Imperial River near Bonita Springs water level
River gauge, Imperial River, Florida, United States
Right now
Normal for mid-October
Water level
- Flow
- 130 cfs
History
20252026
What this means
The gauge at Imperial River near Bonita Springs reads 5.50 ft, a normal level for mid-October.
The median for mid-October is 6.19 ft, based on 37 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.69 ft below typical. It is 5.50 ft below the flood stage of 11.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 3.72 ft, a difference of +1.78 ft.
The level is falling, down 0.12 ft over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 4.85 ft and 7.10 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
- 6.19 ft0.69 ft below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 3.81 ft – 9.89 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (37 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 3.72 ft+1.78 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 4.85 ft – 7.10 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 2.15 ft – 8.07 ft
- Highest on record
- 15.32 ftSeptember 12, 2017
What the stage means on the water
A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.
The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 11.00 ft, still 5.50 ft away.
What happens at each level
- 14.50 ft
- 3 to 4 feet of water in homes near the gauge site. Imperial Bonita Estates flooded with widespread water of 1 to 2.5 feet depth in homes. Mobile home community just west of Interstate 75 and north of the Imperial river has water depth of 16 to 30 inches. Over 1000 homes impacted.
- 13.00 ft
- Areal extent of flooding increases rapidly.
- 12.00 ft
- Water in homes near the gauge site. Flooding begins in the south end of Imperial Bonita Estates.
- 11.00 ft
- Flooding begins surrounding homes near the gauge site.
- 10.00 ft
- River at bankfull. Flooding of low lying areas begins to affect nearby homes and roads.
- 5.50 ft
- Right now
Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15.32 ft | September 12, 2017 |
| 2 | 12.32 ft | October 2, 2022 |
Weather at the gauge
Rain in the last 3 days: 0.09 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring Creek Headwater near Bonita SpringsRiver gauge, Spring Creek Headwater | 6.57 ft | Low | −0.04 ft | 3.1 mi |
| South Branch Estero River at EsteroRiver gauge, South Branch Estero River | 3.58 ft | Normal | −0.15 ft | 7 mi |
| North Branch Estero River at EsteroRiver gauge, North Branch Estero River | 7.62 ft | Low | −0.12 ft | 8 mi |
| Briarcliff Ditch at Mouth near EsteroCanal gauge, Briarcliff Ditch | 5.78 ft | Normal | −0.03 ft | 13 mi |
| Tenmile Canal at Control near EsteroCanal gauge, Tenmile Canal | 5.78 ft | Normal | −0.03 ft | 13 mi |
| Sixmile Cypress Creek near Fort MyersRiver gauge, Sixmile Cypress Creek | 11.09 ft | High | −0.01 ft | 14 mi |
| Lake Trafford near ImmokaleeLake, Lake Trafford | 18.29 ft | Very low | −0.01 ft | 18 mi |
| Whiskey Creek at Fort MyersRiver gauge, Whiskey Creek | 3.08 ft | Low | ±0 | 19 mi |
Questions and answers
Is the Imperial River near Bonita Springs higher than last year?
Yes, it is 1.78 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3.72 ft.
What is flood stage for the Imperial River near Bonita Springs?
The official flood stage is 11.00 ft. The level is currently 5.50 ft below it.
What is a normal level for the Imperial River near Bonita Springs in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 6.19 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 3.81 ft and 9.89 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 Imperial River near Bonita Springs today?
On Oct 20, 2026, 02:45 PM EDT, the water level was 5.50 ft. Down 0.12 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is Imperial River near Bonita Springs rising or falling?
Down 0.12 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 0.16 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Imperial River near Bonita Springs normal?
Normal for mid-October. Compared with 37 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:02291500(Agency page)- Coordinates
26.33583, -81.74939(WGS84)- 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 | 5.50 ft | 2026-10-20 18:45 | Provisional |
| Flow | 130 cfs | 2026-10-20 18:45 | Provisional |
Download
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Imperial River near Bonita Springs (usgs:02291500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/florida/imperial-river-near-bonita-springs
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