Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal at Lemont water level

Name: Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal at Lemont 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 Sanitary and Ship Canal, Illinois, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

25.14ft Up 0.12 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 05:40 AM CDT (42 min ago)

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

The Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal at Lemont is at 25.14 ft, in the normal range for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 25.14 ft, based on 7 years of readings, and the gauge is right on it. A year ago it stood at 25.08 ft (+0.06 ft).

It has risen 0.12 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 23.55 ft and 25.60 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: 25.14 ft0.00 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 24.57 ft – 25.41 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (7 years of records)
Same day last year: 25.08 ft+0.06 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 23.55 ft – 25.60 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 22.52 ft – 25.68 ft

Floating and fishing near Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal at Lemont

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

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 3.02 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

17 Sat 56° 39° – Wind 12 mph

18 Sun 60° 39° – Wind 12 mph

19 Mon 65° 40° – Wind 6 mph

20 Tue 68° 48° – Wind 6 mph

21 Wed 68° 48° – Wind 6 mph

22 Thu 70° 52° – Wind 5 mph

23 Fri 71° 52° – Wind 8 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:10 AM Sunset 06:05 PM Daylight 10 hr, 54 min First quarter 68%

Map

Other gauges on the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal at StickneyRiver gauge, Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal	−2.02 ft	Very high	+0.16 ft	16 mi
Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal near LemontRiver gauge, Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal	25.33 ft	High	+0.11 ft	2.1 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Des Plaines River near LemontRiver gauge, Des Plaines River	6.11 ft	Normal	−0.19 ft	1.5 mi
Long Run near LemontRiver gauge, Long Run	1.03 ft	Normal	−0.07 ft	2.5 mi
Sawmill Creek near LemontRiver gauge, Sawmill Creek	8.40 ft	Normal	−0.03 ft	2.8 mi
East Branch Du Page River at BolingbrookRiver gauge, East Branch Du Page River	14.97 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	4.5 mi
Flag Creek near Willow SpringsRiver gauge, Flag Creek	3.38 ft	Normal	+0.07 ft	7 mi
West Branch Du Page River near NapervilleRiver gauge, West Branch Du Page River	4.43 ft	Low	−0.10 ft	7 mi
Du Page River near PlainfieldRiver gauge, Du Page River	7.02 ft	Normal	−0.05 ft	9 mi
East Branch Dupage River at Short St at LisleRiver gauge, East Branch Dupage River	5.57 ft	Normal	−0.06 ft	9 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal at Lemont compare with last year?

It is 0.06 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 25.08 ft.

What is a normal level for the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal at Lemont in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 25.14 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 24.57 ft and 25.41 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 Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal at Lemont today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 05:40 AM CDT, the water level was 25.14 ft. Up 0.12 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal at Lemont rising or falling?

Up 0.12 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.07 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal at Lemont normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 7 years of daily readings for this time of year.

How often is this data updated?

The U.S. Geological Survey publishes a new reading every 15 minutes. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:05536900 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 41.67891, -88.00097 (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	25.14 ft	2026-10-20 10:40	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal at Lemont (usgs:05536900). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/chicago-sanitary-and-ship-canal-at-lemont

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