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Fox River at Dayton water level

River gauge, Fox River, Illinois, United States

Directions

High for mid-October

Water level

7.70ft Up 0.38 ft over the last 24 hours

Flow
3,080 cfs
10 20 30 40 Highest onrecord 36.47 ft Minor floodstage 12.00 ft

History

581013ftOct 11Oct 12Oct 14Oct 15Oct 17Minor flood stage581013ftOct 11Oct 14Oct 17Minor flood stage
581013ftSep 18Sep 25Oct 2Oct 10Oct 17Minor flood stage581013ftSep 18Oct 2Oct 17Minor flood stage
51015ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage51015ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage
51015ftJanMarMayJulSepNov202651015ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

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

What this means

The gauge at Fox River at Dayton shows 7.70 ft, above normal for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 5.93 ft, based on 33 years of readings, so the river stage is 1.77 ft above typical. It is 4.30 ft below the flood stage of 12.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 5.20 ft, a difference of +2.50 ft.

The water is rising: up 0.38 ft over the past 24 hours. If the rise continues, low-lying paths and riverside parking can go under water. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 7.02 ft and 12.19 ft.

That stands out in fall, when many rivers are usually near their lowest.

Compared with 33 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
5.93 ft1.77 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date
5.19 ft – 9.11 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (33 years of records)
Same day last year
5.20 ft+2.50 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
7.02 ft – 12.19 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
5.14 ft – 14.66 ft
Highest on record
36.47 ftJanuary 25, 1960

What the stage means on the water

Fast, high water is not the time for casual paddling. Strainers, debris and cold water make an unplanned swim dangerous.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 12.00 ft, still 4.30 ft away.

What happens at each level

26.00 ft
Residential structures threatened off Dayton Road in Dayton.
23.00 ft
Numerous residential structures threatened along 2959th Road between Ottawa and Dayton. Industrial structures threatened in Wedron.
22.00 ft
Illinois Railway tracks threatened in Wedron. Campgrounds may be threatened near Sheridan.
21.50 ft
2153rd Road threatened in Wedron.
20.00 ft
Roadways and structures may be threatened in Millington.
19.50 ft
A few residential structures threatened along 2959th Road between Ottawa and Dayton.
19.00 ft
42nd Road may be threatened north of Sheridan.
17.50 ft
Agricultural land inundated near Sheridan.
17.00 ft
2603rd Road may be threatened north of Sheridan.
16.00 ft
Multiple structures may be threatened north of Sheridan.
14.50 ft
Low-lying agricultural land inundated near Norway.
14.00 ft
Residential structures threatened along 2059th Road south of Wedron.
7.70 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: 34 %.

RankLevelDate
136.47 ftJanuary 25, 1960
232.04 ftJanuary 30, 1952
332.00 ftJanuary 10, 1973
424.63 ftOctober 11, 1954
524.47 ftJuly 19, 1996
622.81 ftFebruary 21, 1966
722.51 ftJanuary 26, 1969
822.18 ftFebruary 11, 1974
921.48 ftSeptember 14, 2008
1021.46 ftFebruary 22, 1997

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.27 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

17 Sat 57° 37° – Wind 12 mph
18 Sun 64° 35° – Wind 14 mph
19 Mon 66° 46° – Wind 7 mph
20 Tue 67° 48° – Wind 7 mph
21 Wed 69° 49° – Wind 7 mph
22 Thu 71° 53° – Wind 6 mph
23 Fri 73° 54° – Wind 9 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:10 AM Sunset 06:13 PM Daylight 11 hr, 3 min First quarter 40%

Map

Other gauges on the Fox River

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Fox River at WaukeshaRiver gauge, Fox River 3.24 ft Below flood stage −0.04 ft 115 mi
Fox River at Waterford Dam, at WaterfordRiver gauge, Fox River 1.63 ft Low −0.01 ft 100 mi
Fox River at RochesterRiver gauge, Fox River 4.30 ft Normal −0.12 ft 98 mi
Fox River near New MunsterRiver gauge, Fox River 7.09 ft Below flood stage +0.26 ft 90 mi
Fox River at JohnsburgRiver gauge, Fox River 4.07 ft Normal +0.01 ft 74 mi
Fox River near McHenryRiver gauge, Fox River 3.96 ft Normal −0.07 ft 70 mi
Fox River at AlgonquinRiver gauge, Fox River 1.77 ft High +0.07 ft 60 mi
Fox River at South ElginRiver gauge, Fox River 12.86 ft Normal +0.06 ft 49 mi
Fox River at South Elgin, Il (Tailwater)River gauge, Fox River 6.86 ft Normal ±0 49 mi
Fox River at MontgomeryRiver gauge, Fox River 11.79 ft Normal −0.08 ft 34 mi
Fox River at YorkvilleRiver gauge, Fox River 13.01 ft Normal −0.12 ft 25 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Illinois River at MarseillesRiver gauge, Illinois River 12.48 ft High +0.18 ft 5.4 mi
Illinois River at SenecaRiver gauge, Illinois River 20.64 ft Normal −0.11 ft 11 mi
Vermilion River near LeonoreRiver gauge, Vermilion River 3.69 ft Normal −0.09 ft 14 mi
Illinois River at MorrisRiver gauge, Illinois River 5.78 ft Normal +0.01 ft 19 mi
Aux Sable Creek near MorrisRiver gauge, Aux Sable Creek 4.19 ft High +0.03 ft 23 mi
Mazon River near Coal CityRiver gauge, Mazon River 1.56 ft Normal +0.04 ft 23 mi
Fox River Tailwater at YorkvilleRiver gauge, Fox River Tailwater 7.56 ft Normal −0.26 ft 25 mi
Fox River Bypass at YorkvilleRiver gauge, Fox River Bypass 9.28 ft Normal −0.26 ft 25 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Fox River at Dayton higher than last year?

Yes, it is 2.50 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 5.20 ft.

What is flood stage for the Fox River at Dayton?

The official flood stage is 12.00 ft. The level is currently 4.30 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Fox River at Dayton in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 5.93 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 5.19 ft and 9.11 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 Fox River at Dayton today?

On Oct 17, 2026, 06:45 AM CDT, the water level was 7.70 ft. Up 0.38 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Fox River at Dayton rising or falling?

Up 0.38 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.27 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Fox River at Dayton normal?

High 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:05552500 (Agency page)
Coordinates
41.38414, -88.78897 (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

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Water level 7.70 ft 2026-10-17 11:45 Provisional
Flow 3,080 cfs 2026-10-17 11:45 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Fox River at Dayton (usgs:05552500). Accessed October 17, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/fox-river-at-dayton

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