Mississippi River at Dam 13 near Fulton water level

Name: Mississippi River at Dam 13 near Fulton 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, Mississippi River, Illinois, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

5.00ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 10:00 AM CDT (37 min ago)

Water temperature: 58 °F

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to fall to 4.70 ft by Monday, October 26 at 07:00 AM. Issued Monday, October 19 at 10:30 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The Mississippi River at Dam 13 near Fulton is at 5.00 ft, in the normal range.

It is 11.00 ft below the flood stage of 16.00 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 4.70 ft by Monday, October 26 at 07:00 AM. In the last month it has stayed between 4.63 ft and 5.11 ft.

The water temperature at the gauge is 58 °F.

Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels

Key numbers

Highest on record: 24.75 ftApril 28, 1965
Forecast peak: 5.00 ftTuesday, October 20 at 07:00 AM

Floating and fishing near Mississippi River at Dam 13 near Fulton

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

Flood stage here is 16.00 ft, 11.00 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

25.00 ft: Water affects the U.S. Highway 52 causeway near Sabula.
23.00 ft: Water affects the railroad tracks and into some businesses in Savanna.
22.00 ft: Water affects Driscolls Island.
21.00 ft: Basement flooding occurs in homes and businesses in Savanna with seepage into yards. Water also affects grain elevators and affects the lower portion of the Marquette Park parking lot. In Sabula, water affects Vulan and South Broad Streets.
20.00 ft: Water seeps into a few back yards in Savanna. Water seeps into yards on Peal and Broad Streets in Sabula.
19.00 ft: At Sabula, which is 18 feet on the local gage, water affects South Avenue at the levee and the lowest section of Lake Street.
18.98 ft: Lock and Dam 13 is closed.
18.00 ft: Water affects businesses on Sabulas North River Drive.
17.40 ft: The Causeway officially closes at 17.4 feet. This is when the water goes over the causeway road, entering Thompson Causeway Recreation Area and Campground.
16.00 ft: Water affects a few houses at Thomson.
5.00 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: < 5 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	24.75 ft	April 28, 1965
2	23.31 ft	April 24, 2001
3	22.17 ft	July 8, 1993
4	22.06 ft	April 30, 2023
5	21.77 ft	April 30, 2019
6	21.37 ft	April 26, 1969
7	21.23 ft	April 27, 1952
8	21.06 ft	April 21, 2011
9	21.00 ft	April 26, 1951
10	20.91 ft	April 8, 2019

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:19 AM Sunset 06:13 PM Daylight 10 hr, 54 min Waxing gibbous 69%

Map

Other gauges on the Mississippi River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Mississippi River at BrownsvilleRiver gauge, Mississippi River	31.34 ft	No reference yet	−0.06 ft	136 mi
Mississippi River at McGregorRiver gauge, Mississippi River	6.95 ft	Low	+0.05 ft	94 mi
Mississippi River at ClaytonRiver gauge, Mississippi River	11.61 ft	Low	+0.05 ft	86 mi
Mississippi River at ClintonRiver gauge, Mississippi River	9.55 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	9 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Wapsipinicon River near De WittRiver gauge, Wapsipinicon River	9.78 ft	Below flood stage	+0.50 ft	21 mi
Rock River at ComoRiver gauge, Rock River	5.13 ft	Below flood stage	−0.12 ft	23 mi
Rock River near JoslinRiver gauge, Rock River	7.29 ft	Normal	−0.03 ft	23 mi
Elkhorn Creek near PenroseRiver gauge, Elkhorn Creek	3.26 ft	High	−0.01 ft	24 mi
Rock River above Sinnissippi Dam at Rock FallsRiver gauge, Rock River	6.60 ft	Very high	−0.05 ft	26 mi
Apple River near HanoverRiver gauge, Apple River	4.27 ft	Very high	+0.02 ft	26 mi
Maquoketa River near MaquoketaRiver gauge, Maquoketa River	12.88 ft	Below flood stage	−0.35 ft	28 mi
Green River near GeneseoRiver gauge, Green River	4.66 ft	High	−0.13 ft	28 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Mississippi River at Dam 13 near Fulton?

The official flood stage is 16.00 ft. The level is currently 11.00 ft below it.

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 Mississippi River at Dam 13 near Fulton today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 10:00 AM CDT, the water level was 5.00 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Mississippi River at Dam 13 near Fulton rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Mississippi River at Dam 13 near Fulton normal?

Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Mississippi River at Dam 13 near Fulton?

The highest level on record is 24.75 ft on April 28, 1965.

Is Mississippi River at Dam 13 near Fulton expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to fall to 4.70 ft by Monday, October 26 at 07:00 AM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:05420400 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 41.89447, -90.15679 (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	5.00 ft	2026-10-20 15:00	Provisional
Water temperature	58 °F	2026-10-20 15:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Mississippi River at Dam 13 near Fulton (usgs:05420400). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/mississippi-river-at-dam-13-near-fulton

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