Nb Chicago River at N Pulaski Road at Chicago water level

Name: Nb Chicago River at N Pulaski Road 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, Nb Chicago River, Illinois, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

10.96ft Down 0.15 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 12:00 PM CDT (28 min ago)

Flow: 43.3 cfs

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 Nb Chicago River at N Pulaski Road at Chicago, where the gauge shows 10.96 ft.

It is 7.04 ft below the flood stage of 18.00 ft.

It is still going down, by 0.15 ft over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 10.78 ft – 14.07 ft.

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

Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels

Key numbers

Lowest and highest in 30 days: 10.78 ft – 14.07 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 10.58 ft – 15.47 ft
Highest on record: 22.50 ftAugust 14, 1987

Paddling and fishing conditions

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

For reference, flood stage is 18.00 ft.

What happens at each level

27.50 ft: Structures are threatened at North Park University.
26.00 ft: Low-lying property at North Park University is threatened. Low-lying areas in River Park are threatened.
24.00 ft: Widespread inundation of structures and roadways reaches up to 1 block from the river in the Albany Park neighborhood. Low-lying sections of St. Luke Cemetery are inundated.
23.00 ft: Intersection of Pulaski Road and Foster Avenue is threatened.
22.00 ft: Low-lying sections of Bohemian National Cemetery are inundated.
21.00 ft: Numerous structures and roadways impacted in the Albany Park neighborhood.
20.00 ft: Water begins to impact structures in the Albany Park neighborhood. Foster Avenue is threatened east of Pulaski Road.
19.00 ft: Water may impact the Eugene Field Park foot bridge. Foster Avenue flow diversion tunnel reaches capacity.
18.00 ft: Portions of Eugene Field Park are inundated.
17.00 ft: Trails in Gompers Park are inundated.
16.50 ft: Water impacts low-lying trails in Eugene Field Park.
16.00 ft: Low-lying areas of Gompers Park are inundated.
10.96 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Chance of at least minor flooding in October to December: 5 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	22.50 ft	August 14, 1987
2	17.90 ft	May 18, 2020
3	17.03 ft	May 22, 2018

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.38 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

17 Sat 57° 38° – Wind 11 mph

18 Sun 61° 39° – Wind 13 mph

19 Mon 68° 39° – Wind 5 mph

20 Tue 66° 54° – Wind 7 mph

21 Wed 70° 53° – Wind 5 mph

22 Thu 71° 57° 0.01 in Wind 4 mph

23 Fri 72° 57° – Wind 7 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:08 AM Sunset 06:05 PM Daylight 10 hr, 56 min First quarter 61%

Map

Other gauges on the Nb Chicago River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Nb Chicago River at Grand Avenue at ChicagoRiver gauge, Nb Chicago River	−2.12 ft	Normal	−0.06 ft	7 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
North Branch Chicago River at NilesRiver gauge, North Branch Chicago River	1.06 ft	Low	−0.16 ft	4.3 mi
Des Plaines River at River ForestRiver gauge, Des Plaines River	4.79 ft	Normal	−0.12 ft	8 mi
Chicago River at Columbus Drive at ChicagoRiver gauge, Chicago River	−2.38 ft	Normal	−0.22 ft	8 mi
Lake Michigan at Chicago Lock at ChicagoLake, Lake Michigan	0.05 ft	Low	+0.34 ft	9 mi
Chicago River at Chicago Lock at ChicagoRiver gauge, Chicago River	−2.39 ft	Low	−0.30 ft	9 mi
Des Plaines River at Algonquin Road at Des PlainesRiver gauge, Des Plaines River	8.85 ft	Normal	−0.09 ft	9 mi
Addison Creek at BellwoodRiver gauge, Addison Creek	1.45 ft	Normal	+0.02 ft	10 mi
Chicago S & South Canal at Western Ave at ChicagoRiver gauge, Chicago S & South Canal	−2.30 ft	Normal	−0.19 ft	10 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Nb Chicago River at N Pulaski Road at Chicago?

The official flood stage is 18.00 ft. The level is currently 7.04 ft below it.

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 Nb Chicago River at N Pulaski Road at Chicago today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 12:00 PM CDT, the water level was 10.96 ft. Down 0.15 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Nb Chicago River at N Pulaski Road at Chicago rising or falling?

Down 0.15 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 0.16 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Nb Chicago River at N Pulaski Road at Chicago normal?

Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Nb Chicago River at N Pulaski Road at Chicago?

The highest level on record is 22.50 ft on August 14, 1987.

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:05536085 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 41.97472, -87.72833 (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	10.96 ft	2026-10-19 17:00	Provisional
Flow	43.3 cfs	2026-10-19 17:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Nb Chicago River at N Pulaski Road at Chicago (usgs:05536085). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/nb-chicago-river-at-n-pulaski-road-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