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Calumet Union Drainage Canal near Markham water level

River gauge, Calumet Union Drainage Canal, Illinois, United States

Directions

Right now

Normal for mid-October

Water level

2.30ft Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours

Flow
2.1 cfs
5 10 Highest onrecord 12.00 ft Minor floodstage 10.00 ft

History

History
2.53.0ftOct 13Oct 14Oct 16Oct 17Oct 192.53.0ftOct 13Oct 16Oct 19
234ftSep 20Sep 27Oct 4Oct 12Oct 19234ftSep 20Oct 4Oct 19
35810ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage35810ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage
2468ftJanMarMayJulSepNov20262468ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

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

What this means

The Calumet Union Drainage Canal near Markham is at 2.30 ft, in the normal range for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 2.39 ft, based on 7 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.09 ft below typical. It is 7.70 ft below the flood stage of 10.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 3.70 ft, a difference of −1.40 ft.

It has dropped 0.04 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 2.30 ft and 4.68 ft.

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

Compared with 7 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
2.39 ft0.09 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date
2.15 ft – 3.18 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (7 years of records)
Same day last year
3.70 ft−1.40 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
2.30 ft – 4.68 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
2.10 ft – 7.86 ft
Highest on record
12.00 ftOctober 11, 1954

Floating and fishing near Calumet Union Drainage Canal near Markham

Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.

Flood stage here is 10.00 ft, 7.70 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

12.50 ft
Widespread inundation of roadways and structures in the floodplain reaches 2 blocks from the canal in Markham and Harvey.
11.00 ft
Multiple structures are threatened in Markham and Harvey.
10.00 ft
Multiple roadways are threatened in Markham and Harvey. Low-lying sections of Martin Luther King Park are inundated in Markham.
9.00 ft
Water overflows low-lying river banks along the canal in Markham and Harvey.
2.30 ft
Right now

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

Highest crests on record

RankLevelDate
112.00 ftOctober 11, 1954
211.50 ftJuly 13, 1957
310.00 ftSeptember 14, 2008
48.64 ftMay 17, 2020
58.24 ftJuly 19, 2020

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.27 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

17 Sat 58° 39° – Wind 10 mph
18 Sun 63° 39° – Wind 13 mph
19 Mon 68° 39° – Wind 5 mph
20 Tue 68° 54° – Wind 6 mph
21 Wed 70° 53° – Wind 5 mph
22 Thu 72° 56° – Wind 4 mph
23 Fri 72° 56° – Wind 7 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:08 AM Sunset 06:05 PM Daylight 10 hr, 57 min First quarter 58%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Midlothian Creek at Oak ForestRiver gauge, Midlothian Creek 1.59 ft Normal −0.04 ft 3.5 mi
Thorn Creek at ThorntonRiver gauge, Thorn Creek 2.90 ft Normal +0.02 ft 3.6 mi
Little Calumet River at South HollandRiver gauge, Little Calumet River 5.52 ft Normal −0.05 ft 3.6 mi
Natalie Creek at MidlothianRiver gauge, Natalie Creek 5.09 ft Low −0.01 ft 3.9 mi
Butterfield Creek at FlossmoorRiver gauge, Butterfield Creek 4.04 ft Normal −0.06 ft 4.0 mi
Thorn Creek at GlenwoodRiver gauge, Thorn Creek 2.54 ft Very low ±0 5.1 mi
Tinley Creek near Palos ParkRiver gauge, Tinley Creek 2.60 ft Normal −0.07 ft 6 mi
Deer Creek near Chicago HeightsRiver gauge, Deer Creek 3.19 ft Very low −0.04 ft 7 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Calumet Union Drainage Canal near Markham higher than last year?

No, it is 1.40 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3.70 ft.

What is flood stage for the Calumet Union Drainage Canal near Markham?

The official flood stage is 10.00 ft. The level is currently 7.70 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Calumet Union Drainage Canal near Markham in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 2.39 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.15 ft and 3.18 ft, based on 7 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 Calumet Union Drainage Canal near Markham today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 04:45 AM CDT, the water level was 2.30 ft. Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Calumet Union Drainage Canal near Markham rising or falling?

Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.07 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Calumet Union Drainage Canal near Markham normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 7 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:05536310 (Agency page)
Coordinates
41.59700, -87.66572 (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 2.30 ft 2026-10-19 09:45 Provisional
Flow 2.1 cfs 2026-10-19 09:45 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Calumet Union Drainage Canal near Markham (usgs:05536310). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/calumet-union-drainage-canal-near-markham

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.