Nippersink Creek near Spring Grove water level

Name: Nippersink Creek near Spring 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, Nippersink Creek, Illinois, United States

Directions

High for mid-October

Water level

4.59ft Down 0.17 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 12:00 PM CDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 150 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 near Spring Grove is above normal at 4.59 ft.

That puts it 0.69 ft above the median of 3.90 ft for mid-October, based on 39 years of readings. It is 6.41 ft below the flood stage of 11.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 3.83 ft (+0.76 ft).

It has dropped 0.17 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 4.52 ft and 7.69 ft.

That stands out in fall, when many rivers are usually near their lowest.

Compared with 39 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 3.90 ft0.69 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 3.47 ft – 4.63 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (39 years of records)
Same day last year: 3.83 ft+0.76 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 4.52 ft – 7.69 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 3.57 ft – 11.33 ft
Highest on record: 14.26 ftSeptember 26, 1986

Floating and fishing near Nippersink Creek near Spring Grove

Experienced paddlers may enjoy higher water, but many outfitters stop rentals once a river runs this high.

Flood stage here is 11.00 ft, 6.41 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

19.50 ft: US-12 is threatened at Solon Mills.
19.00 ft: North Solon Road threatened near US-12 at Solon Mills.
18.50 ft: US-12 is threatened west of Fox Lake.
17.50 ft: Wisconsin and Southern Railroad tracks threatened west and east of Spring Grove.
17.00 ft: Wilmot Road is threatened east of Spring Grove.
16.50 ft: Industrial structures threatened along Winn Road in Spring Grove. Solon Road/Main Street and Winn Road north of the creek are threatened in Spring Grove. South Solon Road threatened near US-12 at Solon Mills.
16.00 ft: A few structures threatened along Blivin Street in Spring Grove. Blivin Street threatened in Spring Grove.
14.50 ft: Numerous residences along creek near US-12 and State Park Road are threatened west of Fox Lake. Parking lots along Winn Road threatened south of the creek in Spring Grove.
14.00 ft: Roadways at Nippersink Canoe Base are threatened east of Spring Grove.
13.50 ft: A few residences are threatened along Linden Road east of Spring Grove. Spring Grove fish hatchery property is threatened.
13.00 ft: Linden Road is threatened east of Spring Grove. Boathouses threatened along the creek near US-12 and State Park Road.
10.00 ft: Prairie Club campground threatened west of Spring Grove.
4.59 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	14.26 ft	September 26, 1986
2	13.84 ft	September 14, 2019
3	13.73 ft	June 15, 1999
4	13.71 ft	June 14, 2000
5	13.70 ft	April 5, 1960
6	13.66 ft	February 21, 1994
7	13.03 ft	February 20, 1971
8	12.73 ft	July 1, 1993
9	12.62 ft	June 12, 1967
10	12.42 ft	April 19, 2013

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.03 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

19 Mon 64° 39° – Wind 8 mph

20 Tue 64° 42° – Wind 6 mph

21 Wed 68° 40° – Wind 6 mph

22 Thu 71° 51° – Wind 5 mph

23 Fri 70° 52° – Wind 8 mph

24 Sat 69° 52° – Wind 13 mph

25 Sun 66° 51° – Wind 11 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:11 AM Sunset 06:06 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 above Wonder LakeRiver gauge, Nippersink Creek	5.09 ft	Normal	−0.07 ft	7 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Elizabeth Lake Drain near Twin LakesRiver gauge, Elizabeth Lake Drain	794.01 ft	High	±0	3.5 mi
Elizabeth Lake at Twin LakesLake, Elizabeth Lake	794.09 ft	Very high	+0.01 ft	4.2 mi
Nippersink Lake at Fox LakeLake, Nippersink Lake	4.05 ft	Low	+0.02 ft	4.3 mi
Fox River at JohnsburgRiver gauge, Fox River	3.98 ft	Low	+0.13 ft	4.7 mi
Channel Lake near AntiochLake, Channel Lake	4.14 ft	Low	−0.13 ft	5.5 mi
Fox Lake near Lake VillaLake, Fox Lake	4.06 ft	Low	−0.03 ft	6 mi
Boone Creek near Mc HenryRiver gauge, Boone Creek	1.13 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	9 mi
Fox River near McHenryRiver gauge, Fox River	4.01 ft	Normal	+0.26 ft	9 mi

Questions and answers

How does Nippersink Creek near Spring Grove compare with last year?

It is 0.76 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3.83 ft.

What is flood stage for Nippersink Creek near Spring Grove?

The official flood stage is 11.00 ft. The level is currently 6.41 ft below it.

What is a normal level for Nippersink Creek near Spring Grove in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 3.90 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 3.47 ft and 4.63 ft, based on 39 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 near Spring Grove today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 12:00 PM CDT, the water level was 4.59 ft. Down 0.17 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Nippersink Creek near Spring Grove rising or falling?

Down 0.17 ft over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Nippersink Creek near Spring Grove normal?

High for mid-October. Compared with 39 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:05548280 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 42.44373, -88.24743 (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	4.59 ft	2026-10-19 17:00	Provisional
Flow	150 cfs	2026-10-19 17:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Nippersink Creek near Spring Grove (usgs:05548280). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/nippersink-creek-near-spring-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