East Branch Du Page River near Downers Grove water level

Name: East Branch Du Page River near Downers Grove 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, East Branch Du Page River, Illinois, United States

Directions

Very high for mid-October

Water level

12.10ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 04:20 PM CDT (57 min ago)

Flow: 25.5 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

The gauge at East Branch Du Page River near Downers Grove shows 12.10 ft, well above normal for mid-October.

That puts it 1.63 ft above the median of 10.47 ft for mid-October, based on 33 years of readings. It is 2.40 ft below the flood stage of 14.50 ft. A year ago it stood at 12.28 ft (−0.18 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 12.05 ft and 14.30 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: 10.47 ft1.63 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 10.35 ft – 11.13 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (33 years of records)
Same day last year: 12.28 ft−0.18 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 12.05 ft – 14.30 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 11.67 ft – 15.93 ft
Highest on record: 17.79 ftApril 18, 2013

High water at East Branch Du Page River near Downers Grove

The National Weather Service splits flooding into minor, moderate and major flood stage, each tied to what starts to go under water at this particular gauge. Minor flooding usually means low roads, parks and farmland; major flooding reaches homes and businesses.

Keep children and dogs well back from the edge, and stay off flooded footpaths and towpaths.

What happens at each level

21.00 ft: Structures are threatened at Morton Arboretum.
20.00 ft: Residences are threatened off Warrenville Road in Lisle.
18.00 ft: Warrenville Road is threatened in Lisle.
17.00 ft: Residences are threatened along IL-53 and Arbor Lane south of Glen Ellyn. Roadways are threatened at Morton Arboretum.
16.00 ft: Numerous roadways and trails are threatened at Morton Arboretum. Roadways are threatened off IL-53 south of Glen Ellyn.
15.00 ft: IL-53 is threatened along the river near Morton Arboretum between I-88 and IL-56 (Butterfield Road).
14.00 ft: Water inundates low-lying areas of the floodplain.
12.10 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	17.79 ft	April 18, 2013
2	17.37 ft	July 24, 2010
3	17.26 ft	September 14, 2008
4	16.94 ft	August 26, 1972
5	16.78 ft	October 10, 1954
6	16.68 ft	May 18, 2020
7	16.58 ft	December 27, 2008
8	16.30 ft	June 16, 2015
9	16.28 ft	October 14, 2001
10	16.13 ft	July 18, 1996

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 68° 42° – Wind 6 mph

21 Wed 69° 40° – Wind 5 mph

22 Thu 72° 47° – Wind 5 mph

23 Fri 71° 56° – Wind 6 mph

24 Sat 71° 57° – Wind 10 mph

25 Sun 70° 58° – Wind 8 mph

26 Mon 69° 43° 0.18 in Wind 13 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:11 AM Sunset 06:05 PM Daylight 10 hr, 54 min Waxing gibbous 72%

Map

Other gauges on the East Branch Du Page River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
East Branch Du Page River at BolingbrookRiver gauge, East Branch Du Page River	14.92 ft	Normal	−0.08 ft	8 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
St. Joseph Creek at Route 34 at LisleRiver gauge, St. Joseph Creek	4.30 ft	High	+0.02 ft	2.3 mi
East Branch Dupage River at Short St at LisleRiver gauge, East Branch Dupage River	5.62 ft	Normal	−0.04 ft	3.1 mi
Salt Creek at 22nd Street at Oak BrookRiver gauge, Salt Creek	48.01 ft	Normal	−0.12 ft	5.8 mi
Salt Creek at ElmhurstRiver gauge, Salt Creek	5.12 ft	Low	−0.12 ft	5.9 mi
West Branch Du Page River near WarrenvilleRiver gauge, West Branch Du Page River	7.84 ft	High	−0.03 ft	6 mi
Salt Creek at Western SpringsRiver gauge, Salt Creek	1.69 ft	Low	−0.11 ft	8 mi
Kress Creek at West ChicagoRiver gauge, Kress Creek	4.18 ft	High	−0.01 ft	8 mi
West Branch Du Page River near West ChicagoRiver gauge, West Branch Du Page River	4.01 ft	Normal	−0.16 ft	9 mi

Questions and answers

How does the East Branch Du Page River near Downers Grove compare with last year?

It is 0.18 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 12.28 ft.

What is flood stage for the East Branch Du Page River near Downers Grove?

The official flood stage is 14.50 ft. The level is currently 2.40 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the East Branch Du Page River near Downers Grove in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 10.47 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 10.35 ft and 11.13 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 East Branch Du Page River near Downers Grove today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 04:20 PM CDT, the water level was 12.10 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is East Branch Du Page River near Downers Grove rising or falling?

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

Is the level of East Branch Du Page River near Downers Grove 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:05540160 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 41.83167, -88.04778 (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	12.10 ft	2026-10-20 21:20	Provisional
Flow	25.5 cfs	2026-10-20 21:20	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: East Branch Du Page River near Downers Grove (usgs:05540160). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/east-branch-du-page-river-near-downers-grove

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