Illinois River Flow Today
As of November 11, 2026 at 2:00 AM, the Illinois River is flowing at 9,010 cfs at Valley City, IL — 87% of normal for the date and down 7% in 24 hours. 11 of 12 USGS gauges reported in the last 3 days; flows range from 26 to 9,010 cfs. ❤ Favorite
Illinois River map
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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 9,010 cfs — 87% of normal, down 7% since yesterday. Along the river, 11 of 11 reporting gauges are below normal (the typical gauge is at 64% of normal).
In the last 24 hours the river is rising at Gore (+55%); dropping at Kingston Mines (-10%).
Highest against normal: Valley City at 87%. Lowest: Gore at 40%.
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 87 cfs53%
- Savoy1,019 ft 26 cfs66%
- Hwy 16 Near Siloam Springs Ar922 ft 184 cfs64%
- Watts881 ft 213 cfs75%
- Chewey806 ft 230 cfs67%
- Tahlequah666 ft 279 cfs66%
- Gore489 ft 47 cfs40%
- Marseilles459 ft 3,940 cfs62%
- Kingston Mines441 ft 5,770 cfs64%
- Henry440 ft 5,900 cfs57%
- Valley City433 ft 9,010 cfs87%
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 (64%).
Illinois River flow report
| Streamgage | Streamflow | % of normal | 24h | Gage height | To flood stage | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Illinois River Near Kerby OR
Nov 10, 11:45 PM · USGS 14377100 |
87 cfs | 53% | 0% | 1.23 ft | 33.8 ft below | 1,202 ft |
|
Illinois River At Savoy AR
Nov 11, 2:00 AM · USGS 07194800 |
26 cfs | 66% | 0% | 2.05 ft | · | 1,019 ft |
|
Illinois River At Hwy 16 Near Siloam Springs Ar AR
Nov 11, 2:00 AM · USGS 07195400 |
184 cfs | 64% | -2% | 6.10 ft | · | 922 ft |
|
Illinois River South Of Siloam Springs AR
Last reported Jan 29 · USGS 07195430 |
206 cfs | · | · | 2.43 ft | · | 913 ft |
|
Illinois River Near Watts OK
Nov 11, 1:30 AM · USGS 07195500 |
213 cfs | 75% | 0% | 2.20 ft | 10.8 ft below | 881 ft |
|
Illinois River At Chewey OK
Nov 11, 1:15 AM · USGS 07196090 |
230 cfs | 67% | -7% | 2.49 ft | 9.5 ft below | 806 ft |
|
Illinois River Near Tahlequah OK
Nov 11, 1:30 AM · USGS 07196500 |
279 cfs | 66% | -5% | 4.97 ft | 6.0 ft below | 666 ft |
|
Illinois River Near Gore OK
Nov 11, 1:30 AM · USGS 07198000 |
47 cfs | 40% | +55% | 6.37 ft | · | 489 ft |
|
Illinois River At Marseilles IL
Nov 11, 1:45 AM · USGS 05543500 |
3,940 cfs | 62% | -3% | 11.21 ft | · | 459 ft |
|
Illinois River At Kingston Mines IL
Nov 11, 1:45 AM · USGS 05568500 |
5,770 cfs | 64% | -10% | 3.81 ft | · | 441 ft |
|
Illinois River At Henry IL
Nov 11, 1:30 AM · USGS 05558300 |
5,900 cfs | 57% | -5% | 14.59 ft | 8.4 ft below | 440 ft |
|
Illinois River At Valley City IL
Nov 11, 2:00 AM · USGS 05586100 |
9,010 cfs | 87% | -7% | 2.86 ft | 11.1 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 | 87 cfs | 500–3,500 cfs | III+ |
| Headwaters To Middle Of Sec 15, T39S, R4E Gauge: Kerby |
Too low | 87 cfs | 500–3,500 cfs | III–IV |
| Miami Bar to Oak Flat Gauge: Kerby |
Too low | 87 cfs | 500–3,500 cfs | IV+ TO V |
| Middle Of Sec 15, T39S, R4E To Confluence With Canyon Creek Gauge: Kerby |
Too low | 87 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 November 11, 2026, the Illinois River is flowing at 9,010 cfs at Valley City, IL, about 87% of normal for the date. Across its 12 USGS gauges, current flows range from 26 to 9,010 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 64% 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.