Kaskaskia River near Cowden water level

Name: Kaskaskia River near Cowden 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, Kaskaskia River, Illinois, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

2.26ft Down 0.08 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 06:30 AM CDT (31 min ago)

Flow: 52.9 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

The Kaskaskia River near Cowden is at 2.26 ft, in the normal range for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 2.18 ft, based on 38 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.09 ft above typical. It is 12.74 ft below the flood stage of 15.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 2.45 ft, a difference of −0.19 ft.

It has dropped 0.08 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 2.25 ft and 2.44 ft.

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

Compared with 38 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 2.18 ft0.09 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 1.64 ft – 6.55 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (38 years of records)
Same day last year: 2.45 ft−0.19 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 2.25 ft – 2.44 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 2.27 ft – 16.97 ft
Highest on record: 20.36 ftMay 12, 2002

Floating and fishing near Kaskaskia River near Cowden

Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.

Flood stage here is 15.00 ft, 12.74 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	20.36 ft	May 12, 2002
2	20.28 ft	January 11, 2020
3	19.80 ft	December 28, 2015
4	19.56 ft	April 19, 2013
5	19.51 ft	July 31, 2020
6	19.12 ft	February 23, 1985
7	19.07 ft	May 4, 2017
8	18.97 ft	April 12, 1979
9	18.88 ft	April 26, 2011
10	18.61 ft	June 2, 1999

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.96 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

17 Sat 59° 40° – Wind 10 mph

18 Sun 65° 37° – Wind 12 mph

19 Mon 70° 38° – Wind 5 mph

20 Tue 72° 49° – Wind 6 mph

21 Wed 73° 50° – Wind 6 mph

22 Thu 76° 53° – Wind 6 mph

23 Fri 76° 53° – Wind 8 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:09 AM Sunset 06:14 PM Daylight 11 hr, 5 min First quarter 49%

Map

Other gauges on the Kaskaskia River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Kaskaskia River below FicklinRiver gauge, Kaskaskia River	2.40 ft	Normal	−0.18 ft	46 mi
Kaskaskia River at Cooks MillsRiver gauge, Kaskaskia River	1.54 ft	Low	+0.01 ft	33 mi
Kaskaskia River at ShelbyvilleRiver gauge, Kaskaskia River	6.42 ft	Normal	±0	13 mi
Kaskaskia River at VandaliaRiver gauge, Kaskaskia River	2.98 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	23 mi
Kaskaskia River at CarlyleRiver gauge, Kaskaskia River	5.75 ft	Normal	+0.03 ft	51 mi
Kaskaskia River near Venedy StationRiver gauge, Kaskaskia River	1.41 ft	Low	−0.17 ft	68 mi
Kaskaskia River at New AthensRiver gauge, Kaskaskia River	68.70 ft	Normal	+0.11 ft	84 mi
Kaskaskia River near Red BudRiver gauge, Kaskaskia River	68.70 ft	Normal	+0.10 ft	91 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Robinson Creek near ShelbyvilleRiver gauge, Robinson Creek	2.76 ft	High	−0.03 ft	13 mi
Little Wabash River near EffinghamRiver gauge, Little Wabash River	10.42 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	16 mi
Hickory Creek near BrownstownRiver gauge, Hickory Creek	3.96 ft	Normal	−0.04 ft	21 mi
Whitley Creek near AllenvilleRiver gauge, Whitley Creek	2.19 ft	Normal	±0	25 mi
East Fork Shoal Creek near CoffeenRiver gauge, East Fork Shoal Creek	1.89 ft	Very low	+0.01 ft	28 mi
Hurricane Creek near Mulberry GroveRiver gauge, Hurricane Creek	3.58 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	30 mi
West Okaw River near LovingtonRiver gauge, West Okaw River	2.26 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	36 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Kaskaskia River near Cowden higher than last year?

No, it is 0.19 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.45 ft.

What is flood stage for the Kaskaskia River near Cowden?

The official flood stage is 15.00 ft. The level is currently 12.74 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Kaskaskia River near Cowden in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 2.18 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.64 ft and 6.55 ft, based on 38 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 Kaskaskia River near Cowden today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 06:30 AM CDT, the water level was 2.26 ft. Down 0.08 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Kaskaskia River near Cowden rising or falling?

Down 0.08 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.09 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Kaskaskia River near Cowden normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 38 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:05592100 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 39.22986, -88.84183 (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	2.26 ft	2026-10-18 11:30	Provisional
Flow	52.9 cfs	2026-10-18 11:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Kaskaskia River near Cowden (usgs:05592100). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/kaskaskia-river-near-cowden

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