Illinois · Oglesby, IL

Vermilion River float season

Gauge 05555300 on the Lowell to Oglesby through Wildcat Rapids. Illinois' only commercially rafted whitewater churns through Wildcat Rapids beneath sandstone walls a stone's throw from Starved Rock.

raftkayakcanoe Fullest: Mar–May Leanest: Aug–Oct
Vermilion River — typical flow through the year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 400 1.5k 3k 5k
median flow for the date middle half of years (25th–75th percentile) most years (10th–90th)

Right now at this gauge

loading CFS

Checking the live gauge…

Live reading from the USGS gauge page for Vermilion River. Provisional data — subject to revision.

The year on this river

In a typical year at the Oglesby gauge, the Vermilion River runs fullest Mar–May and leanest Aug–Oct. Where today's reading falls inside that rhythm matters more than the raw number — the same flow that feels thin in spring can be the summer norm. Half of all past March days at this gauge ran above 1,050 CFS; the September median is 41 CFS.

Median of daily flows in each month across this gauge's full record — half of past days ran above these figures, half below.
Month Typical flow (CFS)
January 428
February 500
March 1,050
April 1,003
May 979
June 710
July 326
August 68
September 41
October 55
November 178
December 451

Record context

This gauge has measured daily flow since 1972 — 54 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 30,400 CFS, in April 2013. Rivers do that sometimes; it's why the safety panel above isn't decoration.

Planning dates? The trip-window checker shows what flows have historically looked like on any week you pick for this river, or see what a CFS actually looks like.

Common questions

When is the Vermilion River usually at its fullest?

At the Oglesby gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Mar–May, with the single highest monthly median in March (about 1,050 CFS). The leanest months are usually Aug–Oct.

What is a typical summer flow on the Vermilion River?

The July median at this gauge is about 326 CFS — half of past Julys ran higher, half lower. Late summer is this river's lean season, so expect readings to drift down as the season goes on.

Is the Vermilion River safe to float right now?

No flow number can answer that, and this site never labels a river safe. What the data can tell you is how today's reading compares with 55 years of this date's history — well above typical means pushier, colder, faster water. Pair that context with a PFD, a look at the river from the bank, and a call to a local outfitter before you commit.

Which USGS gauge does this page use?

USGS gauge 05555300 (VERMILION RIVER NEAR LEONORE, IL), chosen because it best represents the Lowell to Oglesby through Wildcat Rapids. Daily records here reach back to 1972.

Data: USGS gauge 05555300, approved daily records 1972–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.