Spoon River at London Mills water level
River gauge, Spoon River, Illinois, United States
Right now
Very high for mid-October
Water level
- Flow
- 1,010 cfs
History
20252026
What this means
The gauge at Spoon River at London Mills shows 5.26 ft, well above normal for mid-October.
That puts it 2.88 ft above the median of 2.38 ft for mid-October, based on 33 years of readings. It is 9.74 ft below the flood stage of 15.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 1.75 ft (+3.51 ft).
The level is falling, down 0.55 ft over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 3.10 ft and 13.57 ft.
That stands out in fall, when many rivers are usually near their lowest.
Compared with 33 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 2.38 ft2.88 ft above the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 1.84 ft – 5.13 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (33 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 1.75 ft+3.51 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 3.10 ft – 13.57 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 1.76 ft – 18.92 ft
- Highest on record
- 28.03 ftJune 23, 1974
High water at Spoon River at London Mills
The National Weather Service splits flooding into minor, moderate and major flood stage, each tied to what starts to go under water at this particular gauge. Minor flooding usually means low roads, parks and farmland; major flooding reaches homes and businesses.
Keep children and dogs well back from the edge, and stay off flooded footpaths and towpaths.
What happens at each level
- 27.70 ft
- London Mills levee overtops.
- 24.00 ft
- Illinois Route 116 is inundated.
- 15.00 ft
- Minor flooding begins to agricultural land near the river.
- 5.26 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: 32 %.
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 28.03 ft | June 23, 1974 |
| 2 | 26.18 ft | April 19, 2013 |
| 3 | 25.92 ft | July 25, 1993 |
| 4 | 25.28 ft | May 16, 2009 |
| 5 | 25.15 ft | March 4, 1985 |
| 6 | 25.01 ft | May 16, 1970 |
| 7 | 24.36 ft | October 4, 1986 |
| 8 | 24.21 ft | May 28, 1996 |
| 9 | 24.14 ft | June 3, 1980 |
| 10 | 23.73 ft | July 22, 1951 |
Weather at the gauge
Rain in the last 3 days: 0.07 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Other gauges on the Spoon River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spoon River near St. JosephRiver gauge, Spoon River | 4.17 ft | High | −0.01 ft | 124 mi |
| Spoon River at SevilleRiver gauge, Spoon River | 8.97 ft | Very high | +0.36 ft | 15 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois River at Copperas CreekRiver gauge, Illinois River | 5.16 ft | Normal | −0.58 ft | 26 mi |
| Illinois River at Kingston MinesRiver gauge, Illinois River | 5.56 ft | Normal | −0.65 ft | 28 mi |
| Indian Creek near WyomingRiver gauge, Indian Creek | 10.26 ft | High | −0.12 ft | 32 mi |
| Mason Tazewell Drainage D at Cr2350e near TopekaRiver gauge, Mason Tazewell Drainage D | 15.43 ft | Very high | ±0 | 33 mi |
| Henderson Creek near OquawkaRiver gauge, Henderson Creek | 16.40 ft | Very high | −0.62 ft | 36 mi |
| Fondulac Creek near East PeoriaRiver gauge, Fondulac Creek | 1.37 ft | Very low | ±0 | 39 mi |
| Mackinaw River near Green ValleyRiver gauge, Mackinaw River | 13.85 ft | Normal | +0.01 ft | 39 mi |
| Farm Creek at FarmdaleRiver gauge, Farm Creek | 0.62 ft | Very low | +0.01 ft | 41 mi |
Questions and answers
How does the Spoon River at London Mills compare with last year?
It is 3.51 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.75 ft.
What is flood stage for the Spoon River at London Mills?
The official flood stage is 15.00 ft. The level is currently 9.74 ft below it.
What is a normal level for the Spoon River at London Mills in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 2.38 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.84 ft and 5.13 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 Spoon River at London Mills today?
On Oct 18, 2026, 03:45 PM CDT, the water level was 5.26 ft. Down 0.55 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is Spoon River at London Mills rising or falling?
Down 0.55 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 0.22 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Spoon River at London Mills normal?
Very high 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:05569500(Agency page)- Coordinates
40.70772, -90.27978(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 | 5.26 ft | 2026-10-18 20:45 | Provisional |
| Flow | 1,010 cfs | 2026-10-18 20:45 | Provisional |
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Spoon River at London Mills (usgs:05569500). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/spoon-river-at-london-mills
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