Illinois River Flow Today
As of October 22, 2026 at 1:30 AM, the Illinois River is flowing at 13,600 cfs at Valley City, IL — 118% of normal for the date and up 6% in 24 hours. 11 of 12 USGS gauges reported in the last 3 days; flows range from 25 to 13,600 cfs. ❤ Favorite
Illinois River map
See the Illinois River on a live map
Every gauge, dam and paddle run on the river, one tap each:
- Gauges now — which reaches are high or low
- Dams & paddle runs — storage and what’s in range
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Illinois River conditions today
Where the river is running versus normal, what’s rising or dropping, and what it means for a trip — built from the live USGS readings below.
At Valley City, the Illinois River is running 13,600 cfs — 118% of normal, up 6% since yesterday. Along the river, 8 of 11 reporting gauges are below normal (the typical gauge is at 79% of normal).
In the last 24 hours the river is rising at Marseilles (+14%).
Highest against normal: Henry at 120%. Lowest: Kerby at 36%.
Paddlers: 0 of 4 runs on the Illinois River with a live range are in range, 4 too low.
How the Illinois River compares to normal
Every reporting gauge from the top of the river to the bottom: bar length is today’s flow, colour is percent of normal for the date.
Flow along the river, upstream to downstream
- Kerby1,202 ft 35 cfs36%
- Savoy1,019 ft 25 cfs79%
- Hwy 16 Near Siloam Springs Ar922 ft 181 cfs78%
- Watts881 ft 198 cfs78%
- Chewey806 ft 227 cfs72%
- Tahlequah666 ft 272 cfs82%
- Gore489 ft 68 cfs48%
- Marseilles459 ft 4,650 cfs82%
- Kingston Mines441 ft 11,800 cfs109%
- Henry440 ft 10,000 cfs120%
- Valley City433 ft 13,600 cfs118%
Bar length uses a square-root scale so small headwater flows stay visible next to big downstream ones. Colour: <50% 50–90 90–110 110–150 150%+ of normal.
Where every gauge sits
One dot per Illinois River streamgauge, placed by its own percent of normal. The line is the typical gauge (79%).
Illinois River flow report
| Streamgage | Streamflow | % of normal | 24h | Gage height | To flood stage | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Illinois River Near Kerby OR
Oct 22, 12:45 AM · USGS 14377100 |
35 cfs | 36% | +10% | 0.71 ft | 34.3 ft below | 1,202 ft |
|
Illinois River At Savoy AR
Oct 22, 2:00 AM · USGS 07194800 |
25 cfs | 79% | 0% | 2.04 ft | · | 1,019 ft |
|
Illinois River At Hwy 16 Near Siloam Springs Ar AR
Oct 22, 2:00 AM · USGS 07195400 |
181 cfs | 78% | 0% | 6.09 ft | · | 922 ft |
|
Illinois River South Of Siloam Springs AR
Last reported Jan 29 · USGS 07195430 |
206 cfs | · | · | 2.41 ft | · | 913 ft |
|
Illinois River Near Watts OK
Oct 22, 2:30 AM · USGS 07195500 |
198 cfs | 78% | -4% | 2.13 ft | 10.9 ft below | 881 ft |
|
Illinois River At Chewey OK
Oct 22, 2:15 AM · USGS 07196090 |
227 cfs | 72% | 0% | 2.48 ft | 9.5 ft below | 806 ft |
|
Illinois River Near Tahlequah OK
Oct 22, 2:30 AM · USGS 07196500 |
272 cfs | 82% | -5% | 4.95 ft | 6.1 ft below | 666 ft |
|
Illinois River Near Gore OK
Oct 22, 2:30 AM · USGS 07198000 |
68 cfs | 48% | +5% | 6.51 ft | · | 489 ft |
|
Illinois River At Marseilles IL
Oct 22, 1:45 AM · USGS 05543500 |
4,650 cfs | 82% | +14% | 11.41 ft | · | 459 ft |
|
Illinois River At Kingston Mines IL
Oct 22, 1:45 AM · USGS 05568500 |
11,800 cfs | 109% | -8% | 5.61 ft | · | 441 ft |
|
Illinois River At Henry IL
Oct 22, 1:45 AM · USGS 05558300 |
10,000 cfs | 120% | -7% | 14.88 ft | 8.1 ft below | 440 ft |
|
Illinois River At Valley City IL
Oct 22, 1:30 AM · USGS 05586100 |
13,600 cfs | 118% | +6% | 4.16 ft | 9.8 ft below | 433 ft |
USGS provisional data. Readings are in each gauge’s local time; gauges silent for more than 3 days are marked “Last reported”. Tap any gauge for its hydrograph, forecast and history.
Paddle runs on the Illinois River
Each run is checked against its runnable range using the gauge it is keyed to (or the nearest gauge on this river).
| Run | Status | Flow now | Runnable range | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Confluence With Lightening Gulch To Confluence With Josephine Creek Gauge: Kerby |
Too low | 35 cfs | 500–3,500 cfs | III+ |
| Headwaters To Middle Of Sec 15, T39S, R4E Gauge: Kerby |
Too low | 35 cfs | 500–3,500 cfs | III–IV |
| Miami Bar to Oak Flat Gauge: Kerby |
Too low | 35 cfs | 500–3,500 cfs | IV+ TO V |
| Middle Of Sec 15, T39S, R4E To Confluence With Canyon Creek Gauge: Kerby |
Too low | 35 cfs | 500–3,500 cfs | III–IV |
| Confluence Of East And West Forks Indigo Creek To Confluence With Illinois River | No live range | · | 3,006–6,924 cfs typical | III–IV |
| Silver Falls (Ne1/4 Of Sec 5, T36S, R9W) To Confluence With Illinois River | No live range | · | 3,006–6,924 cfs typical | · |
Illinois River streamflow over time
Daily total flow across every monitored gauge on the river.
Maximum streamflow by year
Illinois River
The Illinois River is a 273-mile-long tributary of the Mississippi River that flows through the state of Illinois. It was an important trade route for Native American tribes and European explorers, serving as a vital transportation artery for the region. The river's hydrology is heavily managed through a series of reservoirs and dams, including the Dresden, Marseilles, Peoria, and LaGrange Locks and Dams. These structures help to regulate water levels for navigation and flood control. The river is also used for recreational activities such as boating, fishing, and camping, and it supports a variety of agricultural uses in the surrounding areas. In recent years, efforts have been made to improve water quality and protect the ecosystem of the Illinois River.
Fishing near the Illinois River
About the Illinois River
How is the Illinois River flowing right now?
As of October 22, 2026, the Illinois River is flowing at 13,600 cfs at Valley City, IL, about 118% of normal for the date. Across its 12 USGS gauges, current flows range from 25 to 13,600 cfs. Every gauge’s live reading is in the table above.
Is the Illinois River running high or low?
The typical gauge on the Illinois River is at 79% of normal for the date. Above 100% means higher than the historical average for this calendar day; below 100% means lower. The profile above shows which reaches are high or low.
What is flood stage on the Illinois River?
The National Weather Service sets flood stages for Kerby (35.0 ft), Watts (13.0 ft), Chewey (12.0 ft), Tahlequah (11.0 ft), Henry (23.0 ft), Valley City (14.0 ft). The table shows how far each gauge is below its flood stage right now.
Is the Illinois River runnable for paddling today?
Each run in the paddle table is checked against its runnable range using its gauge's live flow.
Where does the data come from?
Discharge and gage height are from the USGS National Water Information System; flood stages from the National Weather Service. The history chart sums every monitored gauge on the river.
Can I get alerts for a gauge?
Yes — open any gauge from the table, favorite it in the Snoflo app and set a flow threshold.