Chicago River at Columbus Drive at Chicago water level

Name: Chicago River at Columbus Drive at 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, Chicago River, Illinois, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

-2.05ft Down 0.19 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 05:56 PM CDT (30 min ago)

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Chicago River at Columbus Drive at Chicago, where the gauge shows −2.05 ft.

The median for mid-October is −2.08 ft, based on 28 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.03 ft above typical. It is 5.05 ft below the flood stage of 3.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was −2.32 ft, a difference of +0.27 ft.

It is still going down, by 0.19 ft over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is −3.37 ft – −1.63 ft.

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

Compared with 28 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: −2.08 ft0.03 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: −2.41 ft – −1.77 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (28 years of records)
Same day last year: −2.32 ft+0.27 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: −3.37 ft – −1.63 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: −3.74 ft – −1.51 ft
Highest on record: 5.50 ftOctober 10, 1954

Paddling and fishing conditions

Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.

For reference, flood stage is 3.00 ft.

What happens at each level

6.00 ft: Numerous structures flooded near the river in the River West, River North, and West Loop neighborhoods.
5.00 ft: Lower level of office towers may be threatened near the river. Low-lying sections of River Esplanade Park are threatened including Centennial Fountain.
4.00 ft: Lower Wacker Drive is threatened.
3.50 ft: Commercial areas of the Chicago Riverwalk are threatened.
3.00 ft: Numerous stretches of the Chicago Riverwalk are threatened. USACE and MWRD consider opening of Chicago Lock to reduce flood impacts, depending on the water level of Lake Michigan.
2.00 ft: Low-lying sections of the Chicago Riverwalk are threatened.
1.00 ft: City of Chicago considers closure of the Chicago Riverwalk.
−2.05 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	5.50 ft	October 10, 1954
2	5.12 ft	May 17, 2020
3	4.72 ft	July 24, 2010
4	4.20 ft	August 16, 1997
5	3.99 ft	July 23, 2011
6	3.37 ft	October 14, 2017
7	3.18 ft	April 18, 2013
8	3.16 ft	June 15, 2015
9	3.15 ft	December 27, 2008
10	3.06 ft	September 13, 2008

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.16 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

18 Sun 61° 38° – Wind 12 mph

19 Mon 62° 41° – Wind 9 mph

20 Tue 64° 55° – Wind 7 mph

21 Wed 69° 54° – Wind 4 mph

22 Thu 71° 57° – Wind 4 mph

23 Fri 70° 62° – Wind 8 mph

24 Sat 73° 61° – Wind 13 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:07 AM Sunset 06:06 PM Daylight 10 hr, 59 min First quarter 53%

Map

Other gauges on the Chicago River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Chicago River at Chicago Lock at ChicagoRiver gauge, Chicago River	−2.01 ft	Normal	−0.23 ft	0.7 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Lake Michigan at Chicago Lock at ChicagoLake, Lake Michigan	−0.35 ft	Very low	−0.45 ft	0.7 mi
Nb Chicago River at Grand Avenue at ChicagoRiver gauge, Nb Chicago River	−1.95 ft	High	−0.25 ft	1.1 mi
Chicago S & South Canal at Western Ave at ChicagoRiver gauge, Chicago S & South Canal	−1.97 ft	High	−0.20 ft	4.8 mi
Nb Chicago River at N Pulaski Road at ChicagoRiver gauge, Nb Chicago River	11.08 ft	Below flood stage	−0.20 ft	8 mi
Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal at StickneyRiver gauge, Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal	−2.12 ft	High	−0.37 ft	8 mi
Des Plaines River at River ForestRiver gauge, Des Plaines River	4.88 ft	Normal	−0.34 ft	11 mi
Des Plaines River at LyonsRiver gauge, Des Plaines River	11.14 ft	Normal	−0.50 ft	11 mi
Des Plaines River at RiversideRiver gauge, Des Plaines River	2.61 ft	Normal	−0.28 ft	11 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Chicago River at Columbus Drive at Chicago higher than last year?

Yes, it is 0.27 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was −2.32 ft.

What is flood stage for the Chicago River at Columbus Drive at Chicago?

The official flood stage is 3.00 ft. The level is currently 5.05 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Chicago River at Columbus Drive at Chicago in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is −2.08 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between −2.41 ft and −1.77 ft, based on 28 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 Chicago River at Columbus Drive at Chicago today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 05:56 PM CDT, the water level was −2.05 ft. Down 0.19 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Chicago River at Columbus Drive at Chicago rising or falling?

Down 0.19 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.14 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Chicago River at Columbus Drive at Chicago normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 28 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:05536123 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 41.88837, -87.62116 (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	−2.05 ft	2026-10-18 22:56	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Chicago River at Columbus Drive at Chicago (usgs:05536123). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/chicago-river-at-columbus-drive-at-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