West Okaw River near Lovington water level

Name: West Okaw River near Lovington 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, West Okaw River, Illinois, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

2.24ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 05:00 PM CDT (35 min ago)

Flow: 0.0 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at West Okaw River near Lovington, where the gauge shows 2.24 ft.

That puts it 0.28 ft below the median of 2.52 ft for mid-October, based on 37 years of readings. A year ago it stood at 1.80 ft (+0.44 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 2.23 ft – 2.53 ft.

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

Compared with 37 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 2.52 ft0.28 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 1.29 ft – 5.52 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (37 years of records)
Same day last year: 1.80 ft+0.44 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 2.23 ft – 2.53 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 1.51 ft – 12.75 ft
Highest on record: 16.40 ftMay 8, 1996

Paddling and fishing conditions

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	16.40 ft	May 8, 1996
2	16.26 ft	May 12, 2002
3	16.17 ft	June 7, 2008
4	15.88 ft	April 12, 1994
5	15.54 ft	February 6, 2008
6	15.49 ft	December 28, 2015
7	15.07 ft	May 2, 1983
8	14.39 ft	April 19, 2013
9	13.92 ft	June 18, 2026
10	13.92 ft	July 31, 1992

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 72° 37° – Wind 7 mph

21 Wed 72° 41° – Wind 6 mph

22 Thu 75° 54° – Wind 7 mph

23 Fri 75° 53° – Wind 8 mph

24 Sat 75° 53° – Wind 10 mph

25 Sun 77° 56° – Wind 11 mph

26 Mon 74° 50° – Wind 16 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:11 AM Sunset 06:10 PM Daylight 10 hr, 59 min Waxing gibbous 72%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Lake Fork at AtwoodRiver gauge, Lake Fork	3.00 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	11 mi
Kaskaskia River below FicklinRiver gauge, Kaskaskia River	2.14 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	16 mi
Kaskaskia River Inflow at FicklinRiver gauge, Kaskaskia River Inflow	7.09 ft	Very low	+0.01 ft	17 mi
Kaskaskia River at Cooks MillsRiver gauge, Kaskaskia River	1.63 ft	Low	−0.11 ft	17 mi
Whitley Creek near AllenvilleRiver gauge, Whitley Creek	2.19 ft	Normal	±0	17 mi
Sangamon River at Route 48 at DecaturRiver gauge, Sangamon River	1.94 ft	Very low	−0.04 ft	18 mi
Sangamon River at MonticelloRiver gauge, Sangamon River	5.00 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	21 mi
Kaskaskia River at ShelbyvilleRiver gauge, Kaskaskia River	6.42 ft	Normal	±0	23 mi

Questions and answers

How does the West Okaw River near Lovington compare with last year?

It is 0.44 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.80 ft.

What is a normal level for the West Okaw River near Lovington in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 2.52 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.29 ft and 5.52 ft, based on 37 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 West Okaw River near Lovington today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 05:00 PM CDT, the water level was 2.24 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is West Okaw River near Lovington rising or falling?

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

Is the level of West Okaw River near Lovington normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 37 years of daily readings for this time of year.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at West Okaw River near Lovington?

The highest level on record is 16.40 ft on May 8, 1996.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:05591700 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 39.73072, -88.66211 (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	2.24 ft	2026-10-20 22:00	Provisional
Flow	0.0 cfs	2026-10-20 22:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: West Okaw River near Lovington (usgs:05591700). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/west-okaw-river-near-lovington

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