2026-01-04T17:00:00-07:00
The National Weather Service in Denver has issued a Fire Weather Watch for wind and low relative humidity, which is in effect from Sunday morning through Sunday afternoon. * AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 214, 216, 239, 240 and 241. * TIMING...From late Sunday morning through Sunday afternoon. * WINDS...West 10 to 20 mph with gusts 30 to 45 mph. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...12 to 18%. * IMPACTS...Conditions will be favorable for rapid fire spread. Avoid outdoor burning and any activity that may produce a spark and start a wildfire.
Summary
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the reporting a streamflow rate of cfs. This is also the highest stage along the West Okaw River, with a gauge stage of ft at this location. This river is monitored from 1 different streamgauging stations along the West Okaw River, the highest being situated at an altitude of ft, the .
River Streamflow Levels
| Streamgauge | Streamflow | Gauge Stage | 24hr Change (%) | % Normal | Minimum (cfs) | Maximum (cfs) | Air Temp | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
West Okaw River Near Lovington
USGS 05591700 |
0 cfs | 2.86 ft | 0 |
Seasonal Discharge Comparison
Maximum Streamflow Discharge
Streamflow Elevation Profile
The West Okaw River is a tributary of the Kaskaskia River, which it joins in Moultrie County, Illinois. The West Okaw forms an arm of Lake Shelbyville where the natural rivers used to meet.
The name "Okaw" seems to be an alternative name for the Kaskaskia River, of Native American origin. The town of Okawville is located close to the Kaskaskia, but about 100 miles downstream from the West Okaw. The Okaw Valley Council of the Boy Scouts of America is also centered on the Kaskaskia River, far downstream from the West Okaw. This may explain why there is a "West Okaw", but no "East Okaw" or "Okaw" river: the West Okaw is the western fork of the Kaskaskia, which for some reason bears the alternative name for the River.
The West Okaw is about 32 miles (51 km) in length, as measured from the junction of the arms of Lake Shelbyville. This figure includes the drainage ditches, which extend the stream about eight miles above the natural channel.
The watershed of the West Okaw was formed during the Wisconsin glaciation, about 70,000 to 10,000 years before present. The Wisconsin ice sheet advanced roughly to the Lake Shelbyville Dam, forming a terminal moraine. The meltwater overtopped the moraine, forming the modern Kaskaskia River, which flowed on through land of older Illinoian Stage.