Salt Creek at Elmhurst water level

Name: Salt Creek at Elmhurst 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, Salt Creek, Illinois, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

5.39ft Down 0.44 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 04:20 AM CDT (38 min ago)

Flow: 70.1 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

Salt Creek at Elmhurst is at 5.39 ft, in the normal range for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 5.52 ft, based on 33 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.13 ft below typical. It is 5.61 ft below the flood stage of 11.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 5.07 ft, a difference of +0.32 ft.

It has dropped 0.44 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 5.05 ft and 8.40 ft.

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

Compared with 33 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 5.52 ft0.13 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 4.97 ft – 7.22 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (33 years of records)
Same day last year: 5.07 ft+0.32 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 5.05 ft – 8.40 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 4.80 ft – 9.59 ft
Highest on record: 15.83 ftAugust 27, 1972

Floating and fishing near Salt Creek at Elmhurst

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

Flood stage here is 11.00 ft, 5.61 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

18.00 ft: Water reaches the top of the levees in south Elmhurst west of York Road, in south Elmhurst near Butterfield Road, and in north Elmhurst near York High School. Widespread inundation of roadways and structures in the floodplain reaches up to 8 blocks from the creek in Elmhurst.
17.50 ft: Backwater causes Westwood Creek to threatened numerous residential structures north of Lake Street in Addison.
17.00 ft: Water reaches the top of the levee near Kingery Highway Frontage Road south of Addison. Kingery Highway (IL-83) threatened at multiple locations in Elmhurst and Villa Park.
16.00 ft: Water reaches top of the levee near Rotary Park in Villa Park. Commercial structures threatened Kingery Highway (IL-83) north of Saint Charles Road in Elmhurst. Saint Charles Road threatened in Elmhurst.
15.00 ft: Without flood protection, numerous residential and commercial structures threatened near Butterfield Road (IL-56) in south Elmhurst.
14.50 ft: Commercial structures threatened along and near North Avenue in Villa Park. Industrial structures threatened near Villa Avenue at North Avenue in Villa Park. Numerous residences threatened along Palmer Avenue and side streets in Addison. North Avenue (IL-64) threatened in Villa Park. Kingery Highway (IL-83) threatened in Elmhurst.
14.00 ft: Larocca Wastewater Treatment Facility threatened in Addison. Industrial structures threatened along Riverside Drive in Elmhurst. Commercial structures threatened off Villa Avenue in Villa Park. Numerous residential structures threatened along Villa Avenue, Hill Drive, Myrick Avenue, and side streets in Addison. Lake Street (US-20), Roosevelt Road (IL-38) Villa Avenue, and Wooddale Avenue threatened in Addison. Without flood protection, numerous structures threatened in Elmhurst, Villa Park, and Addison.
13.50 ft: Residences threatened near Lake Street and Ellsworth Avenue in Addison. Butterfield Road (IL-56) threatened in south Elmhurst.
13.00 ft: Residential structures threatened between Kingery Highway (IL-83) and Elmhurst Quarry. Fullerton Avenue threatened in Addison. Villa Avenue threatened near Armitage Avenue in Villa Park.
12.50 ft: Salt Creek Sanitary District Facility and Elmhurst Water Reclamation Facility threatened in Elmhurst. Industrial structures threatened along Villa Avenue in Villa Park. Commercial parking lots threatened along Kingery Highway (IL-83) north of Saint Charles Road in Elmhurst.
12.00 ft: Portions of North Picnic Area threatened near Addison. Trails threatened near Eldridge Park in Elmhurst.
10.00 ft: Salt Creek Greenway Trail threatened in Villa Park and Addison. Water begins to be diverted into Elmhurst Quarry to reduce flood impacts.
5.39 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	15.83 ft	August 27, 1972
2	13.90 ft	April 18, 2013
3	13.88 ft	March 4, 1979
4	13.75 ft	June 12, 1967
5	13.68 ft	July 24, 2010
6	13.56 ft	August 6, 1989
7	13.42 ft	October 10, 1954
8	13.42 ft	May 12, 1966
9	13.37 ft	August 21, 1990
10	13.27 ft	September 14, 2008

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:08 AM Sunset 06:07 PM Daylight 10 hr, 59 min First quarter 48%

Map

Other gauges on Salt Creek

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Salt Creek at ValparaisoRiver gauge, Salt Creek	3.27 ft	Below flood stage	−0.06 ft	54 mi
Salt Creek at Rolling MeadowsRiver gauge, Salt Creek	2.45 ft	Low	−0.09 ft	12 mi
Salt Creek at Higgins Road near Elk Grove VillageRiver gauge, Salt Creek	5.42 ft	Low	±0	10 mi
Salt Creek at Elk Grove VillageRiver gauge, Salt Creek	12.21 ft	Normal	−0.17 ft	9 mi
Salt Creek at Wood DaleRiver gauge, Salt Creek	7.19 ft	Normal	−0.54 ft	5.5 mi
Salt Creek at 22nd Street at Oak BrookRiver gauge, Salt Creek	48.35 ft	Normal	−0.49 ft	2.9 mi
Salt Creek at Western SpringsRiver gauge, Salt Creek	2.10 ft	Normal	−0.47 ft	5.2 mi
Salt Creek near Farmer CityRiver gauge, Salt Creek	689.76 ft	Normal	±0	120 mi
Salt Creek near RowellRiver gauge, Salt Creek	9.09 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	135 mi
Salt Creek near GreenviewRiver gauge, Salt Creek	1.39 ft	Normal	+0.02 ft	153 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Addison Creek at BellwoodRiver gauge, Addison Creek	1.63 ft	Normal	−0.23 ft	4.7 mi
East Branch Du Page River near Downers GroveRiver gauge, East Branch Du Page River	12.23 ft	Very high	−0.18 ft	5.9 mi
Des Plaines River at River ForestRiver gauge, Des Plaines River	5.03 ft	Normal	−0.59 ft	7 mi
St. Joseph Creek at Route 34 at LisleRiver gauge, St. Joseph Creek	4.36 ft	Normal	−0.04 ft	8 mi
Des Plaines River at RiversideRiver gauge, Des Plaines River	2.79 ft	Normal	−0.38 ft	8 mi
East Branch Dupage River at Short St at LisleRiver gauge, East Branch Dupage River	5.76 ft	Normal	−0.22 ft	9 mi

Questions and answers

Is Salt Creek at Elmhurst higher than last year?

Yes, it is 0.32 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 5.07 ft.

What is flood stage for Salt Creek at Elmhurst?

The official flood stage is 11.00 ft. The level is currently 5.61 ft below it.

What is a normal level for Salt Creek at Elmhurst in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 5.52 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 4.97 ft and 7.22 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 Salt Creek at Elmhurst today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 04:20 AM CDT, the water level was 5.39 ft. Down 0.44 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Salt Creek at Elmhurst rising or falling?

Down 0.44 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 0.31 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Salt Creek at Elmhurst normal?

Normal 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:05531300 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 41.88617, -87.95956 (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	5.39 ft	2026-10-18 09:20	Provisional
Flow	70.1 cfs	2026-10-18 09:20	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Salt Creek at Elmhurst (usgs:05531300). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/salt-creek-at-elmhurst

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