North Branch Chicago River at Deerfield water level

Name: North Branch Chicago River at Deerfield water level (U.S. Geological Survey)
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
License: https://www.usgs.gov/information-policies-and-instructions/copyrights-and-credits

River gauge, North Branch Chicago River, Illinois, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

4.49ft Down 0.17 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 06:10 PM CDT (14 min ago)

Flow: 3.8 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

The North Branch Chicago River at Deerfield is at 4.49 ft, in the normal range for mid-October.

That puts it 0.34 ft above the median of 4.15 ft for mid-October, based on 32 years of readings. It is 5.01 ft below the flood stage of 9.50 ft. A year ago it stood at 4.54 ft (−0.05 ft).

It has dropped 0.17 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 4.41 ft and 7.27 ft.

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

Compared with 32 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 4.15 ft0.34 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 3.56 ft – 5.58 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (32 years of records)
Same day last year: 4.54 ft−0.05 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 4.41 ft – 7.27 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 3.97 ft – 9.48 ft
Highest on record: 12.75 ftJuly 13, 2017

Floating and fishing near North Branch Chicago River at Deerfield

Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.

Flood stage here is 9.50 ft, 5.01 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

15.50 ft: Residences threatened along Red Coach Lane and Williamsburg Drive in Northbrook.
13.50 ft: Structures threatened at Northbrook Court in Northbrook. Residences threatened along River Road in Deerfield. Residences threatened along Rosemary Lane and Waters Edge Lane in Northbrook.
12.50 ft: Residences threatened along Tanglewood Court and Red Oak Lane in Highland Park. Parking lots at Northbrook Court threatened in Northbrook.
11.50 ft: Lake Cook Road threatened at Northbrook Court. Rosemary Lane and Waters Edge Lane threatened in Northbrook.
11.00 ft: Tanglewood Court threatened in Highland Park. Carriage Way threatened in Deerfield.
9.50 ft: Lee Road threatened at Dundee Road in Northbrook.
9.00 ft: Water overtops low-lying banks in Chipilly Woods and Somme Woods in Northbrook.
8.50 ft: Water overtops low-lying banks in Trail Tree Park and Briarwood Park in Deerfield.
4.49 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	12.75 ft	July 13, 2017
2	12.10 ft	September 3, 2018
3	11.88 ft	September 13, 2019
4	11.55 ft	October 13, 2001
5	11.52 ft	August 14, 1987
6	11.49 ft	October 15, 2017
7	11.39 ft	September 13, 2008
8	11.39 ft	February 20, 2018
9	11.35 ft	April 18, 2013
10	11.18 ft	July 21, 2019

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.37 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

18 Sun 63° 41° – Wind 13 mph

19 Mon 67° 41° – Wind 8 mph

20 Tue 62° 46° – Wind 8 mph

21 Wed 67° 54° – Wind 4 mph

22 Thu 69° 57° – Wind 5 mph

23 Fri 70° 59° – Wind 7 mph

24 Sat 71° 60° – Wind 11 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:08 AM Sunset 06:06 PM Daylight 10 hr, 58 min First quarter 53%

Map

Other gauges on the North Branch Chicago River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
North Branch Chicago River at NilesRiver gauge, North Branch Chicago River	1.17 ft	Low	−0.22 ft	10 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Skokie River near Highland ParkRiver gauge, Skokie River	2.72 ft	Very low	−0.10 ft	1.2 mi
Wf of Nb Chicago River at NorthbrookRiver gauge, Wf of Nb Chicago River	1.00 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	1.3 mi
Wf of Nb Chicago River at DeerfieldRiver gauge, Wf of Nb Chicago River	7.24 ft	Normal	−0.04 ft	2.2 mi
Skokie River at Lake ForestRiver gauge, Skokie River	2.08 ft	Normal	−0.05 ft	5.7 mi
Des Plaines River near Des PlainesRiver gauge, Des Plaines River	9.29 ft	High	−0.08 ft	5.7 mi
Des Plaines River at LincolnshireRiver gauge, Des Plaines River	7.57 ft	Normal	−0.05 ft	6.1 mi
Mc Donald Creek near Mount ProspectRiver gauge, Mc Donald Creek	0.96 ft	Normal	−0.07 ft	6 mi
Buffalo Creek near WheelingRiver gauge, Buffalo Creek	1.68 ft	Normal	+0.06 ft	7 mi

Questions and answers

How does the North Branch Chicago River at Deerfield compare with last year?

It is 0.05 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 4.54 ft.

What is flood stage for the North Branch Chicago River at Deerfield?

The official flood stage is 9.50 ft. The level is currently 5.01 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the North Branch Chicago River at Deerfield in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 4.15 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 3.56 ft and 5.58 ft, based on 32 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 North Branch Chicago River at Deerfield today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 06:10 PM CDT, the water level was 4.49 ft. Down 0.17 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is North Branch Chicago River at Deerfield rising or falling?

Down 0.17 ft over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.

Is the level of North Branch Chicago River at Deerfield normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 32 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:05534500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 42.15264, -87.81840 (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

Parameter	Last value	Time (UTC)	Quality
Water level	4.49 ft	2026-10-18 23:10	Provisional
Flow	3.8 cfs	2026-10-18 23:10	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: North Branch Chicago River at Deerfield (usgs:05534500). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/north-branch-chicago-river-at-deerfield

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