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SwedenKinnickinnic River @ S. 11th Street @ Milwaukee water level
River gauge, Wisconsin, United States
Right now
Below flood stage
Water level
- Flow
- 3.4 cfs
History
What this means
Kinnickinnic River @ S. 11th Street @ Milwaukee is at 5.94 ft, in the normal range.
It is 10.06 ft below the flood stage of 16.00 ft.
The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 5.93 ft and 6.32 ft.
Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.
Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Highest on record
- 17.19 ftAugust 10, 2025
Floating and fishing near Kinnickinnic River @ S. 11th Street @ Milwaukee
Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.
Flood stage here is 16.00 ft, 10.06 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.
What happens at each level
- 17.00 ft
- Water over the 13th street bridge, flooding nearby intersections and approaching or impacting homes along the river from the area in the Lincoln Village and Polonia neighborhoods from 16th to 6th St. Water near or up to the bottom of bridges.
- 16.00 ft
- Water touches 13th St bridge and may flood nearby intersections. River is outside of the concrete lined channel and up to road guardrails in the Lincoln Village and Polonia neighborhoods from 16th to 6th St. Water impacts roads and yards of homes along the river. Water approaching the bottom of bridges.
- 15.00 ft
- River is 1 to 2 feet above the top of the concrete lined channel and may impact roads and yards of homes along the river in the Lincoln Village and Polonia neighborhoods from 16th to 6th St.
- 14.00 ft
- Water is about 1 foot over the top of the concrete lined channel of the Kinnickinnic River from 16th to 6th St.
- 13.00 ft
- Water is near the top of the concrete lined channel of the Kinnickinnic River from 16th to 6th st.
- 12.00 ft
- Parts of Jackson Parkway flooded. Jackson Park floods.
- 11.00 ft
- Flooding in Jackson Park and surrounding low land areas of the Kinnickinnic Parkway parkland.
- 5.94 ft
- Right now
Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 17.19 ft | August 10, 2025 |
| 2 | 14.41 ft | August 6, 1986 |
| 3 | 13.30 ft | June 7, 2008 |
| 4 | 13.27 ft | August 2, 2020 |
| 5 | 13.22 ft | July 9, 2006 |
| 6 | 13.20 ft | July 15, 2010 |
| 7 | 13.19 ft | July 2, 2000 |
| 8 | 13.17 ft | July 23, 2010 |
| 9 | 12.89 ft | June 19, 2009 |
| 10 | 12.84 ft | May 6, 2012 |
Weather at the gauge
The forecast is not available right now.
Map
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Menomonee River at 16th Street at MilwaukeeRiver gauge, Menomonee River | 139 cfs | High | +104 cfs | 2.5 mi |
| Wilson Park Creek @ Gmia Outfall 7 @ MilwaukeeRiver gauge | 0.6 cfs | Normal | −0.1 cfs | 3.0 mi |
| Holmes Ave Creek Tributary @ Gmia Outfall 1 at MilwaukeeRiver gauge, Holmes Ave Creek Tributary @ Gmia Outfall 1 | 0.1 cfs | Very high | ±0 | 3.7 mi |
| Wilson Park Creek at Gmia Infall at MilwaukeeRiver gauge, Wilson Park Creek | 0.3 cfs | Normal | −0.1 cfs | 4.1 mi |
| Menomonee River at WauwatosaRiver gauge, Menomonee River | 1.84 ft | Below flood stage | −0.03 ft | 5.0 mi |
| Honey Creek at WauwatosaRiver gauge, Honey Creek | 1.6 cfs | Normal | −0.1 cfs | 5.1 mi |
| Root River at Grange Avenue at GreendaleRiver gauge, Root River | 4.7 cfs | Normal | −0.2 cfs | 5.7 mi |
| Oak Creek at South MilwaukeeRiver gauge, Oak Creek | 2.52 ft | Below flood stage | −0.03 ft | 5.8 mi |
Questions and answers
What is flood stage for Kinnickinnic River @ S. 11th Street @ Milwaukee?
The official flood stage is 16.00 ft. The level is currently 10.06 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 Kinnickinnic River @ S. 11th Street @ Milwaukee today?
On Oct 20, 2026, 05:00 AM CDT, the water level was 5.94 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is Kinnickinnic River @ S. 11th Street @ Milwaukee rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is the level of Kinnickinnic River @ S. 11th Street @ Milwaukee normal?
Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.
What is the highest water level ever recorded at Kinnickinnic River @ S. 11th Street @ Milwaukee?
The highest level on record is 17.19 ft on August 10, 2025.
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:04087159(Agency page)- Coordinates
42.99750, -87.92639(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 | 5.94 ft | 2026-10-20 10:00 | Provisional |
| Flow | 3.4 cfs | 2026-10-20 10:00 | Provisional |
Download
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Kinnickinnic River @ S. 11th Street @ Milwaukee (usgs:04087159). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/wisconsin/kinnickinnic-river-s-11th-street-milwaukee
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