River Report

Embarras River river

3 streamgauges 118% of normal Last updated 2026-05-31
Aggregate flow
4,128cfs
% of normal
118%
Daily volume
8,189AF
Seasonal avg
3,507cfs

Total streamflow across the Embarras River was last observed at 4,128 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 8,189 acre-ft of water today; about 118% of normal. Average streamflow for this time of year is 3,507 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2015-12-30 when daily discharge volume was observed at 77,660 cfs.

Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Embarras River At Lawrenceville reporting a streamflow rate of 2,340 cfs. This is also the highest stage along the Embarras River, with a gauge stage of 21.43 ft at this location. This river is monitored from 3 different streamgauging stations along the Embarras River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 644 ft, the Embarras River Near Camargo.

Max discharge

Embarras River At Lawrenceville

2,340cfs
Highest stage

Embarras River At Lawrenceville

21.43ft
Highest-elevation gauge

Embarras River Near Camargo

644ft
Aggregate trend

River streamflow levels

Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Embarras River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.

Total streamflow

Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily

Per-gauge breakdown

Every streamgauge along the Embarras River

All 3 USGS gauges Snoflo tracks for this river, with current flow, stage, recent change, percent of normal, and the gauge's all-time min / max. Click any header to sort. Cells are heatmapped relative to the column min/max -- darker blue = higher.

Streamgauge Streamflow (cfs) Gauge stage (ft) 24h Δ (%) % Normal Min (cfs) Max (cfs) Elevation (ft)
Embarras River Near Camargo IL
USGS 03343400
68 4.01 -3.0 48% 0 6,470 644
Embarras River At Ste. Marie IL
USGS 03345500
1,720 5.46 -23.9 145% 12 49,900 499
Embarras River At Lawrenceville IL
USGS 03346500
2,340 21.43 -6.8 165% 35 37,600 424
Annual peaks

Maximum streamflow discharge by year

The single highest aggregate discharge recorded each year. Spotting the multi-year trend reveals droughts vs. wet cycles long before the headline daily flow does.

Annual peak discharge

From the river's full record · one point per water year

Profile

Streamflow elevation profile

Each bubble is one gauge along the river, plotted by current streamflow (x-axis) vs elevation (y-axis), sized by gauge stage. Reading top-to-bottom traces the river from headwaters down to its mouth -- you can see flow accumulate as elevation drops.

Elevation vs streamflow

One point per monitored gauge · bubble size = gauge stage

About this river

Embarras River

The Embarras River is a 195-mile-long tributary of the Wabash River in Illinois. It flows through a rural area and has played an important role in the history of the region, serving as a means of transportation and a source of water for agriculture. The river is fed by numerous small streams and has a relatively gentle gradient, making it ideal for recreational activities such as canoeing and fishing. Several small dams and reservoirs have been constructed on the river to regulate its flow, control flooding, and provide water for irrigation. The largest of these is Lake Shelbyville, which was built in the 1970s and covers over 11,000 acres. The reservoir has become a popular destination for boating, fishing, and camping, attracting thousands of visitors each year.

Track the Embarras River in the Snoflo app

Set per-gauge push alerts (e.g. "alert me when flow at the Russian R Nr Healdsburg crosses 5,000 cfs"), and Snoflo's iOS app pushes the moment USGS reports the crossing.

FAQ

About the Embarras River

Where does the data for the Embarras River come from?

Streamflow and gauge stage data are sourced from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Information System. The aggregate flow shown at the top of the page is computed by Snoflo as the sum of all monitored gauges along the river.

How is "percent of normal" calculated?

Today's aggregate streamflow is compared to the historical average aggregate streamflow on this calendar day across the river's full record. 100% means right on average; values above 100% indicate above-normal flow (wet year); values below indicate below-normal (dry year or drought).

Why are some gauges showing very different flows?

Gauges along a river measure flow at different points: headwater gauges read what's coming off the snowpack or mountain runoff; downstream gauges integrate everything upstream, including tributary inputs. Wide spreads usually mean a tributary is contributing significantly between gauges.

What's the elevation profile chart showing?

Each bubble is one gauge along the river, plotted by streamflow (x-axis) and elevation (y-axis), sized by gauge stage. Reading top-down traces the river from headwaters to mouth -- you can see flow build as elevation drops.

Can I get alerts when a specific gauge crosses a threshold?

Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app on a per-gauge basis. Open any individual streamgauge from the table above and favorite it to set a discharge threshold.