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Sangamon River at Riverton water level

River gauge, Sangamon River, Illinois, United States

Directions

Low for mid-October

Water level

2.46ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Flow
124 cfs
0 10 20 30 Highest onrecord 31.52 ft Minor floodstage 23.00 ft

History

1020ftOct 11Oct 12Oct 14Oct 15Oct 17Minor flood stage1020ftOct 11Oct 14Oct 17Minor flood stage
1020ftSep 18Sep 25Oct 2Oct 10Oct 17Minor flood stage1020ftSep 18Oct 2Oct 17Minor flood stage
1020ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage1020ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage
1020ftJanMarMayJulSepNov20261020ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

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

What this means

At 2.46 ft, the Sangamon River at Riverton is below normal for mid-October.

That puts it 0.63 ft below the median of 3.09 ft for mid-October, based on 33 years of readings. It is 20.54 ft below the flood stage of 23.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 1.98 ft (+0.48 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 2.33 ft and 3.55 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.

Compared with 33 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
3.09 ft0.63 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date
2.16 ft – 9.68 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (33 years of records)
Same day last year
1.98 ft+0.48 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
2.33 ft – 3.55 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
1.99 ft – 18.00 ft
Highest on record
31.52 ftMay 19, 1943

What the stage means on the water

Low water means more dragging on shallow riffles and slower floats. Fish crowd into the deeper runs, and warm, low water stresses them, so play and release them quickly.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 23.00 ft, still 20.54 ft away.

What happens at each level

30.00 ft
All lanes of Business 55 covered by water at Riverside Park just north of Springfield.
29.50 ft
IL Route 54 East of Bridge under water.
29.00 ft
Damage begins to residences at the Holiday Estates subdivision in Spaulding.
28.50 ft
Water begins to impact Riverton sewage treatment plant at 100 E. Jefferson Street.
19.90 ft
Oak Crest Road just east of the river begins to flood.
19.00 ft
Large areas of farmland inundated.
18.00 ft
Waters inundate agricultural land near the river.
17.50 ft
Water starts encroaching on Wheeland Park Campground.
2.46 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 %.

RankLevelDate
131.52 ftMay 19, 1943
230.13 ftDecember 31, 2015
330.07 ftMay 14, 2002
428.28 ftApril 13, 1994
527.17 ftJune 8, 2008
626.78 ftApril 12, 1979
725.65 ftMay 10, 1996
825.42 ftMay 2, 1983
925.30 ftJanuary 15, 2005
1024.83 ftApril 22, 2013

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:11 AM Sunset 06:17 PM Daylight 11 hr, 6 min First quarter 41%

Map

Other gauges on the Sangamon River

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Sangamon River at FisherRiver gauge, Sangamon River 4.68 ft Normal +0.01 ft 72 mi
Sangamon River at MonticelloRiver gauge, Sangamon River 5.08 ft Normal −0.04 ft 52 mi
Sangamon River at Route 48 at DecaturRiver gauge, Sangamon River 2.20 ft Normal −0.05 ft 30 mi
Sangamon River near SpringfieldRiver gauge, Sangamon River 21.13 ft Normal +0.03 ft 4.0 mi
Sangamon River at PetersburgRiver gauge, Sangamon River 4.47 ft Normal +0.06 ft 19 mi
Sangamon River near OakfordRiver gauge, Sangamon River 3.45 ft Normal −0.03 ft 30 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Sugar Creek near SpringfieldRiver gauge, Sugar Creek 9.77 ft Low −0.05 ft 5.0 mi
South Fork Sangamon River below RochesterRiver gauge, South Fork Sangamon River 4.35 ft Normal −0.04 ft 6 mi
South Fork Sangamon River near RochesterRiver gauge, South Fork Sangamon River 5.03 ft Normal ±0 7 mi
Spring Creek at SpringfieldRiver gauge, Spring Creek 1.60 ft Low −0.61 ft 8 mi
Lake Fork near CornlandRiver gauge, Lake Fork 8.0 cfs Low −1.0 cfs 11 mi
Salt Creek near GreenviewRiver gauge, Salt Creek 1.38 ft Normal +0.01 ft 22 mi

Questions and answers

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

It is 0.48 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.98 ft.

What is flood stage for the Sangamon River at Riverton?

The official flood stage is 23.00 ft. The level is currently 20.54 ft below it.

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

The median for mid-October is 3.09 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.16 ft and 9.68 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 Riverton today?

On Oct 17, 2026, 08:45 AM CDT, the water level was 2.46 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Sangamon River at Riverton rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.06 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Sangamon River at Riverton normal?

Low 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:05576500 (Agency page)
Coordinates
39.84313, -89.54748 (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 2.46 ft 2026-10-17 13:45 Provisional
Flow 124 cfs 2026-10-17 13:45 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Sangamon River at Riverton (usgs:05576500). Accessed October 17, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/sangamon-river-at-riverton

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