Indiana Harbor Canal at East Chicago water level
Canal gauge, Indiana Harbor Canal, Indiana, United States
Right now
Below flood stage
Water level
- Flow
- 1,150 cfs
History
What this means
Water levels are unremarkable at Indiana Harbor Canal at East Chicago, where the gauge shows 9.72 ft.
It is 3.28 ft below the flood stage of 13.00 ft.
It is on the way up, by 0.16 ft over the past 24 hours. There is still 3.28 ft of room before flood stage. The 30-day range is 8.75 ft – 11.10 ft.
Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Highest on record
- 14.35 ftApril 30, 2020
What happens at each level
- 18.00 ft
- I-90 threatened near 141st Street in Hammond.
- 16.00 ft
- Numerous residences threatened near East Chicago Central High School.
- 15.00 ft
- Without flood protection, numerous roadways and structures are threatened near Lake George and Wolf Lake in Hammond and Whiting. Indianapolis Boulevard threatened near McShane Avenue in East Chicago. Gary Airport service road threatened.
- 14.50 ft
- Without flood protection, park land and athletic fields are inundated near Wolf Lake and Lake George in Hammond and Whiting.
- 14.00 ft
- Without flood protection, US-41 (Calumet Avenue) is threatened at 129 Street and at I-90 in Hammond.
- 13.00 ft
- Without flood protection, water begins to move through the Lake George Canal into Lake George and Wolf Lake in Hammond and Whiting.
- 12.00 ft
- Low-lying sections of Goodman Park threatened in East Chicago.
- 11.50 ft
- Water overtops low-lying banks along Grand Calumet River at the confluence with the Indiana Harbor Canal.
- 11.00 ft
- Water overtops low-lying banks along the Indiana Harbor Canal and the Lake George Canal in Hammond and East Chicago.
- 9.72 ft
- Right now
- 9.00 ft
- Water begins to flow toward the Calumet River through the Indiana Harbor Canal and the Grand Calumet River.
Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14.35 ft | April 30, 2020 |
| 2 | 14.28 ft | August 11, 2020 |
| 3 | 14.25 ft | January 11, 2020 |
| 4 | 14.12 ft | June 3, 2020 |
| 5 | 14.05 ft | July 20, 2019 |
| 6 | 14.04 ft | December 1, 2019 |
| 7 | 13.95 ft | October 31, 2019 |
| 8 | 13.95 ft | July 10, 2020 |
| 9 | 13.79 ft | June 1, 2019 |
| 10 | 13.76 ft | October 2, 2019 |
Weather at the gauge
No rain in the last 3 days.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Calumet River at Columbia Av at HammondRiver gauge, Grand Calumet River | 6.04 ft | Low | +0.09 ft | 2.7 mi |
| Grand Calumet River at Industrial Highway at GaryRiver gauge, Grand Calumet River | 408 cfs | Low | +10.0 cfs | 4.8 mi |
| Little Calumet River at HighlandRiver gauge, Little Calumet River | 8.08 ft | Below flood stage | +0.01 ft | 5.5 mi |
| Little Calumet River near HammondRiver gauge, Little Calumet River | 6.10 ft | Below flood stage | −0.01 ft | 5.6 mi |
| Little Calumet River at MunsterRiver gauge, Little Calumet River | 5.41 ft | Below flood stage | +0.03 ft | 5.7 mi |
| Little Calumet River at Northcote Av at MunsterRiver gauge, Little Calumet River | 9.94 ft | Below flood stage | ±0 | 5.8 mi |
| Hart Ditch at MunsterCanal gauge, Hart Ditch | 0.75 ft | Below flood stage | ±0 | 6.1 mi |
| Little Calumet River at Burr Street at GaryRiver gauge, Little Calumet River | 4.30 ft | Below flood stage | −0.02 ft | 7 mi |
Questions and answers
What is flood stage for the Indiana Harbor Canal at East Chicago?
The official flood stage is 13.00 ft. The level is currently 3.28 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 Indiana Harbor Canal at East Chicago today?
On Oct 21, 2026, 04:00 AM CDT, the water level was 9.72 ft. Up 0.16 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is Indiana Harbor Canal at East Chicago rising or falling?
Up 0.16 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.99 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Indiana Harbor Canal at East Chicago normal?
Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.
What is the highest water level ever recorded at Indiana Harbor Canal at East Chicago?
The highest level on record is 14.35 ft on April 30, 2020.
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:04092750(Agency page)- Coordinates
41.64918, -87.46862(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 | 9.72 ft | 2026-10-21 09:00 | Provisional |
| Flow | 1,150 cfs | 2026-10-21 09:00 | Provisional |
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Indiana Harbor Canal at East Chicago (usgs:04092750). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/indiana/indiana-harbor-canal-at-east-chicago
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