Nippersink Creek above Wonder Lake water level

Name: Nippersink Creek above Wonder Lake 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, Nippersink Creek, Illinois, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

5.09ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 12:45 PM CDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 56.5 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

Nippersink Creek above Wonder Lake is at 5.09 ft, in the normal range for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 5.02 ft, based on 21 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.07 ft above typical. It is 3.91 ft below the flood stage of 9.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 4.77 ft, a difference of +0.32 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 5.04 ft and 7.11 ft.

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

Compared with 21 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 5.02 ft0.07 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 4.64 ft – 5.44 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (21 years of records)
Same day last year: 4.77 ft+0.32 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 5.04 ft – 7.11 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 4.61 ft – 9.04 ft
Highest on record: 14.30 ftJune 11, 1967

Floating and fishing near Nippersink Creek above Wonder Lake

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

Flood stage here is 9.00 ft, 3.91 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

16.00 ft: Wonder Lake Road threatened along Wonder Lake.
15.00 ft: Numerous sections of West Lake Shore Drive, East Lake Shore Drive, and nearby side streets threatened in Wonder Lake. Greenwood Road threatened near the creek in Greenwood.
14.00 ft: Water may near the top of Wonder Lake Dam. Numerous residences threatened along Wonder Lake.
13.50 ft: A few residences threatened along West Lake Shore Drive near Sunset Drive and near Nundra Drive in Wonder Lake. A few residences threatened along East Lake Shore Drive near Deep Spring Road in Wonder Lake. Thompson Road threatened near the creek in Wonder Lake.
13.00 ft: A few residences threatened along West Lake Shore Drive and Westwood Drive in Wonder Lake. West Lake Shore Drive threatened near Sunset Drive and Nundra Drive in Wonder Lake. East Lake Shore Drive threatened near Nantucket Drive in Wonder Lake.
12.50 ft: East Lakeshore Drive threatened near Lakeview Drive in Wonder Lake.
11.00 ft: A few low-lying residences threatened along East Lake Shore Drive near Nantucket Drive in Wonder Lake.
9.00 ft: Water overtops low-lying banks along Wonder Lake. Low-lying portions of Jacobson Park threatened in Wonder Lake.
5.09 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	14.30 ft	June 11, 1967
2	11.63 ft	June 13, 1999
3	11.16 ft	September 13, 2019
4	10.89 ft	June 13, 2000
5	9.92 ft	April 18, 2013
6	9.67 ft	February 20, 2018
7	9.48 ft	May 17, 2020
8	9.20 ft	February 21, 1997
9	8.72 ft	July 19, 2015
10	8.67 ft	August 30, 2020

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 1.12 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

18 Sun 57° 40° – Wind 15 mph

19 Mon 63° 39° – Wind 8 mph

20 Tue 67° 46° – Wind 7 mph

21 Wed 67° 47° – Wind 8 mph

22 Thu 70° 51° – Wind 6 mph

23 Fri 70° 58° – Wind 10 mph

24 Sat 69° 57° 0.00 in Wind 17 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:12 AM Sunset 06:07 PM Daylight 10 hr, 55 min First quarter 61%

Map

Other gauges on Nippersink Creek

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Nippersink Creek near Spring GroveRiver gauge, Nippersink Creek	4.59 ft	High	−0.16 ft	7 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Boone Creek near Mc HenryRiver gauge, Boone Creek	1.13 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	5.3 mi
Fox River at JohnsburgRiver gauge, Fox River	3.98 ft	Low	+0.13 ft	7 mi
Fox River near McHenryRiver gauge, Fox River	4.01 ft	Normal	+0.24 ft	8 mi
Fox River (Tailwater) near McHenryRiver gauge, Fox River (Tailwater)	1.71 ft	Normal	−0.30 ft	8 mi
Elizabeth Lake Drain near Twin LakesRiver gauge, Elizabeth Lake Drain	794.01 ft	High	±0	8 mi
Elizabeth Lake at Twin LakesLake, Elizabeth Lake	794.09 ft	Very high	+0.01 ft	9 mi
Nippersink Lake at Fox LakeLake, Nippersink Lake	4.05 ft	Low	+0.02 ft	10 mi
Fox Lake near Lake VillaLake, Fox Lake	4.06 ft	Low	−0.03 ft	13 mi

Questions and answers

Is Nippersink Creek above Wonder Lake higher than last year?

Yes, it is 0.32 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 4.77 ft.

What is flood stage for Nippersink Creek above Wonder Lake?

The official flood stage is 9.00 ft. The level is currently 3.91 ft below it.

What is a normal level for Nippersink Creek above Wonder Lake in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 5.02 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 4.64 ft and 5.44 ft, based on 21 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 Nippersink Creek above Wonder Lake today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 12:45 PM CDT, the water level was 5.09 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Nippersink Creek above Wonder Lake rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Nippersink Creek above Wonder Lake normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 21 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:05548105 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 42.38535, -88.36971 (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	5.09 ft	2026-10-19 17:45	Provisional
Flow	56.5 cfs	2026-10-19 17:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Nippersink Creek above Wonder Lake (usgs:05548105). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/nippersink-creek-above-wonder-lake

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