How high is the South Branch Kishwaukee River near Fairdale IL right now?

The South Branch Kishwaukee River near Fairdale IL is currently flowing at 73 cubic feet per second with a gage height of 2.29 feet, based on the most recent USGS instantaneous reading.

Is the flow on the South Branch Kishwaukee River near Fairdale IL normal for this time of year?

Current flow is classified as low for June 11. Today's discharge is at the 13th percentile compared to the long-term historical record at this gauge.

Is the South Branch Kishwaukee River near Fairdale IL at flood stage?

No — the gage height is 6.71 feet below the NWS flood-stage threshold of 9.0 feet.

What is the historical median flow for the South Branch Kishwaukee River near Fairdale IL on June 11?

The long-term median discharge for this date is 261 cfs based on USGS daily statistics. The 10th–95th percentile range historically is 62 to 1,990 cfs.

Where is the South Branch Kishwaukee River near Fairdale IL stream gauge located?

The South Branch Kishwaukee River near Fairdale IL stream gauge is operated by the USGS in DeKalb County, IL on the South Branch Kishwaukee River. USGS site number 05439500 (coordinates 42.1106, -88.9007).

South Branch Kishwaukee River near Fairdale IL

USGS Site No: 05439500 • South Branch Kishwaukee River • DeKalb County, IL

South Branch Kishwaukee River near Fairdale IL on the South Branch Kishwaukee River is currently at 73 cfs (Low — 13th percentile for this date) . Gage height: 2.29 ft.

Reading from 1 week ago

↑ Upstream on South Branch Kishwaukee River

South Branch Kishwaukee River at Dekalb, IL

CFS Discharge

2.29

Gage Height (ft)

Low

Flow Condition

Normal

Flood Status

Historical Percentile Comparison

Today's discharge compared to the long-term record for June 11 at this station. Percentile rank shows what fraction of historical years had lower flow on this date.

Percentile	Label	CFS Threshold	Today's Flow
10th	Very Low threshold	62
25th	Low threshold	129	Today: 73 cfs
50th (Median)	Normal (median)	261
75th	High threshold	523
95th	Very High threshold	1,990

30-Day Hydrograph

Recent discharge plotted against the historical 10th–95th percentile envelope for the same calendar days. Source: USGS daily values + long-term statistics.

10th–95th historical Day-of-year median Recent discharge

30-Day Flow History

Date	Discharge (CFS)	Gage Ht (ft)
May 28, 2026	90	2.35
May 27, 2026	102	2.38
May 26, 2026	129	2.45
May 25, 2026	204	2.63
May 24, 2026	116	2.42
May 23, 2026	107	2.40
May 22, 2026	105	2.39
May 21, 2026	105	2.39
May 20, 2026	134	2.47
May 19, 2026	151	2.51
May 18, 2026	148	2.50
May 17, 2026	160	2.52
May 16, 2026	171	2.55
May 15, 2026	174	2.55
Apr 20, 2026	2,090	6.57
Apr 19, 2026	2,490	7.08
Apr 18, 2026	2,820	7.44
Apr 17, 2026	2,190	6.73
Apr 16, 2026	2,380	6.94
Apr 15, 2026	1,380	5.20
Apr 14, 2026	945	4.21
Apr 13, 2026	874	4.04
Apr 12, 2026	918	4.14
Apr 11, 2026	1,030	4.40
Apr 10, 2026	1,060	4.48
Apr 9, 2026	1,070	4.51
Apr 8, 2026	1,270	4.97
Apr 7, 2026	1,800	6.06
Apr 6, 2026	2,840	7.46
Apr 5, 2026	3,790	8.38

Station Information

USGS Site No: 05439500
State: IL
County: DeKalb County
Coordinates: 42.1106, -88.9007
Drainage Area: 387 mi²
Datum (ft): 733.5
HUC Code: 07090006

View on USGS NWIS →

Flood Stage Thresholds

Action Stage: 6.5 ft
Flood Stage: 9.0 ft
Moderate Flood: 12.0 ft
Major Flood: 13.0 ft

Currently 6.71 ft below flood stage.

Recent Extremes

Max discharge: 4,090 cfs

Apr 4, 2026
Min discharge: 21 cfs

Oct 15, 2025
Days at flood stage: 0

Computed from the local daily-values archive.

Nearby Gauges

Kishwaukee River Near Perryville, IL
7.7 mi · 570 cfs

Normal
Kishwaukee River at Belvidere, IL
10.2 mi · 233 cfs

Normal
South Branch Kishwaukee River at Dekalb, IL
14.4 mi · 21 cfs

Low
Rock River at Byron, IL
18.2 mi · 5,540 cfs

Normal
Kishwaukee River at Marengo, IL
18.4 mi · 64 cfs

Normal