Rock River river
Total streamflow across the Rock River was last observed at 34,274 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 67,982 acre-ft of water today; about 72% of normal. Average streamflow for this time of year is 47,297 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2019-03-16 when daily discharge volume was observed at 188,530 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Rock River Near Joslin reporting a streamflow rate of 8,070 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Rock River At Robert Street At Fort Atkinson with a gauge stage of 12.09 ft. This river is monitored from 10 different streamgauging stations along the Rock River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 1,316 ft, the Rock River Below Tom Creek At Rock Rapids.
River streamflow levels
Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Rock River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.
Total streamflow
Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily
Every streamgauge along the Rock River
All 10 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)▾ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Rock River Below Tom Creek At Rock Rapids
IA
USGS 06483290
|
268 | 8.18 | -11.6 | 65% | 15 | 24,100 | 1,316 |
|
Rock River Near Rock Valley
IA
USGS 06483500
|
1,020 | 6.66 | 25.2 | 69% | 16 | 53,900 | 1,238 |
|
Rock River At Horicon
WI
USGS 05424057
|
468 | 6.52 | -7.0 | 82% | 2 | 2,650 | 879 |
|
Rock River At Watertown
WI
USGS 05425500
|
978 | 2.89 | -3.2 | 78% | 18 | 4,660 | 804 |
|
Rock River At Afton
WI
USGS 05430500
|
2,500 | 5.18 | -20.4 | 65% | 220 | 12,400 | 778 |
|
Rock River At Robert Street At Fort Atkinson
WI
USGS 05427085
|
2,150 | 12.09 | -1.4 | 77% | 11 | 11,500 | 774 |
|
Rock River At Rockton
IL
USGS 05437500
|
5,190 | 5.30 | -2.3 | 89% | 1,150 | 28,100 | 712 |
|
Rock River At Byron
IL
USGS 05440700
|
6,390 | 7.20 | -0.6 | 95% | 1,220 | 39,900 | 677 |
|
Rock River At Como
IL
USGS 05443500
|
7,240 | 5.01 | -5.1 | 89% | 1,050 | 45,100 | 618 |
|
Rock River Near Joslin
IL
USGS 05446500
|
8,070 | 7.23 | -3.6 | 95% | 1,190 | 46,600 | 588 |
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
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
Rock River
The Rock River is a tributary of the Mississippi River that flows through Wisconsin and Illinois. The river is approximately 299 miles long, originating in Horicon Marsh, Wisconsin, and flowing south into Illinois, where it eventually empties into the Mississippi River near Rock Island. The river has played a significant role in the history of the region, serving as a transportation route for Native American tribes and European settlers. The river is also a popular destination for recreational activities, including fishing, boating, and canoeing. Several reservoirs and dams along the river, including the Lake Koshkonong Dam and the Rockford Dam, provide hydroelectric power and flood control. The river is also used for agricultural purposes, with many farms located along its banks.
Track the Rock 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.
About the Rock River
Where does the data for the Rock 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.