West Branch Du Page River near West Chicago water level

Name: West Branch Du Page River near West Chicago 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, West Branch Du Page River, Illinois, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

3.98ft Up 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 09:55 AM CDT (43 min ago)

Flow: 27.0 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %) Minor flood stage

What this means

The gauge at West Branch Du Page River near West Chicago reads 3.98 ft, a normal level for mid-October.

That puts it 0.28 ft above the median of 3.70 ft for mid-October, based on 31 years of readings. It is 3.02 ft below the flood stage of 7.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 4.14 ft (−0.16 ft).

The water is rising: up 0.06 ft over the past 24 hours. There is still 3.02 ft of room before flood stage. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 3.92 ft and 4.82 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.

Compared with 31 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 3.70 ft0.28 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 3.49 ft – 4.49 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (31 years of records)
Same day last year: 4.14 ft−0.16 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 3.92 ft – 4.82 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 3.50 ft – 9.63 ft
Highest on record: 12.28 ftSeptember 13, 2008

What the stage means on the water

A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 7.00 ft, still 3.02 ft away.

What happens at each level

15.00 ft: North Avenue (IL-64) threatened near West Chicago.
14.00 ft: Residences threatened along Windmere Road in Winfield. A few structures threatened along Forest Avenue and Barnes Avenue near West Chicago.
13.50 ft: Residential structures threatened along Beecher Avenue in Winfield.
12.50 ft: St. Charles Road threatened near West Chicago. Windmere Road threatened in Winfield.
12.00 ft: Winfield Central School threatened. Winfield Road and Providence Lane threatened near Geneva Road in Winfield. Beecher Avenue threatened in Winfield. Low-lying portions of Winfield Scott Park are inundated.
11.50 ft: High Lake Road threatened in Winfield. Low-lying portions of Oakwood Park threatened.
11.00 ft: Geneva Road threatened near Winfield. Athletic fields inundated at Wynwood Park in Winfield.
10.50 ft: Shady Way Drive and River Lane threatened in Winfield.
10.00 ft: Low-lying structures threatened along Liberty Street west of Winfield.
8.50 ft: Low-lying portions of Lions Park inundated in Winfield.
6.50 ft: Low-lying portions of Old Wayne Golf Club inundated.
6.00 ft: DuPage River Trail threatened at multiple locations near West Chicago and Winfield.
3.98 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	12.28 ft	September 13, 2008
2	11.17 ft	July 24, 2010
3	11.12 ft	April 18, 2013
4	11.09 ft	May 15, 2020
5	10.91 ft	October 14, 2001
6	10.78 ft	February 21, 1997
7	10.63 ft	August 14, 1987
8	10.49 ft	December 28, 2008
9	10.44 ft	December 3, 1982
10	10.36 ft	June 10, 1967

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 65° 39° – Wind 5 mph

21 Wed 67° 38° – Wind 5 mph

22 Thu 70° 53° – Wind 5 mph

23 Fri 70° 54° – Wind 7 mph

24 Sat 69° 55° – Wind 11 mph

25 Sun 70° 56° – Wind 8 mph

26 Mon 68° 41° 0.18 in Wind 15 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:11 AM Sunset 06:05 PM Daylight 10 hr, 54 min Waxing gibbous 69%

Map

Other gauges on the West Branch Du Page River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
West Branch Du Page River near WarrenvilleRiver gauge, West Branch Du Page River	7.85 ft	High	−0.01 ft	6 mi
West Branch Du Page River near NapervilleRiver gauge, West Branch Du Page River	4.46 ft	Low	−0.05 ft	13 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Kress Creek at West ChicagoRiver gauge, Kress Creek	4.16 ft	Normal	−0.06 ft	4.0 mi
Fox River at South Elgin, Il (Tailwater)River gauge, Fox River	6.68 ft	Normal	−0.13 ft	8 mi
Fox River at South ElginRiver gauge, Fox River	12.55 ft	Normal	−0.16 ft	8 mi
Ferson Creek near St. CharlesRiver gauge, Ferson Creek	1.84 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	8 mi
East Branch Du Page River near Downers GroveRiver gauge, East Branch Du Page River	12.09 ft	Very high	−0.03 ft	9 mi
Poplar Creek at ElginRiver gauge, Poplar Creek	1.24 ft	Normal	−0.05 ft	9 mi
St. Joseph Creek at Route 34 at LisleRiver gauge, St. Joseph Creek	4.31 ft	High	−0.03 ft	9 mi
East Branch Dupage River at Short St at LisleRiver gauge, East Branch Dupage River	5.59 ft	Normal	−0.07 ft	10 mi

Questions and answers

How does the West Branch Du Page River near West Chicago compare with last year?

It is 0.16 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 4.14 ft.

What is flood stage for the West Branch Du Page River near West Chicago?

The official flood stage is 7.00 ft. The level is currently 3.02 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the West Branch Du Page River near West Chicago in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 3.70 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 3.49 ft and 4.49 ft, based on 31 years of records.

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 West Branch Du Page River near West Chicago today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 09:55 AM CDT, the water level was 3.98 ft. Up 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is West Branch Du Page River near West Chicago rising or falling?

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

Is the level of West Branch Du Page River near West Chicago normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 31 years of daily readings for this time of year.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:05539900 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 41.91097, -88.17914 (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	3.98 ft	2026-10-20 14:55	Provisional
Flow	27.0 cfs	2026-10-20 14:55	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: West Branch Du Page River near West Chicago (usgs:05539900). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/west-branch-du-page-river-near-west-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