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SwedenBig Muddy River at Plumfield water level
River gauge, Big Muddy River, Illinois, United States
Right now
Low for mid-October
Water level
- Flow
- 53.5 cfs
History
20252026
What this means
The Big Muddy River at Plumfield is running below normal at 2.61 ft.
The median for mid-October is 6.36 ft, based on 33 years of readings, so the river stage is 3.75 ft below typical. It is 17.39 ft below the flood stage of 20.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 2.51 ft, a difference of +0.10 ft.
It has risen 0.08 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 2.44 ft and 2.66 ft.
Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.
Compared with 33 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 6.36 ft3.75 ft below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 2.50 ft – 9.98 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (33 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 2.51 ft+0.10 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 2.44 ft – 2.66 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 2.44 ft – 16.11 ft
- Highest on record
- 34.68 ftMay 4, 2011
Floating and fishing near Big Muddy River at Plumfield
Low water exposes gravel bars that make good wading access, but some boat ramps may be left high and dry.
Flood stage here is 20.00 ft, 17.39 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.
What happens at each level
- 34.00 ft
- Many surrounding homes begin to flood.
- 20.00 ft
- Minor flooding occurs affecting mainly bottomland and surrounding low lying areas.
- 16.00 ft
- Bankfull stage is reached.
- 2.61 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: 17 %.
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 34.68 ft | May 4, 2011 |
| 2 | 34.67 ft | May 10, 1961 |
| 3 | 33.50 ft | April 30, 2011 |
| 4 | 32.86 ft | August 19, 1946 |
| 5 | 31.84 ft | May 4, 1983 |
| 6 | 31.83 ft | May 1, 1996 |
| 7 | 30.70 ft | January 26, 1949 |
| 8 | 30.20 ft | February 1, 1916 |
| 9 | 29.86 ft | March 21, 2008 |
| 10 | 29.66 ft | November 19, 1993 |
Weather at the gauge
No rain in the last 3 days.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Other gauges on the Big Muddy River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Muddy River below Rend Lake near BentonRiver gauge, Big Muddy River | 7.52 ft | No reference yet | −0.01 ft | 10 mi |
| Big Muddy River at Rte 127 at MurphysboroRiver gauge, Big Muddy River | 3.24 ft | Very low | +0.04 ft | 19 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crab Orchard Creek near MarionRiver gauge, Crab Orchard Creek | 0.63 ft | Very low | −0.03 ft | 13 mi |
| Rayse Creek near WaltonvilleRiver gauge, Rayse Creek | 1.21 ft | Normal | −0.02 ft | 25 mi |
| South Fork Saline River near Carrier MillsRiver gauge, South Fork Saline River | 2.20 ft | Very low | +0.01 ft | 26 mi |
| Casey Fork at Mount VernonRiver gauge, Casey Fork | 1.59 ft | Normal | −0.05 ft | 28 mi |
| Middle Fork Saline River near HarrisburgRiver gauge, Middle Fork Saline River | 8.90 ft | Normal | −0.05 ft | 30 mi |
| Lusk Creek near EddyvilleRiver gauge, Lusk Creek | 1.88 ft | Low | ±0 | 39 mi |
| Cache River at FormanRiver gauge, Cache River | 8.26 ft | Normal | −0.03 ft | 39 mi |
| Skillet Fork at Wayne CityRiver gauge, Skillet Fork | 4.09 ft | Very low | +0.03 ft | 40 mi |
Questions and answers
Is the Big Muddy River at Plumfield higher than last year?
Yes, it is 0.10 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.51 ft.
What is flood stage for the Big Muddy River at Plumfield?
The official flood stage is 20.00 ft. The level is currently 17.39 ft below it.
What is a normal level for the Big Muddy River at Plumfield in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 6.36 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.50 ft and 9.98 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 Big Muddy River at Plumfield today?
On Oct 18, 2026, 04:30 PM CDT, the water level was 2.61 ft. Up 0.08 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is Big Muddy River at Plumfield rising or falling?
Up 0.08 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 0.16 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Big Muddy River at Plumfield normal?
Low 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:05597000(Agency page)- Coordinates
37.89139, -89.01944(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 | 2.61 ft | 2026-10-18 21:30 | Provisional |
| Flow | 53.5 cfs | 2026-10-18 21:30 | Provisional |
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Big Muddy River at Plumfield (usgs:05597000). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/big-muddy-river-at-plumfield
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