Addison Creek at Bellwood water level

Name: Addison Creek at Bellwood 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, Addison Creek, Illinois, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

1.41ft Down 0.40 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 12:15 PM CDT (29 min ago)

Flow: 10.6 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 Addison Creek at Bellwood reads 1.41 ft, a normal level for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 1.30 ft, based on 33 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.11 ft above typical. It is 7.59 ft below the flood stage of 9.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 1.69 ft, a difference of −0.28 ft.

The level is falling, down 0.40 ft over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 1.19 ft and 3.35 ft.

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

Compared with 33 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 1.30 ft0.11 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 1.07 ft – 2.26 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (33 years of records)
Same day last year: 1.69 ft−0.28 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 1.19 ft – 3.35 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 1.04 ft – 4.83 ft
Highest on record: 13.57 ftJuly 24, 2010

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 9.00 ft, still 7.59 ft away.

What happens at each level

14.00 ft: Widespread inundation of structures and roadways in the floodplain reaches multiple blocks from the creek in Northlake, Stone Park, Melrose Park, Bellwood, and Westchester. Kindred Hospital Chicago Northlake may be threatened. Northlake Fire Department may be threatened. Union Pacific West railroad tracks are threatened in Bellwood.
13.00 ft: A few residences may be threatened off Cermak Road near the creek in Broadview. North Avenue is threatened in Northlake. Lake Street is threatened in Stone Park. Roosevelt Road is threatened in Westchester.
12.50 ft: I-280 (Eisenhower Expressway) is threatened in Bellwood and Westchester. Manheim Road is threatened in Stone Park.
12.00 ft: Numerous residences are threatened at Meadowcreek Mobile Home Park and near Lake Street and Manheim Road in Melrose Park and Stone Park. A few residences are threatened off Harrison Street near the creek in Bellwood. St Charles Road, Washington Boulevard, and Madison Street are threatened in Bellwood.
11.00 ft: Numerous minor roadways are threatened near the creek in Northlake, Stone Park, Melrose Park.
10.50 ft: A few roadways are threatened at Meadowcreek Mobile Home Park in Melrose Park and Stone Park. Low-lying sections of Stevenson Park are inundated in Bellwood.
9.50 ft: Water begins to be diverted into Addison Creek Reservoir to reduce flood impacts.
8.00 ft: Low-lying trails are threatened near Hansen Park in Northlake.
5.00 ft: Water overtops low-lying banks near Hansen Park in Northlake.
1.41 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	13.57 ft	July 24, 2010
2	13.16 ft	April 18, 2013
3	12.84 ft	August 14, 1987
4	12.32 ft	June 15, 2015
5	11.51 ft	August 22, 2014
6	11.18 ft	May 17, 2020
7	11.13 ft	May 9, 1990
8	11.00 ft	March 19, 1948
9	10.94 ft	October 14, 2017
10	10.33 ft	September 13, 2008

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.77 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

18 Sun 61° 39° – Wind 13 mph

19 Mon 67° 40° – Wind 6 mph

20 Tue 69° 53° – Wind 7 mph

21 Wed 69° 53° – Wind 5 mph

22 Thu 71° 56° – Wind 5 mph

23 Fri 73° 62° – Wind 7 mph

24 Sat 73° 60° – Wind 13 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:08 AM Sunset 06:07 PM Daylight 10 hr, 59 min First quarter 51%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Des Plaines River at River ForestRiver gauge, Des Plaines River	4.88 ft	Normal	−0.47 ft	1.9 mi
Salt Creek at Western SpringsRiver gauge, Salt Creek	1.94 ft	Normal	−0.36 ft	4.2 mi
Salt Creek at 22nd Street at Oak BrookRiver gauge, Salt Creek	48.20 ft	Normal	−0.39 ft	4.2 mi
Salt Creek at ElmhurstRiver gauge, Salt Creek	5.31 ft	Normal	−0.31 ft	4.7 mi
Des Plaines River at RiversideRiver gauge, Des Plaines River	2.69 ft	Normal	−0.32 ft	4.8 mi
Des Plaines River at LyonsRiver gauge, Des Plaines River	11.25 ft	Normal	−0.58 ft	6.0 mi
Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal at StickneyRiver gauge, Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal	−2.16 ft	High	−0.22 ft	7 mi
Salt Creek at Wood DaleRiver gauge, Salt Creek	7.14 ft	Normal	−0.35 ft	8 mi

Questions and answers

Is Addison Creek at Bellwood higher than last year?

No, it is 0.28 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.69 ft.

What is flood stage for Addison Creek at Bellwood?

The official flood stage is 9.00 ft. The level is currently 7.59 ft below it.

What is a normal level for Addison Creek at Bellwood in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 1.30 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.07 ft and 2.26 ft, based on 33 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 Addison Creek at Bellwood today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 12:15 PM CDT, the water level was 1.41 ft. Down 0.40 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Addison Creek at Bellwood rising or falling?

Down 0.40 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.05 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Addison Creek at Bellwood normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 33 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:05532000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 41.88186, -87.86893 (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	1.41 ft	2026-10-18 17:15	Provisional
Flow	10.6 cfs	2026-10-18 17:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Addison Creek at Bellwood (usgs:05532000). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/addison-creek-at-bellwood

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