Kayak Love

Illinois · river

South Fork Saline River near Carrier Mills

USGS monitoring location. Launch access and paddling suitability have not been verified.

Weather comparison · not a safety rating

73

Mostly favorable

Weather score out of 100

Weather only. This is a monitoring station, not a verified launch. Access, hazards and suitable flow are unknown.

Weather observation: Thu, 01 Oct 2026 17:15:00 GMT.

River observation: Thu, 01 Oct 2026 16:30:00 GMT.

Page checked: Thu, 01 Oct 2026 17:25:14 GMT. Readings older than one hour are not used for the current score.

Photograph taken near South Fork Saline River near Carrier Mills
Nearby on Wikimedia Commons — Main Street, Carrier Mills, Illinois.jpg by Ruhe1986, Public domain. Taken within 10km of this location — it may not show the launch itself.

Wind

14 mph

gusting to 22 mph

Air temp

87°F

1% chance of rain

River flow

4.46 cfs

normal for this date

Weather outlook

Wednesday · 93

  • Thu

    63

  • Fri

    54

  • Sat

    76

  • Sun

    84

  • Mon

    71

  • Tue

    81

  • Wed

    93

    Best

Compares forecast wind, air temperature and rain. Does not assess river flow, swell, currents, water temperature or launch access. All times are local to this location.

Wind, next 12 hours

mph
Hourly wind forecast
HourWind (mph)Gusts (mph)
12p1423
1p1522
2p1421
3p1423
4p1322
5p1220
6p616
7p59
8p615
9p615
10p616
11p615

Is this flow normal for October 1?

Today's 4.46 cfs is 35% below the median for this date — which counts as normal water here.

The median flow on this date is 7 cfs, across 60 years of USGS record at this gauge. Whether that is runnable depends on the stretch — this is context, not a recommendation.

Why this score

  • Wind — 14 mph — elevated wind-27

We don't have launch notes for this one

This page is built from the USGS gauge at this location, and uses available public readings. We haven't verified where to put in, what the hazards are, or whether this stretch is legal or sensible to paddle. We'd rather say that than invent it. The links below are where to find out.

We also don't have a verified safe-flow range here, so the Paddle Score reflects weather only. Judge the flow number against local knowledge, not against our score.

Do your own homework

We show you live conditions. For local knowledge — where to put in, what the hazards are, whether it's worth the drive — here's where paddlers actually talk about this water. We don't vet these sources; check the dates and judge for yourself.

Nearby water

All paddling spots in Illinois →