Vermilion River Flow
As of 2026-08-03, the Vermilion River is flowing at a combined 3,269 cfs across 7 USGS streamgauges — 120% of normal for this time of year, versus a seasonal average of 2,716 cfs.
Total streamflow across the Vermilion River was last observed at 3,269 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 6,484 acre-ft of water today; about 120% of normal. River levels are high. Average streamflow for this time of year is 2,716 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2024-01-20 when daily discharge volume was observed at 52,199 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Vermilion River At Perry reporting a streamflow rate of 1,200 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Vermilion River At Surrey St. At Lafayette with a gauge stage of 4.96 ft. This river is monitored from 7 different streamgauging stations along the Vermilion River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 1,183 ft, the Vermilion River Nr Crane Lake.
River streamflow levels
Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Vermilion River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.
Total streamflow
Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily
Every streamgauge along the Vermilion River
All 7 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)▾ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Vermilion River Nr Crane Lake
MN
USGS 05129115
|
117 | 4.68 | -5.7 | 25% | 7 | 5,250 | 1,183 |
|
Vermilion River At Pontiac
IL
USGS 05554500
|
76 | 3.12 | · | 135% | 0 | 11,000 | 661 |
|
Vermilion River Near Vermilion Oh
OH
USGS 04199500
|
40 | 2.31 | 154.1 | 184% | 0 | 29,400 | 596 |
|
Vermilion River Near Leonore
IL
USGS 05555300
|
325 | 4.19 | 79.6 | 270% | 6 | 38,600 | 535 |
|
Vermilion River Near Danville
IL
USGS 03339000
|
1,020 | 4.56 | -32.9 | 573% | 21 | 49,000 | 517 |
|
Vermilion River At Surrey St. At Lafayette
LA
USGS 07386880
|
607 | 4.96 | -14.4 | 77% | 16 | 5,010 | 3 |
|
Vermilion River At Perry
LA
USGS 07386980
|
1,200 | 4.69 | -9.1 | 68% | 1 | 14,500 | 1 |
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
Vermilion River
The Vermilion River runs through eastern Illinois for about 90 miles and ultimately flows into the Wabash River. The river has a significant history, having been used by Native American tribes for trade and transportation. Its hydrology is characterized by a combination of flowing water and floodplain wetlands, which support a diverse ecosystem. The river is home to several dams and reservoirs, including Lake Vermilion, which was constructed in the 1970s for flood control and recreation. The river system supports agricultural activity, including corn and soybean farming, and provides recreational opportunities such as boating, fishing, and hiking. The Vermilion River is a vital resource for the region, providing economic and ecological benefits.
Recreation along the Vermilion River
Fishing access and paddle runs Snoflo tracks within the watershed.
Track the Vermilion 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 Vermilion River
How is the Vermilion River flowing right now?
As of 2026-08-03, the Vermilion River is flowing at a combined 3,269 cfs across its USGS streamgauges, about 120% of normal for this date. The live per-gauge breakdown and 24-hour trend are shown above.
Is the Vermilion River running high or low right now?
Check the percent-of-normal figure on this page: above 100% means the river is running higher than its seasonal average for the date, below 100% means lower. The per-gauge table shows which reaches are highest and lowest.
Where does the data for the Vermilion 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.