Waubonsee Creek near Oswego water level

Name: Waubonsee Creek near Oswego 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, Waubonsee Creek, Illinois, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

8.05ft Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 06:15 AM CDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 20.0 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 Waubonsee Creek near Oswego reads 8.05 ft, a normal level for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 7.80 ft, based on 14 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.26 ft above typical. It is 3.95 ft below the flood stage of 12.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 7.95 ft, a difference of +0.10 ft.

The level is falling, down 0.06 ft over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 7.75 ft and 11.58 ft.

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

Compared with 14 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 7.80 ft0.26 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 7.35 ft – 9.99 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (14 years of records)
Same day last year: 7.95 ft+0.10 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 7.75 ft – 11.58 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 7.29 ft – 12.29 ft
Highest on record: 13.35 ftOctober 15, 2017

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 12.00 ft, still 3.95 ft away.

What happens at each level

18.50 ft: A few residences are threatened along Waubonse Circle Drive, Cascade Lane, and Chesterfield Drive in Oswego.
17.50 ft: US-34 is threatened east of Boulder Hill Pass in Oswego.
16.50 ft: Pearces Ford Road is threatened in Oswego.
15.50 ft: Old Post Road is threatened in Oswego.
15.00 ft: US-34 is threatened west of Boulder Hill Pass in Oswego.
14.00 ft: Low-lying sections of Pearces Ford Park are inundated in Oswego.
11.00 ft: Low-lying sections of Fox Bend Golf Course are inundated in Oswego.
10.00 ft: Water overtops banks near the gauge in Oswego.
8.05 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	13.35 ft	October 15, 2017
2	12.93 ft	April 18, 2013
3	12.37 ft	February 21, 2018
4	12.31 ft	May 1, 2019
5	12.14 ft	May 1, 2017
6	12.12 ft	May 18, 2020
7	12.01 ft	March 31, 2017
8	11.98 ft	June 22, 2018
9	11.94 ft	June 16, 2015
10	11.71 ft	July 1, 2014

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.27 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

17 Sat 56° 37° – Wind 10 mph

18 Sun 61° 39° – Wind 13 mph

19 Mon 65° 38° – Wind 7 mph

20 Tue 66° 48° – Wind 6 mph

21 Wed 67° 48° – Wind 6 mph

22 Thu 70° 53° – Wind 5 mph

23 Fri 71° 52° – Wind 9 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:11 AM Sunset 06:07 PM Daylight 10 hr, 57 min First quarter 59%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Fox River at MontgomeryRiver gauge, Fox River	11.71 ft	Normal	−0.07 ft	2.3 mi
Blackberry Creek near MontgomeryRiver gauge, Blackberry Creek	4.03 ft	High	−0.13 ft	4.0 mi
Blackberry Creek near YorkvilleRiver gauge, Blackberry Creek	4.03 ft	Normal	−0.20 ft	6 mi
Fox River Tailwater at YorkvilleRiver gauge, Fox River Tailwater	7.47 ft	Normal	−0.11 ft	7 mi
Fox River Bypass at YorkvilleRiver gauge, Fox River Bypass	9.18 ft	Normal	−0.09 ft	7 mi
Fox River at YorkvilleRiver gauge, Fox River	12.96 ft	Normal	−0.06 ft	7 mi
Du Page River near PlainfieldRiver gauge, Du Page River	7.07 ft	Normal	−0.13 ft	8 mi
Spring Brook at 87th Street near NapervilleRiver gauge, Spring Brook	2.94 ft	Normal	−0.06 ft	9 mi

Questions and answers

Is Waubonsee Creek near Oswego higher than last year?

Yes, it is 0.10 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 7.95 ft.

What is flood stage for Waubonsee Creek near Oswego?

The official flood stage is 12.00 ft. The level is currently 3.95 ft below it.

What is a normal level for Waubonsee Creek near Oswego in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 7.80 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 7.35 ft and 9.99 ft, based on 14 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 Waubonsee Creek near Oswego today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 06:15 AM CDT, the water level was 8.05 ft. Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Waubonsee Creek near Oswego rising or falling?

Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 0.27 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Waubonsee Creek near Oswego normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 14 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:05551545 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 41.70131, -88.32704 (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	8.05 ft	2026-10-19 11:15	Provisional
Flow	20.0 cfs	2026-10-19 11:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Waubonsee Creek near Oswego (usgs:05551545). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/waubonsee-creek-near-oswego

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