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Sangamon River at Monticello water level

River gauge, Sangamon River, Illinois, United States

Directions

Right now

Normal for mid-October

Water level

5.07ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Flow
47.9 cfs
5 10 15 20 Highest onrecord 19.06 ft Minor floodstage 13.00 ft

History

History
510ftOct 12Oct 13Oct 15Oct 16Oct 18Minor flood stage510ftOct 12Oct 15Oct 18Minor flood stage
510ftSep 19Sep 26Oct 3Oct 10Oct 18Minor flood stage510ftSep 19Oct 3Oct 18Minor flood stage
51015ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage51015ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage
51015ftJanMarMayJulSepNov202651015ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

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

What this means

The gauge at Sangamon River at Monticello reads 5.07 ft, a normal level for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 4.40 ft, based on 33 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.67 ft above typical. It is 7.93 ft below the flood stage of 13.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 3.32 ft, a difference of +1.75 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 5.07 ft and 6.54 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
4.40 ft0.67 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date
3.85 ft – 10.37 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (33 years of records)
Same day last year
3.32 ft+1.75 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
5.07 ft – 6.54 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
3.12 ft – 17.15 ft
Highest on record
19.06 ftApril 13, 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.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 13.00 ft, still 7.93 ft away.

What happens at each level

20.00 ft
Damage begins in Monticello.
13.00 ft
Flooding of agricultural areas begins.
5.07 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: 35 %.

RankLevelDate
119.06 ftApril 13, 1994
218.79 ftJune 4, 2008
318.56 ftDecember 29, 2015
418.55 ftMay 16, 1968
518.50 ftOctober 4, 1926
617.88 ftFebruary 6, 2008
717.77 ftJanuary 15, 2005
817.71 ftDecember 31, 1990
917.70 ftMarch 25, 1913
1017.67 ftMay 18, 1943

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.84 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

17 Sat 56° 38° – Wind 10 mph
18 Sun 63° 37° – Wind 12 mph
19 Mon 69° 39° – Wind 7 mph
20 Tue 70° 49° – Wind 7 mph
21 Wed 71° 50° – Wind 7 mph
22 Thu 74° 54° – Wind 7 mph
23 Fri 75° 53° – Wind 9 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:09 AM Sunset 06:12 PM Daylight 11 hr, 3 min First quarter 46%

Map

Other gauges on the Sangamon River

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Sangamon River at FisherRiver gauge, Sangamon River 4.69 ft Normal +0.02 ft 24 mi
Sangamon River at Route 48 at DecaturRiver gauge, Sangamon River 2.13 ft Low −0.11 ft 25 mi
Sangamon River at RivertonRiver gauge, Sangamon River 2.54 ft Low +0.12 ft 52 mi
Sangamon River near SpringfieldRiver gauge, Sangamon River 21.19 ft Normal +0.05 ft 55 mi
Sangamon River at PetersburgRiver gauge, Sangamon River 4.48 ft Normal +0.02 ft 66 mi
Sangamon River near OakfordRiver gauge, Sangamon River 3.47 ft Normal +0.02 ft 74 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Salt Creek near Farmer CityRiver gauge, Salt Creek 689.76 ft Normal ±0 14 mi
Copper Slough at ChampaignRiver gauge, Copper Slough 9.92 ft Normal −0.08 ft 16 mi
Lake Fork at AtwoodRiver gauge, Lake Fork 2.97 ft Normal ±0 17 mi
Clinton Lake near LaneRiver gauge, Clinton Lake 689.66 ft Normal −0.01 ft 17 mi
North Fork Salt Creek near De WittRiver gauge, North Fork Salt Creek 691.06 ft Normal ±0 18 mi
Boneyard Creek below 6th Street at ChampaignRiver gauge, Boneyard Creek 11.39 ft Normal −0.02 ft 20 mi
Kaskaskia River Inflow at FicklinRiver gauge, Kaskaskia River Inflow 7.10 ft Low +0.01 ft 20 mi
Boneyard Creek at UrbanaRiver gauge, Boneyard Creek 10.25 ft Normal −0.06 ft 20 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Sangamon River at Monticello higher than last year?

Yes, it is 1.75 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3.32 ft.

What is flood stage for the Sangamon River at Monticello?

The official flood stage is 13.00 ft. The level is currently 7.93 ft below it.

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

The median for mid-October is 4.40 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 3.85 ft and 10.37 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 Sangamon River at Monticello today?

On Oct 17, 2026, 11:00 PM CDT, the water level was 5.07 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Sangamon River at Monticello rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.13 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Sangamon River at Monticello 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:05572000 (Agency page)
Coordinates
40.03117, -88.58917 (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

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Water level 5.07 ft 2026-10-18 04:00 Provisional
Flow 47.9 cfs 2026-10-18 04:00 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Sangamon River at Monticello (usgs:05572000). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/sangamon-river-at-monticello

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.