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Big Bureau Creek at Princeton water level

River gauge, Big Bureau Creek, Illinois, United States

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Right now

Very high for mid-October

Water level

3.22ft Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours

Flow
149 cfs
0 5 10 15 Highest onrecord 16.01 ft Minor floodstage 14.00 ft

History

History
23ftOct 12Oct 13Oct 15Oct 17Oct 1823ftOct 12Oct 15Oct 18
51015ftSep 19Sep 26Oct 3Oct 11Oct 18Minor flood stage51015ftSep 19Oct 3Oct 18Minor flood stage
51015ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage51015ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage
35810ftJanMarMayJulSepNov202635810ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

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

What this means

Big Bureau Creek at Princeton is well above normal at 3.22 ft.

That puts it 1.05 ft above the median of 2.17 ft for mid-October, based on 33 years of readings. It is 10.78 ft below the flood stage of 14.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 2.31 ft (+0.91 ft).

It has dropped 0.05 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 3.12 ft and 9.45 ft.

That stands out in fall, when many rivers are usually near their lowest.

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

Key numbers

Median for this date
2.17 ft1.05 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date
1.34 ft – 3.02 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (33 years of records)
Same day last year
2.31 ft+0.91 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
3.12 ft – 9.45 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
2.34 ft – 9.45 ft
Highest on record
16.01 ftMay 17, 1974

Flood levels and safety

Most flood deaths in the US happen in vehicles. Six inches of fast water can knock an adult off their feet, and a foot or two can float a car. If a road is covered, turn around.

Readings can change quickly after heavy rain upstream, so check again before heading near the water.

Highest crests on record

RankLevelDate
116.01 ftMay 17, 1974
215.88 ftJanuary 24, 1938
315.73 ftFebruary 21, 1997
415.31 ftJune 24, 1994
515.16 ftJune 15, 1972
614.59 ftJune 26, 1978
714.53 ftFebruary 21, 1937
814.12 ftJune 28, 1945
914.00 ftFebruary 13, 1949
1013.80 ftAugust 8, 1939

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.38 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

18 Sun 62° 38° – Wind 14 mph
19 Mon 68° 40° – Wind 7 mph
20 Tue 68° 49° – Wind 6 mph
21 Wed 70° 49° – Wind 7 mph
22 Thu 71° 54° – Wind 5 mph
23 Fri 74° 56° – Wind 9 mph
24 Sat 73° 58° – Wind 16 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:14 AM Sunset 06:14 PM Daylight 11 hr First quarter 52%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Illinois River at HenryRiver gauge, Illinois River 15.42 ft Normal +0.13 ft 19 mi
Indian Creek near WyomingRiver gauge, Indian Creek 10.26 ft High −0.12 ft 30 mi
Rock River above Sinnissippi Dam at Rock FallsRiver gauge, Rock River 6.70 ft Very high +0.03 ft 30 mi
Rock River at ComoRiver gauge, Rock River 5.14 ft Below flood stage ±0 31 mi
Vermilion River near LeonoreRiver gauge, Vermilion River 3.64 ft Normal −0.04 ft 31 mi
Rock River at DixonRiver gauge, Rock River 9.53 ft Normal +0.06 ft 33 mi
Green River near GeneseoRiver gauge, Green River 4.89 ft High −0.21 ft 35 mi
Fox River at DaytonRiver gauge, Fox River 7.43 ft High −0.12 ft 37 mi

Questions and answers

How does Big Bureau Creek at Princeton compare with last year?

It is 0.91 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.31 ft.

What is flood stage for Big Bureau Creek at Princeton?

The official flood stage is 14.00 ft. The level is currently 10.78 ft below it.

What is a normal level for Big Bureau Creek at Princeton in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 2.17 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.34 ft and 3.02 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 Big Bureau Creek at Princeton today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 02:45 PM CDT, the water level was 3.22 ft. Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Big Bureau Creek at Princeton rising or falling?

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

Is the level of Big Bureau Creek at Princeton normal?

Very high 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:05556500 (Agency page)
Coordinates
41.36740, -89.49796 (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

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Water level 3.22 ft 2026-10-18 19:45 Provisional
Flow 149 cfs 2026-10-18 19:45 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Big Bureau Creek at Princeton (usgs:05556500). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/big-bureau-creek-at-princeton

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.