Embarras River at Ste. Marie water level
River gauge, Embarras River, Illinois, United States
Right now
Normal for mid-October
Water level
- Flow
- 60.8 cfs
History
20252026
What this means
The Embarras River at Ste. Marie is at 0.90 ft, in the normal range for mid-October.
The median for mid-October is 0.63 ft, based on 35 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.27 ft above typical. It is 18.10 ft below the flood stage of 19.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 0.37 ft, a difference of +0.53 ft.
It has dropped 0.06 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 0.87 ft and 1.77 ft.
Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.
Compared with 35 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 0.63 ft0.27 ft above the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 0.33 ft – 5.59 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (35 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 0.37 ft+0.53 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 0.87 ft – 1.77 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 0.32 ft – 17.85 ft
- Highest on record
- 28.06 ftJune 7, 2008
Floating and fishing near Embarras River at Ste. Marie
Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.
Flood stage here is 19.00 ft, 18.10 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.
What happens at each level
- 27.00 ft
- Water begins to overtop Captain Pond and Ste. Marie Levees.
- 21.00 ft
- Water overtops a few private levees in the Ste. Marie area.
- 19.00 ft
- County Highway 9 floods between Ste. Marie and Willow Hill.
- 16.00 ft
- Flooding begins to a secondary road on the east bank near the bridge north of town.
- 0.90 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: 13 %.
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 28.06 ft | June 7, 2008 |
| 2 | 26.83 ft | December 30, 2015 |
| 3 | 26.54 ft | June 30, 1957 |
| 4 | 26.36 ft | May 13, 2002 |
| 5 | 26.08 ft | May 9, 1961 |
| 6 | 26.00 ft | December 23, 1967 |
| 7 | 25.95 ft | January 4, 1950 |
| 8 | 25.56 ft | May 6, 2017 |
| 9 | 25.34 ft | May 30, 1927 |
| 10 | 25.17 ft | May 9, 1996 |
Weather at the gauge
Rain in the last 3 days: 0.72 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Other gauges on the Embarras River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Embarras River near CamargoRiver gauge, Embarras River | 3.43 ft | Normal | +0.03 ft | 60 mi |
| Embarras River at LawrencevilleRiver gauge, Embarras River | 16.75 ft | Low | −0.07 ft | 24 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Fork Embarras River near OblongRiver gauge, North Fork Embarras River | 2.08 ft | Normal | +0.12 ft | 7 mi |
| Wabash River at RivertonRiver gauge, Wabash River | 5.43 ft | Below flood stage | −0.21 ft | 25 mi |
| Little Wabash River below Clay CityRiver gauge, Little Wabash River | 3.87 ft | Normal | −0.02 ft | 26 mi |
| Wabash River at Memorial Bridge at VincennesRiver gauge, Wabash River | 4.91 ft | Below flood stage | −0.14 ft | 32 mi |
| Busseron Creek near CarlisleRiver gauge, Busseron Creek | 1.66 ft | Below flood stage | +0.01 ft | 32 mi |
| Little Wabash River near EffinghamRiver gauge, Little Wabash River | 10.42 ft | Normal | −0.02 ft | 33 mi |
| Bonpas Creek at BrownsRiver gauge, Bonpas Creek | 2.27 ft | Normal | −2.06 ft | 38 mi |
| Wabash River at Mount CarmelRiver gauge, Wabash River | 4.13 ft | Normal | −0.16 ft | 40 mi |
Questions and answers
Is the Embarras River at Ste. Marie higher than last year?
Yes, it is 0.53 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 0.37 ft.
What is flood stage for the Embarras River at Ste. Marie?
The official flood stage is 19.00 ft. The level is currently 18.10 ft below it.
What is a normal level for the Embarras River at Ste. Marie in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 0.63 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 0.33 ft and 5.59 ft, based on 35 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 Embarras River at Ste. Marie today?
On Oct 18, 2026, 03:45 AM CDT, the water level was 0.90 ft. Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is Embarras River at Ste. Marie rising or falling?
Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.04 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Embarras River at Ste. Marie normal?
Normal for mid-October. Compared with 35 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:03345500(Agency page)- Coordinates
38.93669, -88.02233(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 | 0.90 ft | 2026-10-18 08:45 | Provisional |
| Flow | 60.8 cfs | 2026-10-18 08:45 | Provisional |
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Embarras River at Ste. Marie (usgs:03345500). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/embarras-river-at-ste-marie
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