Natalie Creek at Midlothian water level

Name: Natalie Creek at Midlothian 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, Natalie Creek, Illinois, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

5.09ft Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 04:45 PM CDT (39 min ago)

Flow: 0.4 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

The gauge at Natalie Creek at Midlothian reads 5.09 ft, a normal level.

It is 3.41 ft below the flood stage of 8.50 ft. A year ago it stood at 5.17 ft (−0.08 ft).

The level is falling, down 0.04 ft over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 5.09 ft and 6.19 ft.

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

Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels

Key numbers

Same day last year: 5.17 ft−0.08 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 5.09 ft – 6.19 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 5.02 ft – 6.22 ft
Highest on record: 9.98 ftFebruary 2, 2016

What the stage means on the water

A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 8.50 ft, still 3.41 ft away.

What happens at each level

12.00 ft: Widespread inundation of roadways and structures in the floodplain reaches up to 2-3 blocks from the creek in Midlothian and Oak Forest.
11.00 ft: Multiple structures may be threatened in Midlothian and Oak Forest.
10.00 ft: A few structures may be threatened in Midlothian and Oak Forest. Multiple roadways threatened in Oak Forest and Midlothian. Water begins to bypass the main channel eastward between 147th Street and 148th Street.
9.00 ft: 149th Street is threatened in Midlothian.
8.00 ft: Water overtops low-lying banks in Midlothian and Oak Forest.
5.09 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	9.98 ft	February 2, 2016
2	9.96 ft	February 28, 2017
3	9.91 ft	February 20, 2018
4	9.71 ft	March 30, 2017
5	9.56 ft	April 29, 2017
6	9.38 ft	June 21, 2018
7	9.21 ft	May 1, 2017
8	8.81 ft	October 14, 2017
9	8.65 ft	September 3, 2018

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.19 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

18 Sun 64° 41° – Wind 14 mph

19 Mon 67° 40° – Wind 6 mph

20 Tue 69° 40° – Wind 5 mph

21 Wed 69° 53° – Wind 4 mph

22 Thu 71° 56° – Wind 4 mph

23 Fri 73° 58° – Wind 6 mph

24 Sat 73° 59° – Wind 11 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:07 AM Sunset 06:07 PM Daylight 11 hr First quarter 53%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Midlothian Creek at Oak ForestRiver gauge, Midlothian Creek	1.61 ft	Normal	−0.05 ft	0.6 mi
Tinley Creek near Palos ParkRiver gauge, Tinley Creek	2.64 ft	High	−0.08 ft	2.4 mi
Calumet Union Drainage Canal near MarkhamRiver gauge, Calumet Union Drainage Canal	2.33 ft	Normal	−0.04 ft	3.9 mi
Stony Creek (West) near WorthRiver gauge, Stony Creek (West)	25.55 ft	Normal	−0.30 ft	7 mi
Little Calumet River at South HollandRiver gauge, Little Calumet River	5.52 ft	Normal	−0.05 ft	7 mi
Butterfield Creek at FlossmoorRiver gauge, Butterfield Creek	4.07 ft	Normal	−0.03 ft	7 mi
Thorn Creek at ThorntonRiver gauge, Thorn Creek	2.87 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	7 mi
Thorn Creek at GlenwoodRiver gauge, Thorn Creek	2.59 ft	Very low	−0.01 ft	9 mi

Questions and answers

How does Natalie Creek at Midlothian compare with last year?

It is 0.08 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 5.17 ft.

What is flood stage for Natalie Creek at Midlothian?

The official flood stage is 8.50 ft. The level is currently 3.41 ft below it.

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 Natalie Creek at Midlothian today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 04:45 PM CDT, the water level was 5.09 ft. Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Natalie Creek at Midlothian rising or falling?

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

Is the level of Natalie Creek at Midlothian normal?

Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Natalie Creek at Midlothian?

The highest level on record is 9.98 ft on February 2, 2016.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:05536343 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 41.62167, -87.73333 (WGS84)
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	5.09 ft	2026-10-18 21:45	Provisional
Flow	0.4 cfs	2026-10-18 21:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Natalie Creek at Midlothian (usgs:05536343). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/natalie-creek-at-midlothian

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