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Fox River (Tailwater) at Algonquin water level

River gauge, Fox River (Tailwater), Illinois, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

6.54ft Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours

Flow
1,350 cfs
5 10 15 Highest onrecord 14.00 ft Minor floodstage 9.50 ft

History

46810ftOct 12Oct 13Oct 15Oct 16Oct 18Minor flood stage46810ftOct 12Oct 15Oct 18Minor flood stage
46810ftSep 19Sep 26Oct 3Oct 10Oct 18Minor flood stage46810ftSep 19Oct 3Oct 18Minor flood stage
581013ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage581013ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage
581013ftJanMarMayJulSepNov2026581013ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %) Minor flood stage

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Fox River (Tailwater) at Algonquin, where the gauge shows 6.54 ft.

That puts it 1.17 ft above the median of 5.37 ft for mid-October, based on 17 years of readings. It is 2.96 ft below the flood stage of 9.50 ft. A year ago it stood at 4.81 ft (+1.73 ft).

It is still going down, by 0.04 ft over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 6.24 ft – 8.76 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.

Compared with 17 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
5.37 ft1.17 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date
4.57 ft – 9.78 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (17 years of records)
Same day last year
4.81 ft+1.73 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
6.24 ft – 8.76 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
4.40 ft – 12.08 ft
Highest on record
14.00 ftJuly 5, 1938

Paddling and fishing conditions

Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.

For reference, flood stage is 9.50 ft.

What happens at each level

18.00 ft
Inundation of the floodplain reaches more than 1 block from the river in Algonquin.
17.50 ft
Main Street is threatened in Algonquin.
16.50 ft
IL-176 threatened near Holiday Hills.
16.00 ft
Numerous structures are threatened along Main Street in Algonquin. North Water Reclamation Facility property in Elgin is threatened.
15.50 ft
Algonquin Road (IL-62) is threatened west of the river in Algonquin.
15.00 ft
Inundation reaches up to 2 blocks from the river in Willow Lake Estates in Elgin. Railroad tracks are threatened in downtown Elgin. Multiple structures threatened in downtown Carpentersville. Duncan Avenue threatened north of Elgin.
14.50 ft
Widespread inundation of roadways and structures reaches 2 blocks from the river near Freeman Park north of downtown East Dundee. A few structures threatened along 1st Street in West Dundee.
14.00 ft
Residences threatened along Riverview Drive and Holiday Drive in Holiday Hills. Residences threatened along Riverside Drive West south of McHenry. Structures threatened along North Harrison Street in Algonquin. A few structures threatened along Washington Street in Carpentersville. Algonquin Wastewater Treatment Facility property threatened. Main Street threatened in Carpentersville.
13.50 ft
Backwater causes Crystal Creek to threaten structures near the village hall in Algonquin. Multiple structures threatened along Wenholz Avenue, Michigan Avenue, North Street, Barrington Avenue, and 2nd Street in East Dundee.
13.00 ft
A few structures threatened along Water Street in East Dundee. A few structures threatened along 2nd Street in West Dundee. Structures along Riverside Drive and Grove Ave are threatened in Elgin. Backwater causes Crystal Creek to threaten low-lying sections of Towne Park in Algonquin.
12.50 ft
Residences threatened along Edwards Avenue in East Dundee. Prairie Trail is threatened at the river in Algonquin. Parking lots threatened in downtown Carpentersville. Low-lying parking lots threatened at Judson College in Elgin.
12.00 ft
Structures threatened along River Street, Johnson Street, and Maiden Lane in East Dundee. North Harrison Street threatened near Riverside Park in Algonquin. Washington Street threatened in Carpentersville. Water Street, Edwards Avenue, and Elgin Avenue threatened in East Dundee. Bayview Road threatened in Elgin. Low-lying areas of Festival Park are threatened in Elgin.
6.54 ft
Right now

Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.

Highest crests on record

Chance of at least minor flooding in October to December: 31 %.

RankLevelDate
114.00 ftJuly 5, 1938
213.70 ftApril 6, 1960
313.18 ftJuly 23, 2017
412.70 ftApril 23, 2013
512.50 ftMarch 24, 1948
612.40 ftMarch 31, 1962
711.85 ftJune 26, 2018
811.83 ftMay 23, 2020
911.38 ftSeptember 17, 2019
1011.01 ftJune 26, 2013

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.31 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

17 Sat 56° 35° – Wind 10 mph
18 Sun 59° 40° – Wind 14 mph
19 Mon 63° 38° – Wind 7 mph
20 Tue 66° 47° – Wind 6 mph
21 Wed 65° 48° – Wind 7 mph
22 Thu 69° 52° – Wind 5 mph
23 Fri 68° 52° – Wind 9 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:10 AM Sunset 06:08 PM Daylight 10 hr, 58 min First quarter 45%

Map

Other gauges on the Fox River (Tailwater)

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Fox River (Tailwater) near McHenryRiver gauge, Fox River (Tailwater) 2.03 ft Normal −0.11 ft 10 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Fox River at AlgonquinRiver gauge, Fox River 1.75 ft High −0.02 ft 0.4 mi
Tyler Creek at ElginRiver gauge, Tyler Creek 5.81 ft Normal −0.03 ft 7 mi
Poplar Creek at ElginRiver gauge, Poplar Creek 1.42 ft Normal −0.07 ft 10 mi
Fox River near McHenryRiver gauge, Fox River 3.90 ft Normal −0.11 ft 10 mi
Boone Creek near Mc HenryRiver gauge, Boone Creek 1.53 ft Very high +0.30 ft 11 mi
Fox River at South Elgin, Il (Tailwater)River gauge, Fox River 6.88 ft Normal +0.03 ft 11 mi
Fox River at South ElginRiver gauge, Fox River 12.84 ft Normal ±0 11 mi
Fox River at JohnsburgRiver gauge, Fox River 3.98 ft Normal −0.07 ft 15 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Fox River (Tailwater) at Algonquin compare with last year?

It is 1.73 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 4.81 ft.

What is flood stage for the Fox River (Tailwater) at Algonquin?

The official flood stage is 9.50 ft. The level is currently 2.96 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Fox River (Tailwater) at Algonquin in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 5.37 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 4.57 ft and 9.78 ft, based on 17 years of records.

Is gage height the same as water depth?

No. Gage height is measured from a fixed reference point chosen by the agency, so a reading of 10 ft does not mean the river is 10 ft deep.

What is the water level of Fox River (Tailwater) at Algonquin today?

On Oct 17, 2026, 09:30 PM CDT, the water level was 6.54 ft. Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Fox River (Tailwater) at Algonquin rising or falling?

Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.53 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Fox River (Tailwater) at Algonquin normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 17 years of daily readings for this time of year.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
Operator
U.S. Geological Survey
Station code
usgs:05550001 (Agency page)
Coordinates
42.16194, -88.29389 (WGS84)
Vertical datum
NAVD88
Update interval
every 15 minutes
Licence
Public domain. Data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), provisional data subject to revision

Published series

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Water level 6.54 ft 2026-10-18 02:30 Provisional
Flow 1,350 cfs 2026-10-18 02:30 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Fox River (Tailwater) at Algonquin (usgs:05550001). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/fox-river-tailwater-at-algonquin

How we check values

Each reading is stored as published. We hold back values that jump faster than physically plausible and show the measurement time with every value.

Readings are provisional, can be delayed or wrong and are not a flood warning. Read the disclaimer