Rock River at Auburn St at Rockford water level

Name: Rock River at Auburn St at Rockford 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, Rock River, Illinois, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

3.21ft Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 12:45 PM CDT (33 min ago)

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

The gauge at Rock River at Auburn St at Rockford reads 3.21 ft, a normal level for mid-October.

That puts it 0.26 ft above the median of 2.95 ft for mid-October, based on 24 years of readings. It is 2.79 ft below the flood stage of 6.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 2.77 ft (+0.44 ft).

The level is falling, down 0.04 ft over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 2.52 ft and 3.29 ft.

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

Compared with 24 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 2.95 ft0.26 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 2.40 ft – 3.88 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (24 years of records)
Same day last year: 2.77 ft+0.44 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 2.52 ft – 3.29 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 2.52 ft – 5.74 ft
Highest on record: 10.00 ftApril 20, 1881

What the stage means on the water

A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 6.00 ft, still 2.79 ft away.

What happens at each level

12.50 ft: Auburn Street is threatened near the river in Rockford.
10.50 ft: Structures are threatened at Davis Park in downtown Rockford.
9.50 ft: Numerous structures are threatened at the river in downtown Rockford and near Morgan Street and Loomis Street. Davis Park is threatened in downtown Rockford.
9.00 ft: Residences are threatened along Nelson Boulevard in Rockford. Backwater causes Spring Creek to inundate low-lying areas of Anderson Gardens in Rockford.
8.50 ft: Residences are threatened along River Bluff Court and River Court in Loves Park. Structures are threatened at Sinnissippi Gardens in Rockford including Nicholas Conservatory. Willoughby Terrace is threatened in Rockford.
8.00 ft: Parking garage threatened at Rockford Public Library.
7.50 ft: Parking lots are threatened along Madison Street in Rockford. Morgan Street and Nelson Boulevard are threatened in Rockford.
7.00 ft: Riverfront trails and park area threatened at Rockford Public Library.
6.50 ft: River Bluff Court and River Court are threatened in Loves Park. Marinelli Field is threatened in Blackhawk Park.
5.50 ft: Low-lying sections of the Rock River Recreation Trail are threatened in Rockford. Riverview Mobile Home Park is threatened in Rockford.
5.00 ft: Low-lying areas of Blackhawk Island are inundated south of Rockford. Low-lying areas of Field Gem Park are inundated south of Rockford.
4.50 ft: Low-lying areas of Blackhawk Park are inundated in Rockford.
3.21 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	10.00 ft	April 20, 1881
2	7.80 ft	March 26, 1975
3	7.43 ft	March 18, 2019
4	7.39 ft	June 21, 2008
5	6.93 ft	April 20, 2013
6	6.80 ft	April 23, 1973
7	6.60 ft	October 7, 2018
8	6.37 ft	February 26, 2018
9	6.16 ft	July 29, 2010
10	6.03 ft	July 28, 2017

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.35 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

18 Sun 60° 40° – Wind 14 mph

19 Mon 65° 39° – Wind 7 mph

20 Tue 67° 47° – Wind 6 mph

21 Wed 68° 47° – Wind 8 mph

22 Thu 70° 53° – Wind 6 mph

23 Fri 72° 56° – Wind 11 mph

24 Sat 72° 58° 0.01 in Wind 18 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:14 AM Sunset 06:10 PM Daylight 10 hr, 55 min First quarter 61%

Map

Other gauges on the Rock River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Rock River at WatertownRiver gauge, Rock River	2.38 ft	Below flood stage	+0.02 ft	64 mi
Rock River at JeffersonRiver gauge, Rock River	4.77 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	51 mi
Rock River at Fort AtkinsonRiver gauge, Rock River	11.53 ft	Below flood stage	−0.14 ft	46 mi
Rock River at NewvilleRiver gauge, Rock River	2.64 ft	Below flood stage	+0.12 ft	37 mi
Rock River at AftonRiver gauge, Rock River	5.46 ft	Below flood stage	±0	22 mi
Rock River at RocktonRiver gauge, Rock River	5.32 ft	High	+0.05 ft	11 mi
Rock River at Latham ParkRiver gauge, Rock River	5.29 ft	High	−0.04 ft	5.5 mi
Rock River above Dam at RockfordRiver gauge, Rock River	2.66 ft	High	−0.02 ft	2.2 mi
Rock River at ByronRiver gauge, Rock River	7.12 ft	Normal	−0.06 ft	15 mi
Rock River at DixonRiver gauge, Rock River	9.44 ft	Normal	−0.10 ft	38 mi
Rock River above Sinnissippi Dam at Rock FallsRiver gauge, Rock River	6.64 ft	Very high	−0.04 ft	47 mi
Rock River at ComoRiver gauge, Rock River	5.24 ft	Below flood stage	+0.14 ft	50 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Kishwaukee River near PerryvilleRiver gauge, Kishwaukee River	6.31 ft	Normal	−0.05 ft	7 mi
Kishwaukee River at BelvidereRiver gauge, Kishwaukee River	1.92 ft	Normal	−0.08 ft	11 mi
Pecatonica River near ShirlandRiver gauge, Pecatonica River	6.22 ft	Normal	+0.04 ft	12 mi
South Branch Kishwaukee River near FairdaleRiver gauge, South Branch Kishwaukee River	2.65 ft	High	−0.06 ft	15 mi
Kishwaukee River at MarengoRiver gauge, Kishwaukee River	7.83 ft	Normal	−0.06 ft	23 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Rock River at Auburn St at Rockford compare with last year?

It is 0.44 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.77 ft.

What is flood stage for the Rock River at Auburn St at Rockford?

The official flood stage is 6.00 ft. The level is currently 2.79 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Rock River at Auburn St at Rockford in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 2.95 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.40 ft and 3.88 ft, based on 24 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 Rock River at Auburn St at Rockford today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 12:45 PM CDT, the water level was 3.21 ft. Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Rock River at Auburn St at Rockford rising or falling?

Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 0.24 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Rock River at Auburn St at Rockford normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 24 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:05437641 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 42.28873, -89.06441 (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	3.21 ft	2026-10-19 17:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Rock River at Auburn St at Rockford (usgs:05437641). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/rock-river-at-auburn-st-at-rockford

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