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River report

Pecatonica River Flow Today

As of October 11, 2026 at 2:00 AM, the Pecatonica River is flowing at 2,070 cfs near Shirland, IL — 164% of normal for the date and down 5% in 24 hours. 4 of 4 USGS gauges reported in the last 3 days; flows range from 212 to 2,070 cfs. ❤ Favorite

USGS gauges
4 4 reporting · upstream → down
Pecatonica River At Darlington: 167% of normalPecatonica River At Martintown: 154% of normalPecatonica River At Freeport: 159% of normalPecatonica River Near Shirland: 164% of normal
Typical gauge
161% of normal for the date
0%normal200%
Biggest flow now
2,070cfs Shirland
Updated
Oct 11, 2:00 AM
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River briefing · Oct 11, 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 2,070 cfs — 164% of normal, down 5% since yesterday. Along the river, 4 of 4 reporting gauges are above normal (the typical gauge is at 161% 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 212 cfs167%
  2. Martintown804 ft 833 cfs154%
  3. Freeport754 ft 1,100 cfs159%
  4. Shirland718 ft 2,070 cfs164%

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 (161%).

Typical gauge 161%
0%50%100% · normal150%200%+
Much below normal0Below normal0Near normal0Above normal0Much above normal4

Pecatonica River flow report

4 gauges
Streamgage Streamflow % of normal 24h Gage height To flood stage Elevation
Pecatonica River At Darlington WI
Oct 11, 3:00 AM · USGS 05432500
212 cfs 167% +2% 3.32 ft · 827 ft
Pecatonica River At Martintown WI
Oct 11, 3:00 AM · USGS 05434500
833 cfs 154% -3% 6.40 ft · 804 ft
Pecatonica River At Freeport IL
Oct 11, 1:30 AM · USGS 05435500
1,100 cfs 159% -3% 5.73 ft 7.3 ft below 754 ft
Pecatonica River Near Shirland IL
Oct 11, 2:00 AM · USGS 05437050
2,070 cfs 164% -5% 6.41 ft 5.6 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 11, 2026, the Pecatonica River is flowing at 2,070 cfs near Shirland, IL, about 164% of normal for the date. Across its 4 USGS gauges, current flows range from 212 to 2,070 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 161% 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