La Moine River at Ripley water level

Name: La Moine River at Ripley 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, La Moine River, Illinois, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

5.59ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 03:45 AM CDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 168 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 La Moine River at Ripley, where the gauge shows 5.59 ft.

That puts it 0.17 ft above the median of 5.42 ft for mid-October, based on 33 years of readings. It is 16.41 ft below the flood stage of 22.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 4.36 ft (+1.23 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 5.13 ft – 9.41 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: 5.42 ft0.17 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 4.12 ft – 11.54 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (33 years of records)
Same day last year: 4.36 ft+1.23 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 5.13 ft – 9.41 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 4.21 ft – 21.64 ft
Highest on record: 32.59 ftApril 21, 2013

Paddling and fishing conditions

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

For reference, flood stage is 22.00 ft.

What happens at each level

29.50 ft: Illinois State Highway 103 just east of the U.S. Highway 24 intersection begins flooding near this height.
28.00 ft: Illinois State Highway 103 just east of the U.S. Highway 24 intersection begins flooding near this height.
26.00 ft: Extensive pasture flooding downstream of the gauge along Highway 103 east of U.S. Highway 24.
24.50 ft: County Road 1600E (Levy Road) is closed just west of LaGrange Lock Road.
24.00 ft: Township road, downstream of the gage on the right bank, begins to flood.
23.00 ft: Moderate flooding begins. Extensive cropland is flooded below the gauge near the LaGrange Lock Road bridge.
22.00 ft: FLOOD STAGE. Farmland flooding and rural damages begin.
5.59 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: 16 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	32.59 ft	April 21, 2013
2	29.15 ft	May 18, 1995
3	29.07 ft	March 7, 1985
4	29.07 ft	May 8, 1996
5	28.96 ft	June 23, 1990
6	28.63 ft	November 19, 1985
7	28.42 ft	September 27, 1970
8	28.41 ft	May 15, 2002
9	28.10 ft	October 7, 1986
10	27.43 ft	September 26, 1961

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.03 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

18 Sun 63° 36° – Wind 12 mph

19 Mon 70° 40° – Wind 6 mph

20 Tue 72° 51° – Wind 6 mph

21 Wed 74° 51° – Wind 6 mph

22 Thu 76° 54° – Wind 6 mph

23 Fri 78° 56° – Wind 11 mph

24 Sat 80° 58° – Wind 14 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:17 AM Sunset 06:20 PM Daylight 11 hr, 3 min First quarter 48%

Map

Other gauges on the La Moine River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
La Moine River at ColmarRiver gauge, La Moine River	4.41 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	25 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Illinois River at MeredosiaRiver gauge, Illinois River	5.25 ft	Normal	+0.40 ft	14 mi
Illinois River at Valley CityRiver gauge, Illinois River	4.34 ft	Normal	+0.38 ft	22 mi
Illinois River at FlorenceRiver gauge, Illinois River	17.13 ft	Normal	+0.35 ft	27 mi
Sangamon River near OakfordRiver gauge, Sangamon River	3.48 ft	Normal	+0.04 ft	35 mi
Spoon River at SevilleRiver gauge, Spoon River	9.11 ft	Very high	+1.02 ft	36 mi
Bear Creek near MarcellineRiver gauge, Bear Creek	2.47 ft	Normal	+0.03 ft	38 mi
Mason Tazewell Drainage D at Cr2350e near TopekaRiver gauge, Mason Tazewell Drainage D	15.43 ft	Very high	−0.02 ft	43 mi
Bear Creek at HannibalRiver gauge, Bear Creek	1.7 cfs	Normal	+0.5 cfs	48 mi

Questions and answers

How does the La Moine River at Ripley compare with last year?

It is 1.23 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 4.36 ft.

What is flood stage for the La Moine River at Ripley?

The official flood stage is 22.00 ft. The level is currently 16.41 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the La Moine River at Ripley in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 5.42 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 4.12 ft and 11.54 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 La Moine River at Ripley today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 03:45 AM CDT, the water level was 5.59 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is La Moine River at Ripley rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.40 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of La Moine River at Ripley 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:05585000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 40.02508, -90.63106 (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	5.59 ft	2026-10-18 08:45	Provisional
Flow	168 cfs	2026-10-18 08:45	Provisional

Download

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: La Moine River at Ripley (usgs:05585000). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/la-moine-river-at-ripley

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