Kankakee River at Momence water level

Name: Kankakee River at Momence 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, Kankakee River, Illinois, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

2.06ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 17, 2026, 01:45 PM CDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 1,650 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Kankakee River at Momence, where the gauge shows 2.06 ft.

That puts it 0.50 ft above the median of 1.56 ft for mid-October, based on 33 years of readings. It is 2.94 ft below the flood stage of 5.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 1.38 ft (+0.68 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 1.79 ft – 2.85 ft.

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

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

Key numbers

Median for this date: 1.56 ft0.50 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 1.19 ft – 2.83 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (33 years of records)
Same day last year: 1.38 ft+0.68 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 1.79 ft – 2.85 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 1.41 ft – 5.40 ft
Highest on record: 10.51 ftMarch 6, 1979

Paddling and fishing conditions

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

For reference, flood stage is 5.00 ft.

What happens at each level

11.00 ft: Widespread inundation of roadways and structures up to 2 blocks from the river in Momence.
10.50 ft: Numerous structures threatened north of the river, south of the river, and on Momence Island in Momence. IL-17/Dixie Highway threatened south of the river in Momence.
10.00 ft: IL-17 threatened near the river in Sun River Terrace.
8.50 ft: Water begins to bypass the main channel along IL-17 west of Sun River Terrace toward Baker Creek.
8.00 ft: Residences threatened along Shadow Lawn Lane east of Momence.
7.00 ft: Low-lying structures threatened north of the river in Momence. Residences threatened in the River Isle subdivision upstream of Momence. Residences threatened along Blackhawk Trail upstream of Momence. Widespread inundation of the floodplain reaches up to 2 miles from the river.
6.50 ft: Residences threatened along Serpentine Drive at Garden of Eden east of Momence. 15500E Road and 3500N Road threatened. River North Road and River South Road threatened west of Momence.
6.00 ft: Campgrounds threatened east of Momence.
5.50 ft: Low-lying areas of Island Park inundated in Momence. River Isle Road threatened east of Momence. Eagle Island Road threatened near Sun River Terrace.
5.00 ft: Low-lying wetlands, forest land, and agricultural land inundated along the river.
4.00 ft: Water overtops low-lying banks at River Isle upstream from Momence.
2.06 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: 15 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	10.51 ft	March 6, 1979
2	9.09 ft	January 25, 1930
3	8.90 ft	January 4, 1919
4	8.90 ft	January 4, 1928
5	8.82 ft	February 24, 1959
6	8.60 ft	January 21, 1916
7	8.23 ft	January 30, 1965
8	8.08 ft	February 11, 1988
9	8.06 ft	January 24, 1929
10	8.06 ft	February 19, 1951

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

17 Sat 56° 39° – Wind 13 mph

18 Sun 63° 35° – Wind 14 mph

19 Mon 67° 38° – Wind 6 mph

20 Tue 68° 48° – Wind 7 mph

21 Wed 69° 49° – Wind 6 mph

22 Thu 71° 51° – Wind 5 mph

23 Fri 73° 53° – Wind 8 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:05 AM Sunset 06:08 PM Daylight 11 hr, 3 min First quarter 43%

Map

Other gauges on the Kankakee River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Kankakee River at DavisRiver gauge, Kankakee River	6.37 ft	Below flood stage	+0.05 ft	52 mi
Kankakee River at Dunns BridgeRiver gauge, Kankakee River	4.33 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	37 mi
Kankakee River near KoutsRiver gauge, Kankakee River	5.29 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	34 mi
Kankakee River at ShelbyRiver gauge, Kankakee River	5.92 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	17 mi
Kankakee River near WilmingtonRiver gauge, Kankakee River	1.53 ft	Normal	−0.05 ft	30 mi
Kankakee River at Inflow of Power Plant near LorenzoRiver gauge, Kankakee River	504.57 ft	Low	−0.05 ft	35 mi
Kankakee River below Ushwy 30 near HannaRiver gauge, Kankakee River	1.99 ft	No reference yet	+0.06 ft	53 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Iroquois River near ChebanseRiver gauge, Iroquois River	2.93 ft	Normal	+0.02 ft	13 mi
Plum Creek near CreteRiver gauge, Plum Creek	7.68 ft	Low	±0	20 mi
Iroquois River at IroquoisRiver gauge, Iroquois River	5.61 ft	Normal	+0.01 ft	24 mi
Iroquois River near ParrRiver gauge, Iroquois River	0.4 cfs	Normal	−0.1 cfs	24 mi
Deer Creek near Chicago HeightsRiver gauge, Deer Creek	3.27 ft	Very low	−0.01 ft	25 mi
Hart Ditch at DyerCanal gauge, Hart Ditch	2.17 ft	Below flood stage	+0.03 ft	25 mi
Thorn Creek at GlenwoodRiver gauge, Thorn Creek	2.59 ft	Very low	−0.01 ft	26 mi
Turkey Creek at Joliet St at ScherervilleRiver gauge, Turkey Creek	3.75 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	26 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Kankakee River at Momence compare with last year?

It is 0.68 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.38 ft.

What is flood stage for the Kankakee River at Momence?

The official flood stage is 5.00 ft. The level is currently 2.94 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Kankakee River at Momence in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 1.56 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.19 ft and 2.83 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 Kankakee River at Momence today?

On Oct 17, 2026, 01:45 PM CDT, the water level was 2.06 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Kankakee River at Momence rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.36 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Kankakee River at Momence normal?

Normal 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:05520500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 41.15994, -87.66875 (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	2.06 ft	2026-10-17 18:45	Provisional
Flow	1,650 cfs	2026-10-17 18:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Kankakee River at Momence (usgs:05520500). Accessed October 17, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/kankakee-river-at-momence

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