Little Wabash River below Clay City water level
River gauge, Little Wabash River, Illinois, United States
Right now
Normal for mid-October
Water level
- Flow
- 105 cfs
History
20252026
What this means
The Little Wabash River below Clay City is at 5.42 ft, in the normal range for mid-October.
The median for mid-October is 4.19 ft, based on 33 years of readings, so the river stage is 1.23 ft above typical. It is 12.58 ft below the flood stage of 18.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 3.98 ft, a difference of +1.44 ft.
It has risen 1.56 ft over the past 24 hours. There is still 12.58 ft of room before flood stage. In the last month it has stayed between 3.84 ft and 5.72 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
- 4.19 ft1.23 ft above the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 3.29 ft – 12.48 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (33 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 3.98 ft+1.44 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 3.84 ft – 5.72 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 3.85 ft – 22.38 ft
- Highest on record
- 26.67 ftJanuary 5, 1950
Floating and fishing near Little Wabash River below Clay City
Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.
Flood stage here is 18.00 ft, 12.58 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.
What happens at each level
- 22.00 ft
- North Clay Road...1 mile east of the gage is flooded.
- 19.70 ft
- Mayflower Road...just north of U.S. Route 50...begins to flood.
- 19.00 ft
- 2600E Road begins to flood 1.5 miles south of Wynoose.
- 18.50 ft
- Wilcox Bridge Lane floods just east of the Little Wabash River near the gage location. Blueflower Lane southeast of the gage begins to flood.
- 18.00 ft
- Water begins to flood left bank farmland.
- 16.00 ft
- Minor flooding begins to wooded areas and agricultural land immediately adjacent to the river.
- 5.42 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: 63 %.
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 26.67 ft | January 5, 1950 |
| 2 | 26.61 ft | May 10, 1961 |
| 3 | 26.30 ft | August 22, 1915 |
| 4 | 26.19 ft | May 19, 1995 |
| 5 | 25.97 ft | December 30, 2015 |
| 6 | 25.80 ft | May 20, 1943 |
| 7 | 25.45 ft | January 7, 2005 |
| 8 | 25.10 ft | January 31, 1916 |
| 9 | 24.91 ft | December 23, 1967 |
| 10 | 24.76 ft | May 17, 1990 |
Weather at the gauge
Rain in the last 3 days: 0.03 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 Little Wabash River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Wabash River near EffinghamRiver gauge, Little Wabash River | 10.43 ft | Normal | +0.01 ft | 36 mi |
| Little Wabash River near Golden GateRiver gauge, Little Wabash River | 4.91 ft | Normal | −0.20 ft | 18 mi |
| Little Wabash River at Main St at CarmiRiver gauge, Little Wabash River | 3.31 ft | Normal | +0.01 ft | 38 mi |
| Little Wabash River at CarmiRiver gauge, Little Wabash River | 2.49 ft | Normal | +0.08 ft | 40 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bonpas Creek at BrownsRiver gauge, Bonpas Creek | 1.77 ft | Normal | −0.53 ft | 24 mi |
| Skillet Fork at Wayne CityRiver gauge, Skillet Fork | 4.11 ft | Very low | +0.04 ft | 24 mi |
| Embarras River at Ste. MarieRiver gauge, Embarras River | 0.85 ft | Normal | −0.05 ft | 26 mi |
| North Fork Embarras River near OblongRiver gauge, North Fork Embarras River | 2.14 ft | Normal | +0.06 ft | 32 mi |
| Wabash River at Mount CarmelRiver gauge, Wabash River | 4.06 ft | Normal | −0.07 ft | 33 mi |
| Embarras River at LawrencevilleRiver gauge, Embarras River | 16.75 ft | Low | ±0 | 35 mi |
| Casey Fork at Mount VernonRiver gauge, Casey Fork | 1.62 ft | Normal | −0.02 ft | 39 mi |
Questions and answers
Is the Little Wabash River below Clay City higher than last year?
Yes, it is 1.44 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3.98 ft.
What is flood stage for the Little Wabash River below Clay City?
The official flood stage is 18.00 ft. The level is currently 12.58 ft below it.
What is a normal level for the Little Wabash River below Clay City in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 4.19 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 3.29 ft and 12.48 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 Little Wabash River below Clay City today?
On Oct 19, 2026, 01:30 AM CDT, the water level was 5.42 ft. Up 1.56 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is Little Wabash River below Clay City rising or falling?
Up 1.56 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 1.39 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Little Wabash River below Clay City 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:03379500(Agency page)- Coordinates
38.63472, -88.29722(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 | 5.42 ft | 2026-10-19 06:30 | Provisional |
| Flow | 105 cfs | 2026-10-19 06:30 | Provisional |
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Little Wabash River below Clay City (usgs:03379500). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/little-wabash-river-below-clay-city
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