Onondaga Creek at Flood Ctrl Dam at Onondaga Nation water level

Name: Onondaga Creek at Flood Ctrl Dam at Onondaga Nation water level (U.S. Geological Survey)
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
License: https://www.usgs.gov/information-policies-and-instructions/copyrights-and-credits

Reservoir, Onondaga Creek, New York, United States

Directions

Very low for mid-October

Surface elevation

459.52ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 05:00 PM EDT (29 min ago)

History

What this means

Onondaga Creek at Flood Ctrl Dam at Onondaga Nation is far below normal for mid-October, with the lake level at 459.52 ft.

That puts it 1.30 ft below the median of 460.82 ft for mid-October, based on 5 years of readings. A year ago it stood at 461.84 ft (−2.32 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 459.37 ft and 459.85 ft.

Many reservoirs are drawn down through summer and fall; most of the refill comes later, with winter rain or spring snowmelt.

Compared with 5 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 460.82 ft1.30 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 459.70 ft – 462.54 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (5 years of records)
Same day last year: 461.84 ft−2.32 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 459.37 ft – 459.85 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 459.37 ft – 471.83 ft

On the water at Onondaga Creek at Flood Ctrl Dam at Onondaga Nation

A receding shoreline opens up beaches but also uncovers hazards: stumps, rocks and soft mud that are usually well under water.

Wear a life jacket on the water. Most boating deaths involve people who were not wearing one.

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 62° 42° – Wind 9 mph

21 Wed 58° 38° – Wind 5 mph

22 Thu 59° 37° – Wind 11 mph

23 Fri 54° 35° – Wind 6 mph

24 Sat 59° 37° – Wind 7 mph

25 Sun 64° 41° – Wind 9 mph

26 Mon 67° 50° – Wind 8 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:25 AM Sunset 06:16 PM Daylight 10 hr, 51 min Waxing gibbous 71%

Map

Other gauges on Onondaga Creek

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Onondaga Creek at Dorwin Avenue, SyracuseRiver gauge, Onondaga Creek	1.50 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	3.8 mi
Onondaga Creek at Spencer Street, SyracuseRiver gauge, Onondaga Creek	52.9 cfs	Low	−1.2 cfs	9 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Onondaga Lake at LiverpoolLake, Onondaga Lake	362.49 ft	Very low	+0.09 ft	12 mi
Grout Brook near Fair HavenRiver gauge, Grout Brook	6.3 cfs	Normal	±0	14 mi
Skaneateles Creek near Skaneateles JunctionRiver gauge, Skaneateles Creek	19.3 cfs	Normal	−0.5 cfs	16 mi
Chittenango Creek near ChittenangoRiver gauge, Chittenango Creek	1.17 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	17 mi
Seneca River, Mouth of State Ditch, near JordanRiver gauge, Seneca River, Mouth of State Ditch	1.08 ft	Low	−0.03 ft	18 mi
Seneca River near BaldwinsvilleRiver gauge, Seneca River	450 cfs	Very low	−405.0 cfs	19 mi
Owasco Lake near AuburnLake, Owasco Lake	711.63 ft	Normal	−0.05 ft	19 mi
Oneida River near EuclidRiver gauge, Oneida River	519 cfs	Low	+3.0 cfs	19 mi

Questions and answers

How does Onondaga Creek at Flood Ctrl Dam at Onondaga Nation compare with last year?

It is 2.32 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 461.84 ft.

What is a normal level for Onondaga Creek at Flood Ctrl Dam at Onondaga Nation in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 460.82 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 459.70 ft and 462.54 ft, based on 5 years of records.

Is Onondaga Creek at Flood Ctrl Dam at Onondaga Nation really 459.52 ft deep?

No. 459.52 ft is the height of the water surface above sea level (or the agency's vertical datum), not the depth of the water.

What is the water level of Onondaga Creek at Flood Ctrl Dam at Onondaga Nation today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 05:00 PM EDT, the surface elevation was 459.52 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Onondaga Creek at Flood Ctrl Dam at Onondaga Nation rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.06 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Onondaga Creek at Flood Ctrl Dam at Onondaga Nation normal?

Very low for mid-October. Compared with 5 years of daily readings for this time of year.

How often is this data updated?

The U.S. Geological Survey publishes a new reading every 15 minutes. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:04238500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 42.93108, -76.17297 (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
Surface elevation	459.52 ft	2026-10-20 21:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Onondaga Creek at Flood Ctrl Dam at Onondaga Nation (usgs:04238500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/new-york/onondaga-creek-at-flood-ctrl-dam-at-onondaga-nation

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