Onondaga Creek at Dorwin Avenue, Syracuse water level
River gauge, Onondaga Creek, New York, United States
Right now
Below flood stage
Water level
- Flow
- 20.5 cfs
History
The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.50 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 02:00 PM. Issued Tuesday, October 20 at 10:49 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.
What this means
Water levels are unremarkable at Onondaga Creek at Dorwin Avenue, Syracuse, where the gauge shows 1.50 ft.
It is 3.50 ft below the flood stage of 5.00 ft.
It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.50 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 02:00 PM. The 30-day range is 1.49 ft – 1.74 ft.
Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Highest on record
- 6.48 ftJuly 3, 1974
- Forecast peak
- 1.50 ftTuesday, October 20 at 02:00 PM
Paddling and fishing conditions
Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.
For reference, flood stage is 5.00 ft.
What happens at each level
- 6.00 ft
- Several neighborhoods bounded by Onondaga Avenue, S. Salina Street and W. Kennedy Street, northward to the Inner Harbor in Syracuse are flooded above this level. Flooding inundates Meacham Parkway, Meacham Field and some neighborhods in Nedrow south of Dorwin Avenue.
- 5.50 ft
- Flooding becomes more serious in many neighborhoods between S. Salina Street and Onondaga Ave., north of W. Castle Street in the City of Syracuse. Lower Onondaga Park and the Creekwalk are closed.
- 5.00 ft
- Flooding begins to affect Kirk Park and neighborhoods along Marginal St., Hovey St., Midland Ave., and W. Onondaga St in the City of Syracuse.
- 1.50 ft
- Right now
Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.
Highest crests on record
Chance of at least minor flooding in October to December: < 5 %.
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6.48 ft | July 3, 1974 |
| 2 | 6.26 ft | October 28, 1981 |
| 3 | 6.12 ft | June 23, 1972 |
| 4 | 5.97 ft | February 20, 2022 |
| 5 | 5.80 ft | October 26, 2021 |
| 6 | 5.59 ft | January 19, 1996 |
| 7 | 5.52 ft | April 16, 1976 |
| 8 | 5.49 ft | March 6, 1979 |
| 9 | 5.44 ft | September 26, 1975 |
| 10 | 5.29 ft | February 15, 1984 |
Weather at the gauge
No rain in the last 3 days.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Other gauges on Onondaga Creek
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Onondaga Creek at Flood Ctrl Dam at Onondaga NationReservoir, Onondaga Creek | 459.52 ft | Very low | −0.03 ft | 3.8 mi |
| Onondaga Creek at Spencer Street, SyracuseRiver gauge, Onondaga Creek | 52.9 cfs | Low | −1.2 cfs | 5.2 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Onondaga Lake at LiverpoolLake, Onondaga Lake | 362.48 ft | Very low | +0.08 ft | 9 mi |
| Chittenango Creek near ChittenangoRiver gauge, Chittenango Creek | 1.18 ft | Below flood stage | −0.01 ft | 15 mi |
| Oneida River near EuclidRiver gauge, Oneida River | 443 cfs | Low | +3.0 cfs | 16 mi |
| Seneca River near BaldwinsvilleRiver gauge, Seneca River | 373 cfs | Very low | −508.0 cfs | 16 mi |
| Skaneateles Creek near Skaneateles JunctionRiver gauge, Skaneateles Creek | 19.8 cfs | Normal | ±0 | 16 mi |
| Seneca River, Mouth of State Ditch, near JordanRiver gauge, Seneca River, Mouth of State Ditch | 1.10 ft | Low | ±0 | 17 mi |
| Oswego River near PhoenixRiver gauge, Oswego River | 1,180 cfs | Low | −700.0 cfs | 17 mi |
| Grout Brook near Fair HavenRiver gauge, Grout Brook | 6.3 cfs | Normal | ±0 | 18 mi |
Questions and answers
What is flood stage for Onondaga Creek at Dorwin Avenue, Syracuse?
The official flood stage is 5.00 ft. The level is currently 3.50 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 Onondaga Creek at Dorwin Avenue, Syracuse today?
On Oct 20, 2026, 03:30 PM EDT, the water level was 1.50 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is Onondaga Creek at Dorwin Avenue, Syracuse rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is the level of Onondaga Creek at Dorwin Avenue, Syracuse normal?
Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.
What is the highest water level ever recorded at Onondaga Creek at Dorwin Avenue, Syracuse?
The highest level on record is 6.48 ft on July 3, 1974.
Is Onondaga Creek at Dorwin Avenue, Syracuse expected to rise?
The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.50 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 02:00 PM.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- U.S. Geological Survey
- Station code
usgs:04239000(Agency page)- Coordinates
42.98333, -76.15083(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 | 1.50 ft | 2026-10-20 19:30 | Provisional |
| Flow | 20.5 cfs | 2026-10-20 19:30 | Provisional |
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Onondaga Creek at Dorwin Avenue, Syracuse (usgs:04239000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/new-york/onondaga-creek-at-dorwin-avenue-syracuse
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