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Sangamon River at Route 48 at Decatur water level

River gauge, Sangamon River, Illinois, United States

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Right now

Low for mid-October

Water level

2.04ft Down 0.14 ft over the last 24 hours

Flow
16.7 cfs
0 10 20 Highest onrecord 24.43 ft

History

History
2468ftOct 12Oct 13Oct 15Oct 17Oct 182468ftOct 12Oct 15Oct 18
2468ftSep 19Sep 26Oct 3Oct 11Oct 182468ftSep 19Oct 3Oct 18
51015ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 202651015ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026
51015ftJanMarMayJulSepNov202651015ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

At 2.04 ft, the Sangamon River at Route 48 at Decatur is below normal for mid-October.

That puts it 0.45 ft below the median of 2.49 ft for mid-October, based on 34 years of readings. A year ago it stood at 2.00 ft (+0.04 ft).

The level is falling, down 0.14 ft over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 2.00 ft and 2.55 ft.

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

Compared with 34 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
2.49 ft0.45 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date
1.95 ft – 7.83 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (34 years of records)
Same day last year
2.00 ft+0.04 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
2.00 ft – 2.55 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
1.65 ft – 17.39 ft
Highest on record
24.43 ftSeptember 14, 2008

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.

Highest crests on record

RankLevelDate
124.43 ftSeptember 14, 2008
224.33 ftMay 12, 2002
323.89 ftJune 5, 2008
423.13 ftDecember 29, 2015
523.04 ftMay 2, 1983
622.61 ftNovember 19, 1985
721.87 ftDecember 30, 1990
821.50 ftMay 16, 1990
921.45 ftFebruary 6, 2008
1021.12 ftApril 15, 1994

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.47 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

17 Sat 56° 38° – Wind 9 mph
18 Sun 63° 38° – Wind 10 mph
19 Mon 70° 39° – Wind 5 mph
20 Tue 71° 50° – Wind 7 mph
21 Wed 73° 51° – Wind 7 mph
22 Thu 76° 54° – Wind 7 mph
23 Fri 76° 53° – Wind 8 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:10 AM Sunset 06:14 PM Daylight 11 hr, 4 min First quarter 52%

Map

Other gauges on the Sangamon River

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Sangamon River at FisherRiver gauge, Sangamon River 4.70 ft Normal −0.01 ft 48 mi
Sangamon River at MonticelloRiver gauge, Sangamon River 5.03 ft Normal −0.06 ft 25 mi
Sangamon River at RivertonRiver gauge, Sangamon River 2.48 ft Low −0.01 ft 30 mi
Sangamon River near SpringfieldRiver gauge, Sangamon River 21.22 ft Normal +0.05 ft 34 mi
Sangamon River at PetersburgRiver gauge, Sangamon River 4.44 ft Normal −0.03 ft 47 mi
Sangamon River near OakfordRiver gauge, Sangamon River 3.48 ft Normal +0.02 ft 57 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
West Okaw River near LovingtonRiver gauge, West Okaw River 2.27 ft Normal −0.01 ft 18 mi
Salt Creek near RowellRiver gauge, Salt Creek 9.09 ft Normal −0.02 ft 20 mi
Clinton Lake near LaneRiver gauge, Clinton Lake 689.66 ft Normal −0.01 ft 22 mi
Lake Fork near CornlandRiver gauge, Lake Fork 8.4 cfs Low ±0 23 mi
Lake Fork at AtwoodRiver gauge, Lake Fork 3.00 ft Normal +0.02 ft 27 mi
North Fork Salt Creek near De WittRiver gauge, North Fork Salt Creek 691.06 ft Normal ±0 29 mi
Robinson Creek near ShelbyvilleRiver gauge, Robinson Creek 2.75 ft High −0.04 ft 30 mi
Kickapoo Creek at WaynesvilleRiver gauge, Kickapoo Creek 2.44 ft Normal −0.06 ft 30 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Sangamon River at Route 48 at Decatur compare with last year?

It is 0.04 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.00 ft.

What is a normal level for the Sangamon River at Route 48 at Decatur in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 2.49 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.95 ft and 7.83 ft, based on 34 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 Route 48 at Decatur today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 02:45 PM CDT, the water level was 2.04 ft. Down 0.14 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Sangamon River at Route 48 at Decatur rising or falling?

Down 0.14 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.21 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Sangamon River at Route 48 at Decatur normal?

Low for mid-October. Compared with 34 years of daily readings for this time of year.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Sangamon River at Route 48 at Decatur?

The highest level on record is 24.43 ft on September 14, 2008.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
Operator
U.S. Geological Survey
Station code
usgs:05573540 (Agency page)
Coordinates
39.83111, -88.97639 (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 2.04 ft 2026-10-18 19:45 Provisional
Flow 16.7 cfs 2026-10-18 19:45 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Sangamon River at Route 48 at Decatur (usgs:05573540). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/sangamon-river-at-route-48-at-decatur

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.