Sangamon River at Fisher water level

Name: Sangamon River at Fisher 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, Sangamon River, Illinois, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

4.70ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 10:15 AM CDT (30 min ago)

Flow: 16.4 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

The gauge at Sangamon River at Fisher reads 4.70 ft, a normal level for mid-October.

That puts it 0.12 ft below the median of 4.82 ft for mid-October, based on 32 years of readings. A year ago it stood at 4.06 ft (+0.64 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 4.66 ft and 5.29 ft.

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

Compared with 32 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 4.82 ft0.12 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 4.15 ft – 7.94 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (32 years of records)
Same day last year: 4.06 ft+0.64 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 4.66 ft – 5.29 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 4.21 ft – 20.23 ft
Highest on record: 21.58 ftApril 12, 1994

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.

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	21.58 ft	April 12, 1994
2	20.63 ft	August 13, 2021
3	20.55 ft	August 16, 2026
4	20.26 ft	January 9, 2008
5	20.11 ft	January 14, 2005
6	19.93 ft	December 28, 2015
7	19.32 ft	July 13, 2014
8	19.22 ft	February 6, 2008
9	19.14 ft	February 21, 2018
10	19.04 ft	October 25, 2021

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.55 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

17 Sat 57° 37° – Wind 11 mph

18 Sun 63° 36° – Wind 14 mph

19 Mon 67° 37° – Wind 6 mph

20 Tue 69° 49° – Wind 6 mph

21 Wed 70° 49° – Wind 6 mph

22 Thu 73° 54° – Wind 6 mph

23 Fri 73° 53° – Wind 8 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:08 AM Sunset 06:10 PM Daylight 11 hr, 3 min First quarter 50%

Map

Other gauges on the Sangamon River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Sangamon River at MonticelloRiver gauge, Sangamon River	5.05 ft	Normal	−0.03 ft	24 mi
Sangamon River at Route 48 at DecaturRiver gauge, Sangamon River	2.10 ft	Low	−0.11 ft	48 mi
Sangamon River at RivertonRiver gauge, Sangamon River	2.53 ft	Low	+0.06 ft	72 mi
Sangamon River near SpringfieldRiver gauge, Sangamon River	21.15 ft	Normal	±0	75 mi
Sangamon River at PetersburgRiver gauge, Sangamon River	4.39 ft	Normal	−0.03 ft	83 mi
Sangamon River near OakfordRiver gauge, Sangamon River	3.48 ft	Normal	+0.02 ft	89 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Boneyard Creek below 6th Street at ChampaignRiver gauge, Boneyard Creek	11.38 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	15 mi
Boneyard Creek at UrbanaRiver gauge, Boneyard Creek	10.24 ft	Normal	−0.03 ft	15 mi
Copper Slough at ChampaignRiver gauge, Copper Slough	9.91 ft	Normal	−0.04 ft	15 mi
Boneyard Creek at Lincoln Ave at UrbanaRiver gauge, Boneyard Creek	7.49 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	15 mi
Saline Branch above 1700E near UrbanaRiver gauge, Saline Branch	0.43 ft	Low	−0.02 ft	15 mi
Spoon River near St. JosephRiver gauge, Spoon River	4.19 ft	High	+0.01 ft	19 mi
Salt Creek near Farmer CityRiver gauge, Salt Creek	689.76 ft	Normal	±0	19 mi
Salt Fork near St. JosephRiver gauge, Salt Fork	3.21 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	19 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Sangamon River at Fisher compare with last year?

It is 0.64 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 4.06 ft.

What is a normal level for the Sangamon River at Fisher in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 4.82 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 4.15 ft and 7.94 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 Sangamon River at Fisher today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 10:15 AM CDT, the water level was 4.70 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Sangamon River at Fisher rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Sangamon River at Fisher normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 32 years of daily readings for this time of year.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Sangamon River at Fisher?

The highest level on record is 21.58 ft on April 12, 1994.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:05570910 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 40.31100, -88.32236 (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	4.70 ft	2026-10-18 15:15	Provisional
Flow	16.4 cfs	2026-10-18 15:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Sangamon River at Fisher (usgs:05570910). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/sangamon-river-at-fisher

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