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Pecatonica River Flow Today

As of October 31, 2026 at 1:00 AM, the Pecatonica River is flowing at 1,570 cfs near Shirland, IL — 103% of normal for the date. 4 of 4 USGS gauges reported in the last 3 days; flows range from 183 to 1,570 cfs. ❤ Favorite

USGS gauges
4 4 reporting · upstream → down
Pecatonica River At Darlington: 118% of normalPecatonica River At Martintown: 114% of normalPecatonica River At Freeport: 116% of normalPecatonica River Near Shirland: 103% of normal
Typical gauge
115% of normal for the date
0%normal200%
Biggest flow now
1,570cfs Shirland
Updated
Oct 31, 1:00 AM
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River briefing · Oct 31, 2026

Pecatonica 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 Shirland, the Pecatonica River is running 1,570 cfs — 103% of normal. Along the river, 3 of 4 reporting gauges are above normal (the typical gauge is at 115% of normal).

Headwaters to mouth

How the Pecatonica 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

  1. Darlington827 ft 183 cfs118%
  2. Martintown804 ft 751 cfs114%
  3. Freeport754 ft 941 cfs116%
  4. Shirland718 ft 1,570 cfs103%

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 Pecatonica River streamgauge, placed by its own percent of normal. The line is the typical gauge (115%).

Typical gauge 115%
0%50%100% · normal150%200%+
Much below normal0Below normal0Near normal1Above normal3Much above normal0

Pecatonica River flow report

4 gauges
Streamgage Streamflow % of normal 24h Gage height To flood stage Elevation
Pecatonica River At Darlington WI
Oct 31, 2:00 AM · USGS 05432500
183 cfs 118% -4% 3.06 ft · 827 ft
Pecatonica River At Martintown WI
Oct 31, 2:00 AM · USGS 05434500
751 cfs 114% +1% 6.08 ft · 804 ft
Pecatonica River At Freeport IL
Oct 31, 1:30 AM · USGS 05435500
941 cfs 116% +1% 5.05 ft 8.0 ft below 754 ft
Pecatonica River Near Shirland IL
Oct 31, 1:00 AM · USGS 05437050
1,570 cfs 103% -1% 5.36 ft 6.6 ft below 718 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.

History

Pecatonica River streamflow over time

Daily total flow across every monitored gauge on the river.

Maximum streamflow by year

FAQ

About the Pecatonica River

How is the Pecatonica River flowing right now?

As of October 31, 2026, the Pecatonica River is flowing at 1,570 cfs near Shirland, IL, about 103% of normal for the date. Across its 4 USGS gauges, current flows range from 183 to 1,570 cfs. Every gauge’s live reading is in the table above.

Is the Pecatonica River running high or low?

The typical gauge on the Pecatonica River is at 115% 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 Pecatonica River?

The National Weather Service sets flood stages for Freeport (13.0 ft), Shirland (12.0 ft). The table shows how far each gauge is below its flood stage right now.

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.

More river levels

Rivers in Wisconsin & Illinois