Spring Creek at Springfield water level
River gauge, Spring Creek, Illinois, United States
Right now
Low for mid-October
Water level
- Flow
- 1.4 cfs
History
20252026
What this means
Low water at Spring Creek at Springfield: the gauge reads 1.62 ft, below normal for mid-October.
The median for mid-October is 2.42 ft, based on 31 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.80 ft below typical. On the same day last year the reading was 1.05 ft, a difference of +0.57 ft.
It is still going down, by 0.59 ft over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. The 30-day range is 1.25 ft – 2.21 ft.
Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.
Compared with 31 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 2.42 ft0.80 ft below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 1.41 ft – 3.39 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (31 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 1.05 ft+0.57 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 1.25 ft – 2.21 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 1.16 ft – 9.86 ft
- Highest on record
- 16.23 ftMay 8, 1996
Paddling and fishing conditions
At low levels, plan for shorter paddling trips and expect to walk your boat through a few shoals.
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 16.23 ft | May 8, 1996 |
| 2 | 14.79 ft | May 5, 1991 |
| 3 | 14.44 ft | December 3, 1982 |
| 4 | 14.01 ft | May 12, 2002 |
| 5 | 13.34 ft | June 19, 2011 |
| 6 | 13.31 ft | June 20, 1990 |
| 7 | 13.01 ft | April 12, 1994 |
| 8 | 12.78 ft | June 22, 2019 |
| 9 | 12.70 ft | March 30, 1960 |
| 10 | 12.66 ft | May 18, 2020 |
Weather at the gauge
Rain in the last 3 days: 0.87 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sangamon River near SpringfieldRiver gauge, Sangamon River | 21.13 ft | Normal | +0.03 ft | 6.0 mi |
| Sugar Creek near SpringfieldRiver gauge, Sugar Creek | 9.78 ft | Low | −0.06 ft | 6.2 mi |
| South Fork Sangamon River below RochesterRiver gauge, South Fork Sangamon River | 4.35 ft | Normal | −0.04 ft | 8 mi |
| Sangamon River at RivertonRiver gauge, Sangamon River | 2.44 ft | Low | +0.02 ft | 8 mi |
| South Fork Sangamon River near RochesterRiver gauge, South Fork Sangamon River | 5.03 ft | Normal | ±0 | 9 mi |
| Sangamon River at PetersburgRiver gauge, Sangamon River | 4.48 ft | Normal | +0.07 ft | 16 mi |
| Lake Fork near CornlandRiver gauge, Lake Fork | 8.4 cfs | Normal | −1.7 cfs | 19 mi |
| Salt Creek near GreenviewRiver gauge, Salt Creek | 1.38 ft | Normal | −0.01 ft | 22 mi |
Questions and answers
Is Spring Creek at Springfield higher than last year?
Yes, it is 0.57 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.05 ft.
What is a normal level for Spring Creek at Springfield in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 2.42 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.41 ft and 3.39 ft, based on 31 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 Spring Creek at Springfield today?
On Oct 17, 2026, 06:00 AM CDT, the water level was 1.62 ft. Down 0.59 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is Spring Creek at Springfield rising or falling?
Down 0.59 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 0.28 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Spring Creek at Springfield normal?
Low for mid-October. Compared with 31 years of daily readings for this time of year.
What is the highest water level ever recorded at Spring Creek at Springfield?
The highest level on record is 16.23 ft on May 8, 1996.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- U.S. Geological Survey
- Station code
usgs:05577500(Agency page)- Coordinates
39.81542, -89.69942(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 | 1.62 ft | 2026-10-17 11:00 | Provisional |
| Flow | 1.4 cfs | 2026-10-17 11:00 | Provisional |
Download
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Spring Creek at Springfield (usgs:05577500). Accessed October 17, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/spring-creek-at-springfield
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