Salt Creek at Rolling Meadows water level
River gauge, Salt Creek, Illinois, United States
Right now
Low for mid-October
Water level
- Flow
- 7.9 cfs
History
20252026
What this means
Low water at Salt Creek at Rolling Meadows: the gauge reads 2.46 ft, below normal for mid-October.
The median for mid-October is 2.77 ft, based on 33 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.31 ft below typical. It is 6.04 ft below the flood stage of 8.50 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 2.55 ft, a difference of −0.09 ft.
It is still going down, by 0.11 ft over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. The 30-day range is 2.28 ft – 4.74 ft.
Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.
Compared with 33 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 2.77 ft0.31 ft below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 2.15 ft – 3.69 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (33 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 2.55 ft−0.09 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 2.28 ft – 4.74 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 2.08 ft – 7.09 ft
- Highest on record
- 14.03 ftAugust 14, 1987
Paddling and fishing conditions
At low levels, plan for shorter paddling trips and expect to walk your boat through a few shoals.
For reference, flood stage is 8.50 ft.
What happens at each level
- 15.00 ft
- Golf Road bridge is threatened.
- 14.00 ft
- Meadowbrook Drive bridge is inundated.
- 13.00 ft
- Barker Avenue bridge is inundated. Central Road bridge is inundated.
- 12.50 ft
- Algonquin Road bridge is inundated. Carriageway Drive bridge is inundated.
- 10.00 ft
- Residences are threatened between Central Road and Algonquin Road.
- 9.00 ft
- Residences near Algonquin Road and Carriageway Drive are threatened.
- 8.50 ft
- Central Road Elementary School property is threatened.
- 2.46 ft
- Right now
Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14.03 ft | August 14, 1987 |
| 2 | 12.99 ft | September 13, 2008 |
| 3 | 12.56 ft | December 3, 1982 |
| 4 | 12.51 ft | July 23, 2011 |
| 5 | 11.54 ft | August 4, 1989 |
| 6 | 11.40 ft | April 18, 2013 |
| 7 | 11.20 ft | November 19, 1985 |
| 8 | 10.88 ft | October 13, 2001 |
| 9 | 10.82 ft | April 18, 1975 |
| 10 | 10.63 ft | August 21, 1990 |
Weather at the gauge
Rain in the last 3 days: 0.41 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Other gauges on Salt Creek
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salt Creek at ValparaisoRiver gauge, Salt Creek | 3.28 ft | Below flood stage | −0.05 ft | 64 mi |
| Salt Creek at Higgins Road near Elk Grove VillageRiver gauge, Salt Creek | 5.42 ft | Low | ±0 | 2.0 mi |
| Salt Creek at Elk Grove VillageRiver gauge, Salt Creek | 12.24 ft | Normal | −0.24 ft | 3.4 mi |
| Salt Creek at Wood DaleRiver gauge, Salt Creek | 7.21 ft | Normal | −0.62 ft | 7 mi |
| Salt Creek at ElmhurstRiver gauge, Salt Creek | 5.46 ft | Normal | −0.49 ft | 12 mi |
| Salt Creek at 22nd Street at Oak BrookRiver gauge, Salt Creek | 48.41 ft | Normal | −0.54 ft | 15 mi |
| Salt Creek at Western SpringsRiver gauge, Salt Creek | 2.14 ft | Normal | −0.51 ft | 17 mi |
| Salt Creek near Farmer CityRiver gauge, Salt Creek | 689.76 ft | Normal | ±0 | 131 mi |
| Salt Creek near RowellRiver gauge, Salt Creek | 9.09 ft | Normal | −0.03 ft | 145 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weller Creek at Des PlainesRiver gauge, Weller Creek | 0.76 ft | Normal | −0.10 ft | 5.1 mi |
| Mc Donald Creek near Mount ProspectRiver gauge, Mc Donald Creek | 1.00 ft | Normal | −0.10 ft | 5.8 mi |
| Des Plaines River near Des PlainesRiver gauge, Des Plaines River | 9.34 ft | High | −0.15 ft | 7 mi |
| Buffalo Creek near WheelingRiver gauge, Buffalo Creek | 1.73 ft | Normal | +0.03 ft | 7 mi |
| Des Plaines River at Algonquin Road at Des PlainesRiver gauge, Des Plaines River | 9.01 ft | Normal | −0.23 ft | 7 mi |
| Wf of Nb Chicago River at NorthbrookRiver gauge, Wf of Nb Chicago River | 1.01 ft | Normal | −0.04 ft | 11 mi |
| Des Plaines River at LincolnshireRiver gauge, Des Plaines River | 7.61 ft | Normal | −0.07 ft | 11 mi |
Questions and answers
Is Salt Creek at Rolling Meadows higher than last year?
No, it is 0.09 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.55 ft.
What is flood stage for Salt Creek at Rolling Meadows?
The official flood stage is 8.50 ft. The level is currently 6.04 ft below it.
What is a normal level for Salt Creek at Rolling Meadows in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 2.77 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.15 ft and 3.69 ft, based on 33 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 Salt Creek at Rolling Meadows today?
On Oct 18, 2026, 12:45 AM CDT, the water level was 2.46 ft. Down 0.11 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is Salt Creek at Rolling Meadows rising or falling?
Down 0.11 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 0.16 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Salt Creek at Rolling Meadows normal?
Low for mid-October. Compared with 33 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:05530990(Agency page)- Coordinates
42.06039, -88.01666(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 | 2.46 ft | 2026-10-18 05:45 | Provisional |
| Flow | 7.9 cfs | 2026-10-18 05:45 | Provisional |
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Salt Creek at Rolling Meadows (usgs:05530990). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/salt-creek-at-rolling-meadows
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