Weller Creek at Des Plaines water level

Name: Weller Creek at Des Plaines 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, Weller Creek, Illinois, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

0.75ft Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 01:00 PM CDT (39 min ago)

Flow: 2.1 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

Weller Creek at Des Plaines is at 0.75 ft, in the normal range for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 0.71 ft, based on 21 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.04 ft above typical. It is 8.25 ft below the flood stage of 9.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 1.08 ft, a difference of −0.33 ft.

It has dropped 0.05 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 0.68 ft and 2.45 ft.

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

Compared with 21 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 0.71 ft0.04 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 0.59 ft – 1.10 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (21 years of records)
Same day last year: 1.08 ft−0.33 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 0.68 ft – 2.45 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 0.63 ft – 3.93 ft
Highest on record: 15.09 ftJune 10, 1967

Floating and fishing near Weller Creek at Des Plaines

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

Flood stage here is 9.00 ft, 8.25 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

20.00 ft: Residences may be threatened along Hanbury Drive in Des Plaines. Miner Street (US-14/Northwest Highway) may be threatened in Des Plaines.
19.00 ft: Elmhurst Road (IL-83) threatened in Mount Prospect. Wisconsin Central Railroad tracks threatened in Des Plaines. Hanbury Drive threatened in Des Plaines.
18.50 ft: Washington Street threatened in Des Plaines. Union Pacific Railroad tracks threatened in Des Plaines.
18.00 ft: Residential structures threatened along Berkshire Lane in Mount Prospect. A few industrial structures threatened along Wieboldt Drive, Seegers Road, and Miner Street (US-14/Northwest Highway) in Des Plaines.
17.50 ft: Numerous structures threatened along Mount Prospect Road in Des Plaines. Emerson Street threatened in Mount Prospect.
17.00 ft: Numerous residences threatened near Golfhurst Avenue, Edwards Street, and Sunrise Park in Mount Prospect. Widespread inundation of structures and roadways in the floodplain extends several blocks from the creek near Cumberland Terrace Park and Des Plaines Manor Park. Numerous residences threatened along Cumberland Parkway, Westgate Road, and side streets in Des Plaines. Mount Prospect Road threatened in Des Plaines.
16.50 ft: Berkshire Lane threatened in Mount Prospect. Golf Road threatened in Des Plaines.
16.00 ft: Trails and parking lots threatened at Blackhawk Park in Des Plaines.
15.50 ft: Council Trail threatened in Mount Prospect.
15.00 ft: Multiple structures may be threatened along Rand Road and side streets near downtown Des Plaines.
14.50 ft: Numerous residences threatened along Lonquist Boulevard, See-Gwun Avenue, and side streets near Sunrise Park in Mount Prospect. Williams Street threatened in Mount Prospect. Athletic fields inundated at Sunrise Park in Mount Prospect.
14.00 ft: Lonquist Boulevard, See-Gwun Avenue, and side streets threatened in Mount Prospect.
0.75 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	15.09 ft	June 10, 1967
2	14.80 ft	August 14, 1987
3	13.41 ft	July 27, 1966
4	13.37 ft	July 13, 1957
5	12.91 ft	August 17, 1968
6	12.72 ft	July 23, 2011
7	12.55 ft	September 13, 2008
8	12.48 ft	September 14, 1961
9	12.25 ft	August 26, 1972
10	11.96 ft	April 16, 1960

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.26 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

18 Sun 61° 41° – Wind 14 mph

19 Mon 66° 39° – Wind 7 mph

20 Tue 70° 52° – Wind 6 mph

21 Wed 70° 53° – Wind 6 mph

22 Thu 72° 56° – Wind 6 mph

23 Fri 68° 59° – Wind 9 mph

24 Sat 72° 58° – Wind 13 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:08 AM Sunset 06:07 PM Daylight 10 hr, 59 min First quarter 52%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Des Plaines River at Algonquin Road at Des PlainesRiver gauge, Des Plaines River	8.95 ft	Normal	−0.15 ft	2.4 mi
Des Plaines River near Des PlainesRiver gauge, Des Plaines River	9.30 ft	High	−0.08 ft	3.1 mi
Mc Donald Creek near Mount ProspectRiver gauge, Mc Donald Creek	0.97 ft	Normal	−0.07 ft	3.2 mi
Salt Creek at Higgins Road near Elk Grove VillageRiver gauge, Salt Creek	5.41 ft	Low	−0.01 ft	4.9 mi
Salt Creek at Elk Grove VillageRiver gauge, Salt Creek	12.20 ft	Normal	−0.20 ft	5.0 mi
Salt Creek at Rolling MeadowsRiver gauge, Salt Creek	2.41 ft	Low	−0.07 ft	5.1 mi
North Branch Chicago River at NilesRiver gauge, North Branch Chicago River	1.20 ft	Low	−0.25 ft	7 mi
Salt Creek at Wood DaleRiver gauge, Salt Creek	7.14 ft	Normal	−0.37 ft	7 mi

Questions and answers

Is Weller Creek at Des Plaines higher than last year?

No, it is 0.33 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.08 ft.

What is flood stage for Weller Creek at Des Plaines?

The official flood stage is 9.00 ft. The level is currently 8.25 ft below it.

What is a normal level for Weller Creek at Des Plaines in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 0.71 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 0.59 ft and 1.10 ft, based on 21 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 Weller Creek at Des Plaines today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 01:00 PM CDT, the water level was 0.75 ft. Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Weller Creek at Des Plaines rising or falling?

Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 0.05 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Weller Creek at Des Plaines normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 21 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:05530000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 42.04947, -87.91812 (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	0.75 ft	2026-10-18 18:00	Provisional
Flow	2.1 cfs	2026-10-18 18:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Weller Creek at Des Plaines (usgs:05530000). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/weller-creek-at-des-plaines

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