	Very low	−0.05 ft	4.9 mi
Kankakee River below Ushwy 30 near HannaRiver gauge, Kankakee River	1.95 ft	No reference yet	−0.04 ft	77 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Aux Sable Creek near MorrisRiver gauge, Aux Sable Creek	3.79 ft	Normal	−0.33 ft	10 mi
Mazon River near Coal CityRiver gauge, Mazon River	1.46 ft	Normal	−0.08 ft	10 mi
Du Page River at ShorewoodRiver gauge, Du Page River	10.85 ft	Very high	−0.25 ft	12 mi
Illinois River at MorrisRiver gauge, Illinois River	5.31 ft	Normal	+0.13 ft	13 mi
Hickory Creek at JolietRiver gauge, Hickory Creek	10.95 ft	Normal	−0.10 ft	13 mi
Des Plaines River at Route 53 at JolietRiver gauge, Des Plaines River	538.97 ft	Normal	±0	14 mi
Illinois River at SenecaRiver gauge, Illinois River	20.45 ft	Low	±0	22 mi
Long Run near LemontRiver gauge, Long Run	1.14 ft	Normal	−0.21 ft	23 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Kankakee River near Wilmington higher than last year?

Yes, it is 0.47 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.05 ft.

What is flood stage for the Kankakee River near Wilmington?

The official flood stage is 6.50 ft. The level is currently 4.98 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Kankakee River near Wilmington in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 1.20 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 0.90 ft and 3.06 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 Kankakee River near Wilmington today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 11:45 AM CDT, the water level was 1.52 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Kankakee River near Wilmington rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.22 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Kankakee River near Wilmington 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:05527500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 41.34633, -88.18672 (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	1.52 ft	2026-10-18 16:45	Provisional
Flow	2,070 cfs	2026-10-18 16:45	Provisional
Water temperature	55 °F	2026-10-18 16:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Kankakee River near Wilmington (usgs:05527500). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/kankakee-river-near-wilmington

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