Pecatonica River at Freeport water level

Name: Pecatonica River at Freeport 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, Pecatonica River, Illinois, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

5.87ft Up 0.30 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 17, 2026, 01:30 PM CDT (44 min ago)

Flow: 1,130 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 Pecatonica River at Freeport, where the gauge shows 5.87 ft.

The median for mid-October is 4.60 ft, based on 33 years of readings, so the river stage is 1.27 ft above typical. It is 7.13 ft below the flood stage of 13.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 3.90 ft, a difference of +1.97 ft.

It is on the way up, by 0.30 ft over the past 24 hours. There is still 7.13 ft of room before flood stage. The 30-day range is 4.47 ft – 10.48 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: 4.60 ft1.27 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 3.33 ft – 8.42 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (33 years of records)
Same day last year: 3.90 ft+1.97 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 4.47 ft – 10.48 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 2.98 ft – 13.28 ft
Highest on record: 17.27 ftMarch 17, 2019

Paddling and fishing conditions

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

For reference, flood stage is 13.00 ft.

What happens at each level

21.50 ft: Water reaches the bottom of the Illinois Highway 26 bridge deck in Freeport.
20.00 ft: Water reaches the bottom of the Stephenson Street bridge deck.
19.00 ft: Water affects businesses west of the Stephenson Street bridge.
17.00 ft: Water affects the parking lots of several businesses near the Stephenson Street bridge.
16.50 ft: Water surrounds Taylor Park School and affects Illinois Highway 75 east of Freeport.
16.00 ft: Water affects parking lots of businesses east of the Stephenson Street bridge and most streets north and south of Illinois Highway 75 are closed. Illinois Highway 75 is also closed.
15.50 ft: Numerous streets are closed north and south of Illinois Highway 75 and water enters the first floor level of a few homes. Water also begins to enter Taylor Park. Businesses along Van Buren Street north of the Pecatonica River are directly affected by water.
15.00 ft: Some street closures begin north and south of Illinois Highway 75 and water affects many back yards in Freeport east of the Pecatonica River. Water begins to reach Illinois Highway 75 at the southeast corner of Taylor Park.
14.00 ft: Minor street flooding begins in Freeport and water affects a few back yards east of the Pecatonica River.
13.00 ft: Water affects low lying sections of Freeport mainly east of the Pecatonica River.
11.00 ft: Some agricultural flooding occurs north of Freeport.
5.87 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	17.27 ft	March 17, 2019
2	17.16 ft	July 3, 1969
3	17.13 ft	March 25, 1975
4	16.98 ft	March 8, 1937
5	16.90 ft	April 5, 1959
6	16.61 ft	July 11, 1993
7	16.41 ft	March 1, 1948
8	16.40 ft	February 22, 1997
9	16.35 ft	April 2, 1960
10	16.33 ft	February 9, 1938

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.17 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

17 Sat 52° 33° – Wind 10 mph

18 Sun 60° 36° – Wind 15 mph

19 Mon 64° 40° – Wind 8 mph

20 Tue 66° 45° – Wind 7 mph

21 Wed 67° 48° – Wind 11 mph

22 Thu 65° 54° – Wind 6 mph

23 Fri 70° 50° – Wind 11 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:14 AM Sunset 06:15 PM Daylight 11 hr, 1 min First quarter 42%

Map

Other gauges on the Pecatonica River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Pecatonica River at DarlingtonRiver gauge, Pecatonica River	3.75 ft	Below flood stage	−0.35 ft	37 mi
Pecatonica River at MartintownRiver gauge, Pecatonica River	6.84 ft	Below flood stage	+0.16 ft	17 mi
Pecatonica River near ShirlandRiver gauge, Pecatonica River	6.11 ft	Normal	+0.15 ft	24 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Rock River at ByronRiver gauge, Rock River	7.15 ft	Normal	±0	22 mi
Sugar River near BrodheadRiver gauge, Sugar River	1.76 ft	Below flood stage	+0.16 ft	24 mi
Rock River above Dam at RockfordRiver gauge, Rock River	2.70 ft	High	+0.53 ft	27 mi
Elkhorn Creek near PenroseRiver gauge, Elkhorn Creek	3.29 ft	High	−0.06 ft	28 mi
Rock River at Auburn St at RockfordRiver gauge, Rock River	3.29 ft	Normal	+0.55 ft	28 mi
Rock River at Latham ParkRiver gauge, Rock River	5.38 ft	Normal	+0.42 ft	29 mi
Rock River at RocktonRiver gauge, Rock River	5.33 ft	High	−0.04 ft	30 mi
Rock River at DixonRiver gauge, Rock River	9.47 ft	Normal	−0.14 ft	32 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Pecatonica River at Freeport higher than last year?

Yes, it is 1.97 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3.90 ft.

What is flood stage for the Pecatonica River at Freeport?

The official flood stage is 13.00 ft. The level is currently 7.13 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Pecatonica River at Freeport in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 4.60 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 3.33 ft and 8.42 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 Pecatonica River at Freeport today?

On Oct 17, 2026, 01:30 PM CDT, the water level was 5.87 ft. Up 0.30 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Pecatonica River at Freeport rising or falling?

Up 0.30 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 0.07 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Pecatonica River at Freeport 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:05435500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 42.30028, -89.61528 (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	5.87 ft	2026-10-17 18:30	Provisional
Flow	1,130 cfs	2026-10-17 18:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Pecatonica River at Freeport (usgs:05435500). Accessed October 17, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/pecatonica-river-at-freeport

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