Oak Creek at South Milwaukee water level

Name: Oak Creek at South Milwaukee 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, Oak Creek, Wisconsin, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

2.51ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 01:00 PM CDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 11.7 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Oak Creek at South Milwaukee, where the gauge shows 2.51 ft.

It is 5.49 ft below the flood stage of 8.00 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 2.51 ft – 3.33 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: 11.56 ftJune 7, 2008

Paddling and fishing conditions

Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.

For reference, flood stage is 8.00 ft.

What happens at each level

10.00 ft: Parts of Oak Creek Parkway flooded, including near the railroad overpass, along with walking paths. Yards along the creek are flooded.
9.00 ft: Parts of Oak Creek Parkway flooded, including near the railroad overpass / High School, along with walking paths. Yards along the creek are flooded.
8.00 ft: Walking paths along Oak Creek Parkway flood.
7.00 ft: There is flooding to lowland and wooded land in the South Milwaukee area.
6.00 ft: There is minor flooding to lowland and wooded land in the South Milwaukee area.
5.50 ft: There is minor flooding to lowland and wooded land in the South Milwaukee area.
2.51 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	11.56 ft	June 7, 2008
2	11.25 ft	July 22, 2010
3	10.52 ft	August 10, 2025
4	9.97 ft	September 12, 2022
5	9.88 ft	August 6, 1986
6	9.71 ft	June 21, 1997
7	9.67 ft	August 2, 2020
8	9.38 ft	July 2, 2000
9	9.19 ft	April 23, 1999
10	9.13 ft	February 27, 2023

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:11 AM Sunset 06:02 PM Daylight 10 hr, 51 min Waxing gibbous 71%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Wilson Park Creek at Gmia Infall at MilwaukeeRiver gauge, Wilson Park Creek	0.3 cfs	Normal	−0.1 cfs	1.7 mi
Holmes Ave Creek Tributary @ Gmia Outfall 1 at MilwaukeeRiver gauge, Holmes Ave Creek Tributary @ Gmia Outfall 1	0.1 cfs	Very high	±0	2.5 mi
Wilson Park Creek @ Gmia Outfall 7 @ MilwaukeeRiver gauge	0.6 cfs	Normal	−0.1 cfs	2.9 mi
Kinnickinnic River @ S. 11th Street @ MilwaukeeRiver gauge	5.96 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	5.8 mi
Root River near FranklinRiver gauge, Root River	2.36 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	7 mi
Root River at Grange Avenue at GreendaleRiver gauge, Root River	4.7 cfs	Normal	±0	7 mi
Menomonee River at 16th Street at MilwaukeeRiver gauge, Menomonee River	244 cfs	Very high	−199.0 cfs	8 mi
Root River Canal near FranklinCanal gauge, Root River Canal	2.49 ft	Below flood stage	−0.06 ft	10 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for Oak Creek at South Milwaukee?

The official flood stage is 8.00 ft. The level is currently 5.49 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 Oak Creek at South Milwaukee today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 01:00 PM CDT, the water level was 2.51 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Oak Creek at South Milwaukee rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Oak Creek at South Milwaukee normal?

Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Oak Creek at South Milwaukee?

The highest level on record is 11.56 ft on June 7, 2008.

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:04087204 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 42.92500, -87.87000 (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	2.51 ft	2026-10-20 18:00	Provisional
Flow	11.7 cfs	2026-10-20 18:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Oak Creek at South Milwaukee (usgs:04087204). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/wisconsin/oak-creek-at-south-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