LOCATION.-- Lat 41°46'58", long 89°44'59" (NAD of 1927), in NE1/4NE1/4 sec.25, T.21 N., R.6 E., Whiteside County, Hydrologic Unit 07090005, on left bank, 1 mi upstream from Como, 3 mi downstream from Rock Falls, 3.5 mi upstream from Elkhorn Creek, and at mile 69.2.

DRAINAGE AREA.-- 8,753 mi².

PERIOD OF RECORD.--

SURFACE-WATER DISCHARGE AND STAGE

DISCHARGE: March to December 1905, October 1914 to September 1971, October 1977 to September 1986. Water years 1987-90, seven-month period (March to September). October 1990 to current year. Published as "at Sterling" 1905-6 and as "at Lyndon" 1914-34. Records published for both sites December 1933 to September 1934. Monthly discharge only for some periods, published in WSP 1308.

STAGE: Water years 1994 to current year.

PARTIAL RECORD: Annual maximum, water years 1972-77.

SURFACE-WATER QUALITY

CHEMICAL: Water years 1978-91.

REVISED RECORDS.-- WSP 1308: 1915(M), 1917-18(M), 1922(M), 1924(M), 1926(M), 1928(M), 1931-32(M), 1934(M). WDR IL-79-1: Drainage area. WDR IL-97-l: 1996 (Dec. 12-23).

GAGE.-- Water-stage recorder, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers satellite telemeter and rain gage, and crest-stage gage. Datum of gage is 606.83 ft above NGVD of 1929 (606.65 ft NAVD 1988). Jan. 6, 1905, to Feb. 17, 1906, nonrecording gage at Sterling, 3 mi upstream, at different datum. Nov. 24, 1914, to Sept. 30, 1934, nonrecording gage at Lyndon, 16.5 mi downstream at datum 22.46 ft lower.

REMARKS.-- Some diurnal fluctuation caused by powerplants upstream from station.

EXTREMES FOR PERIOD OF RECORD.--

SURFACE-WATER DISCHARGE AND STAGE: Maximum discharge, 59,700 ft³/s, Apr. 21, 1973, gage height, 15.66 ft, from rating curve extended above 41,200 ft³/s; maximum gage height, 17.51 ft, Feb. 7, 1938, ice jam; minimum discharge, 390 ft³/s, July 27, 2003 and July 12, 2005, as a result of regulation.