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SwedenRock River near Joslin water level
River gauge, Rock River, Illinois, United States
Right now
High for mid-October
Water level
- Flow
- 7,690 cfs
History
20252026
The forecast expects the river to fall to 7.10 ft by Friday, October 23 at 07:00 AM. Issued Saturday, October 17 at 09:26 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.
What this means
High water at Rock River near Joslin: the latest reading is 7.43 ft, above normal for mid-October.
That puts it 1.58 ft above the median of 5.85 ft for mid-October, based on 32 years of readings. It is 4.57 ft below the flood stage of 12.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 4.82 ft (+2.61 ft).
It is on the way up, by 0.10 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 7.10 ft by Friday, October 23 at 07:00 AM. If the rise continues, low-lying paths and riverside parking can go under water. The 30-day range is 5.84 ft – 11.13 ft.
Compared with 32 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 5.85 ft1.58 ft above the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 3.93 ft – 8.75 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (32 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 4.82 ft+2.61 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 5.84 ft – 11.13 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 4.47 ft – 16.05 ft
- Highest on record
- 19.24 ftJune 7, 2002
- Forecast peak
- 7.50 ftSaturday, October 17 at 07:00 PM
Paddling and fishing conditions
Above-normal flows push fish to the edges and make wading risky. Wait for the river to drop and clear.
For reference, flood stage is 12.00 ft.
What happens at each level
- 21.00 ft
- Water affects most of Hillsdale and much of Erie. Water also reaches the bottom of the Illinois Highway 92 bridge at Joslin.
- 20.00 ft
- Water affects several homes in Erie and affects the railroad tracks east of town.
- 19.50 ft
- Water affects much of Barstow Road between Barstow and Illinois Highway 5.
- 19.20 ft
- Water affects Barstow Road between Barstow and Illinois Highway 5.
- 19.00 ft
- Water affects several homes in Hillsdale on Docia Street and on the county road south of town. Water also affects most houses in Osborn.
- 18.50 ft
- Water affects the lowest sections of Moline Road east of Erie, as well as River Road.
- 18.39 ft
- Water affects Osborn Road at Osborn.
- 18.30 ft
- Water affects the railroad tracks near Osborn.
- 18.00 ft
- Water reaches the top of the Zuma Creek levee upstream of Barstow. Water also affects a few homes in Erie and Moline Road east of town. Water affects a few homes on Docia Street in Hillsdale and on the county road south of town. Water also affects a few homes in Shady Beach.
- 17.70 ft
- Water affects the railroad tracks south of Prophetstown.
- 17.50 ft
- Water is across Broadway at Jackson Street in Cleveland.
- 16.50 ft
- Water affects the lowest sections of Broadway and Main Street in Cleveland and affects a few homes.
- 7.43 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: 30 %.
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 19.24 ft | June 7, 2002 |
| 2 | 19.11 ft | April 21, 2013 |
| 3 | 18.88 ft | February 23, 1997 |
| 4 | 18.73 ft | May 31, 1996 |
| 5 | 18.55 ft | June 16, 2000 |
| 6 | 18.51 ft | July 25, 2017 |
| 7 | 18.51 ft | March 16, 2019 |
| 8 | 18.36 ft | February 23, 2018 |
| 9 | 18.35 ft | March 26, 1993 |
| 10 | 18.02 ft | February 27, 2001 |
Weather at the gauge
The forecast is not available right now.
Map
Other gauges on the Rock River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rock River at JeffersonRiver gauge, Rock River | 4.80 ft | Below flood stage | −0.08 ft | 122 mi |
| Rock River at Fort AtkinsonRiver gauge, Rock River | 11.63 ft | Below flood stage | −0.05 ft | 117 mi |
| Rock River at NewvilleRiver gauge, Rock River | 2.73 ft | Below flood stage | −0.22 ft | 106 mi |
| Rock River at AftonRiver gauge, Rock River | 5.57 ft | Below flood stage | −0.07 ft | 93 mi |
| Rock River at RocktonRiver gauge, Rock River | 5.33 ft | High | +0.09 ft | 84 mi |
| Rock River at Latham ParkRiver gauge, Rock River | 5.39 ft | Normal | +0.15 ft | 81 mi |
| Rock River at Auburn St at RockfordRiver gauge, Rock River | 3.28 ft | Normal | +0.07 ft | 77 mi |
| Rock River above Dam at RockfordRiver gauge, Rock River | 2.73 ft | High | +0.10 ft | 74 mi |
| Rock River at ByronRiver gauge, Rock River | 7.20 ft | Normal | +0.10 ft | 62 mi |
| Rock River at DixonRiver gauge, Rock River | 9.49 ft | Normal | −0.11 ft | 41 mi |
| Rock River above Sinnissippi Dam at Rock FallsRiver gauge, Rock River | 6.69 ft | Very high | −0.07 ft | 31 mi |
| Rock River at ComoRiver gauge, Rock River | 5.13 ft | Below flood stage | −0.18 ft | 27 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green River near GeneseoRiver gauge, Green River | 5.05 ft | High | +0.02 ft | 4.9 mi |
| Crow Creek at BettendorfRiver gauge, Crow Creek | 3.50 ft | Low | −0.02 ft | 14 mi |
| Mississippi River at ClintonRiver gauge, Mississippi River | 9.36 ft | Below flood stage | −0.01 ft | 16 mi |
| Mill Creek at MilanRiver gauge, Mill Creek | 2.16 ft | High | −0.06 ft | 21 mi |
| Wapsipinicon River near De WittRiver gauge, Wapsipinicon River | 8.70 ft | Below flood stage | −0.12 ft | 23 mi |
| Mississippi River at Dam 13 near FultonRiver gauge, Mississippi River | 4.74 ft | Below flood stage | +0.01 ft | 23 mi |
| Elkhorn Creek near PenroseRiver gauge, Elkhorn Creek | 3.28 ft | High | −0.06 ft | 35 mi |
| Big Bureau Creek at PrincetonRiver gauge, Big Bureau Creek | 3.26 ft | Very high | −0.12 ft | 38 mi |
Questions and answers
How does the Rock River near Joslin compare with last year?
It is 2.61 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 4.82 ft.
What is flood stage for the Rock River near Joslin?
The official flood stage is 12.00 ft. The level is currently 4.57 ft below it.
What is a normal level for the Rock River near Joslin in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 5.85 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 3.93 ft and 8.75 ft, based on 32 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 near Joslin today?
On Oct 17, 2026, 08:45 PM CDT, the water level was 7.43 ft. Up 0.10 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is Rock River near Joslin rising or falling?
Up 0.10 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.73 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Rock River near Joslin normal?
High for mid-October. Compared with 32 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:05446500(Agency page)- Coordinates
41.55611, -90.18528(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 | 7.43 ft | 2026-10-18 01:45 | Provisional |
| Flow | 7,690 cfs | 2026-10-18 01:45 | Provisional |
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Rock River near Joslin (usgs:05446500). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/rock-river-near-joslin
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