Sangamon River at Petersburg water level

Name: Sangamon River at Petersburg 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, Sangamon River, Illinois, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

4.44ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 12:15 PM CDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 158 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

The Sangamon River at Petersburg is at 4.44 ft, in the normal range for mid-October.

That puts it 0.20 ft below the median of 4.64 ft for mid-October, based on 15 years of readings. It is 18.56 ft below the flood stage of 23.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 3.92 ft (+0.52 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 4.36 ft and 5.02 ft.

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

Compared with 15 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 4.64 ft0.20 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 4.06 ft – 9.98 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (15 years of records)
Same day last year: 3.92 ft+0.52 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 4.36 ft – 5.02 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 3.91 ft – 15.63 ft
Highest on record: 33.90 ftMay 20, 1943

Floating and fishing near Sangamon River at Petersburg

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

Flood stage here is 23.00 ft, 18.56 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

29.00 ft: Route 123 is closed. Water overtops Illinois Midland railroad tracks at 4th Street.
25.00 ft: Some residences on the east side of Petersburg flood.
23.00 ft: Extensive agricultural and lowland flooding occurs.
22.00 ft: Altig Bridge Ave. closed due to water over the west approach roadway.
21.00 ft: Park and recreational land near the river in Petersburg is flooded.
15.00 ft: Water begins to flood agricultural areas and local parks near the river.
4.44 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: 7 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	33.90 ft	May 20, 1943
2	30.75 ft	May 14, 2002
3	30.55 ft	December 31, 2015
4	29.84 ft	April 14, 1994
5	27.45 ft	May 11, 1996
6	26.50 ft	January 25, 1974
7	26.30 ft	January 17, 2005
8	26.10 ft	May 3, 1970
9	26.08 ft	January 18, 2005
10	25.67 ft	April 23, 2013

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.24 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

18 Sun 64° 36° – Wind 13 mph

19 Mon 69° 38° – Wind 7 mph

20 Tue 72° 51° – Wind 7 mph

21 Wed 73° 52° – Wind 7 mph

22 Thu 76° 54° – Wind 7 mph

23 Fri 77° 56° – Wind 10 mph

24 Sat 79° 58° – Wind 14 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:14 AM Sunset 06:17 PM Daylight 11 hr, 3 min First quarter 52%

Map

Other gauges on the Sangamon River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Sangamon River at FisherRiver gauge, Sangamon River	4.70 ft	Normal	±0	83 mi
Sangamon River at MonticelloRiver gauge, Sangamon River	5.04 ft	Normal	−0.05 ft	66 mi
Sangamon River at Route 48 at DecaturRiver gauge, Sangamon River	2.06 ft	Low	−0.15 ft	47 mi
Sangamon River at RivertonRiver gauge, Sangamon River	2.50 ft	Low	+0.02 ft	19 mi
Sangamon River near SpringfieldRiver gauge, Sangamon River	21.16 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	15 mi
Sangamon River near OakfordRiver gauge, Sangamon River	3.48 ft	Normal	+0.02 ft	11 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Salt Creek near GreenviewRiver gauge, Salt Creek	1.37 ft	Normal	−0.04 ft	10 mi
Spring Creek at SpringfieldRiver gauge, Spring Creek	1.54 ft	Low	−0.04 ft	16 mi
Sugar Creek near SpringfieldRiver gauge, Sugar Creek	9.77 ft	Low	+0.02 ft	21 mi
Mason Tazewell Drainage D at Cr2350e near TopekaRiver gauge, Mason Tazewell Drainage D	15.42 ft	Very high	−0.01 ft	22 mi
Lick Creek near ChathamRiver gauge, Lick Creek	11.81 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	22 mi
South Fork Sangamon River below RochesterRiver gauge, South Fork Sangamon River	4.33 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	23 mi
South Fork Sangamon River near RochesterRiver gauge, South Fork Sangamon River	5.03 ft	Normal	±0	24 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Sangamon River at Petersburg compare with last year?

It is 0.52 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3.92 ft.

What is flood stage for the Sangamon River at Petersburg?

The official flood stage is 23.00 ft. The level is currently 18.56 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Sangamon River at Petersburg in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 4.64 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 4.06 ft and 9.98 ft, based on 15 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 Sangamon River at Petersburg today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 12:15 PM CDT, the water level was 4.44 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Sangamon River at Petersburg rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Sangamon River at Petersburg normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 15 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:05578000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 40.01333, -89.83833 (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	4.44 ft	2026-10-18 17:15	Provisional
Flow	158 cfs	2026-10-18 17:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Sangamon River at Petersburg (usgs:05578000). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/sangamon-river-at-petersburg

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