South Fork Sangamon River near Rochester water level

Name: South Fork Sangamon River near Rochester 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, South Fork Sangamon River, Illinois, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

5.02ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 09:45 PM CDT (52 min ago)

Flow: 4.4 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at South Fork Sangamon River near Rochester, where the gauge shows 5.02 ft.

That puts it 0.31 ft below the median of 5.33 ft for mid-October, based on 32 years of readings. A year ago it stood at 5.40 ft (−0.38 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 5.02 ft – 5.28 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: 5.33 ft0.31 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 4.58 ft – 11.20 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (32 years of records)
Same day last year: 5.40 ft−0.38 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 5.02 ft – 5.28 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 4.95 ft – 22.57 ft
Highest on record: 36.68 ftDecember 29, 2015

Paddling and fishing conditions

Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	36.68 ft	December 29, 2015
2	32.55 ft	May 13, 2002
3	32.40 ft	April 14, 1994
4	31.92 ft	April 14, 1979
5	30.79 ft	February 26, 1985
6	30.24 ft	September 18, 2008
7	29.96 ft	June 18, 1970
8	29.79 ft	April 21, 2013
9	29.64 ft	June 25, 2019
10	29.23 ft	May 5, 2017

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.31 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

18 Sun 63° 36° – Wind 13 mph

19 Mon 70° 38° – Wind 6 mph

20 Tue 73° 53° – Wind 7 mph

21 Wed 74° 51° – Wind 6 mph

22 Thu 76° 54° – Wind 6 mph

23 Fri 77° 56° – Wind 9 mph

24 Sat 79° 57° – Wind 14 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:13 AM Sunset 06:15 PM Daylight 11 hr, 1 min First quarter 55%

Map

Other gauges on the South Fork Sangamon River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
South Fork Sangamon River below RochesterRiver gauge, South Fork Sangamon River	4.33 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	0.8 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Sugar Creek near SpringfieldRiver gauge, Sugar Creek	9.79 ft	Low	+0.02 ft	2.9 mi
Sangamon River at RivertonRiver gauge, Sangamon River	2.44 ft	Low	−0.10 ft	7 mi
Spring Creek at SpringfieldRiver gauge, Spring Creek	1.48 ft	Low	−0.02 ft	9 mi
Sangamon River near SpringfieldRiver gauge, Sangamon River	21.20 ft	Normal	+0.01 ft	9 mi
Lick Creek near ChathamRiver gauge, Lick Creek	11.81 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	11 mi
Lake Fork near CornlandRiver gauge, Lake Fork	7.7 cfs	Low	−0.3 cfs	17 mi
Sangamon River at PetersburgRiver gauge, Sangamon River	4.44 ft	Normal	−0.04 ft	24 mi
Salt Creek near GreenviewRiver gauge, Salt Creek	1.35 ft	Normal	−0.07 ft	28 mi

Questions and answers

How does the South Fork Sangamon River near Rochester compare with last year?

It is 0.38 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 5.40 ft.

What is a normal level for the South Fork Sangamon River near Rochester in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 5.33 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 4.58 ft and 11.20 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 South Fork Sangamon River near Rochester today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 09:45 PM CDT, the water level was 5.02 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is South Fork Sangamon River near Rochester rising or falling?

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

Is the level of South Fork Sangamon River near Rochester 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 South Fork Sangamon River near Rochester?

The highest level on record is 36.68 ft on December 29, 2015.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:05576000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 39.74222, -89.56728 (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	5.02 ft	2026-10-19 02:45	Provisional
Flow	4.4 cfs	2026-10-19 02:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: South Fork Sangamon River near Rochester (usgs:05576000). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/south-fork-sangamon-river-near-rochester

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