Boone Creek near Mc Henry water level
River gauge, Boone Creek, Illinois, United States
Right now
Normal for mid-October
Water level
- Flow
- 15.3 cfs
History
20252026
What this means
Water levels are unremarkable at Boone Creek near Mc Henry, where the gauge shows 1.14 ft.
That puts it 0.16 ft above the median of 0.98 ft for mid-October, based on 13 years of readings. It is 5.86 ft below the flood stage of 7.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 0.79 ft (+0.35 ft).
It is still going down, by 0.06 ft over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 1.05 ft – 2.60 ft.
Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.
Compared with 13 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 0.98 ft0.16 ft above the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 0.69 ft – 1.38 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (13 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 0.79 ft+0.35 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 1.05 ft – 2.60 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 0.78 ft – 3.35 ft
- Highest on record
- 7.48 ftJune 26, 2013
Paddling and fishing conditions
Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.
For reference, flood stage is 7.00 ft.
What happens at each level
- 15.00 ft
- Residences may be threatened near the creek and Oakwood Drive in McHenry. Union Pacific Northwest railroad tracks may be threatened in McHenry.
- 13.00 ft
- IL-120 (Elm Street) may be threatened in McHenry. Oakwood Court and Meadow Lane may be threatened in McHenry.
- 12.00 ft
- Oakwood Drive may be threatened in McHenry.
- 10.00 ft
- Commercial structures may be threatened off IL-120 (Elm Street) in McHenry. Numerous residences may be threatened near the creek along Millstream Drive, Grand Avenue, and Clearbrook Drive in McHenry. Bull Valley Road is threatened southwest of McHenry.
- 8.00 ft
- Dartmoor Drive is threatened in McHenry.
- 7.00 ft
- Trails are threatened at Whispering Oaks Park in McHenry.
- 6.00 ft
- Water overtops banks near Whispering Oaks Park in McHenry.
- 4.00 ft
- Water overtops low-lying banks near the gauge southwest of McHenry.
- 1.14 ft
- Right now
Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7.48 ft | June 26, 2013 |
| 2 | 5.68 ft | September 12, 2019 |
| 3 | 5.37 ft | September 27, 1986 |
| 4 | 5.36 ft | May 17, 2020 |
| 5 | 4.87 ft | June 2, 1970 |
| 6 | 4.81 ft | July 22, 2017 |
| 7 | 4.46 ft | June 27, 2018 |
| 8 | 4.43 ft | July 17, 2015 |
Weather at the gauge
Rain in the last 3 days: 0.97 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fox River near McHenryRiver gauge, Fox River | 3.90 ft | Normal | +0.04 ft | 3.2 mi |
| Fox River (Tailwater) near McHenryRiver gauge, Fox River (Tailwater) | 1.79 ft | Normal | −0.27 ft | 3.2 mi |
| Nippersink Creek above Wonder LakeRiver gauge, Nippersink Creek | 5.13 ft | Normal | −0.06 ft | 5.3 mi |
| Fox River at JohnsburgRiver gauge, Fox River | 3.91 ft | Low | +0.02 ft | 5.5 mi |
| Nippersink Lake at Fox LakeLake, Nippersink Lake | 4.03 ft | Very low | −0.03 ft | 9 mi |
| Nippersink Creek near Spring GroveRiver gauge, Nippersink Creek | 4.77 ft | Very high | −0.07 ft | 9 mi |
| Fox River at AlgonquinRiver gauge, Fox River | 1.71 ft | Normal | −0.04 ft | 11 mi |
| Fox River (Tailwater) at AlgonquinRiver gauge, Fox River (Tailwater) | 6.37 ft | Normal | −0.14 ft | 11 mi |
Questions and answers
How does Boone Creek near Mc Henry compare with last year?
It is 0.35 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 0.79 ft.
What is flood stage for Boone Creek near Mc Henry?
The official flood stage is 7.00 ft. The level is currently 5.86 ft below it.
What is a normal level for Boone Creek near Mc Henry in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 0.98 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 0.69 ft and 1.38 ft, based on 13 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 Boone Creek near Mc Henry today?
On Oct 18, 2026, 05:45 PM CDT, the water level was 1.14 ft. Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is Boone Creek near Mc Henry rising or falling?
Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 0.06 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Boone Creek near Mc Henry normal?
Normal for mid-October. Compared with 13 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:05549000(Agency page)- Coordinates
42.32069, -88.31264(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 | 1.14 ft | 2026-10-18 22:45 | Provisional |
| Flow | 15.3 cfs | 2026-10-18 22:45 | Provisional |
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Boone Creek near Mc Henry (usgs:05549000). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/boone-creek-near-mc-henry
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