Salt Creek at Higgins Road near Elk Grove Village water level

Name: Salt Creek at Higgins Road near Elk Grove Village 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

Very low for mid-October

Water level

5.40ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 11:45 PM CDT (18 min ago)

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

Salt Creek at Higgins Road near Elk Grove Village is running far below normal at 5.40 ft.

That puts it 0.29 ft below the median of 5.69 ft for mid-October, based on 19 years of readings. A year ago it stood at 5.44 ft (−0.04 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. In the last month it has stayed between 5.38 ft and 5.90 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.

Compared with 19 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 5.69 ft0.29 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 5.45 ft – 6.13 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (19 years of records)
Same day last year: 5.44 ft−0.04 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 5.38 ft – 5.90 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 5.31 ft – 8.55 ft

Floating and fishing near Salt Creek at Higgins Road near Elk Grove Village

Low water exposes gravel bars that make good wading access, but some boat ramps may be left high and dry.

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:12 AM Sunset 06:03 PM Daylight 10 hr, 51 min Waxing gibbous 74%

Map

Other gauges on Salt Creek

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Salt Creek at ValparaisoRiver gauge, Salt Creek	3.20 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	62 mi
Salt Creek at Rolling MeadowsRiver gauge, Salt Creek	2.33 ft	Low	±0	2.0 mi
Salt Creek at Elk Grove VillageRiver gauge, Salt Creek	12.01 ft	Normal	+0.11 ft	1.4 mi
Salt Creek at Wood DaleRiver gauge, Salt Creek	6.91 ft	Normal	−0.04 ft	4.9 mi
Salt Creek at ElmhurstRiver gauge, Salt Creek	5.15 ft	Low	−0.12 ft	10 mi
Salt Creek at 22nd Street at Oak BrookRiver gauge, Salt Creek	48.01 ft	Normal	−0.14 ft	13 mi
Salt Creek at Western SpringsRiver gauge, Salt Creek	1.69 ft	Low	−0.14 ft	15 mi
Salt Creek near Farmer CityRiver gauge, Salt Creek	689.76 ft	Normal	±0	129 mi
Salt Creek near RowellRiver gauge, Salt Creek	9.08 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	143 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Weller Creek at Des PlainesRiver gauge, Weller Creek	0.71 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	4.9 mi
Mc Donald Creek near Mount ProspectRiver gauge, Mc Donald Creek	0.87 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	7 mi
Des Plaines River at Algonquin Road at Des PlainesRiver gauge, Des Plaines River	8.72 ft	Normal	−0.11 ft	7 mi
Des Plaines River near Des PlainesRiver gauge, Des Plaines River	9.11 ft	High	−0.07 ft	7 mi
Buffalo Creek near WheelingRiver gauge, Buffalo Creek	1.45 ft	Normal	−0.08 ft	9 mi
North Branch Chicago River at NilesRiver gauge, North Branch Chicago River	0.98 ft	Very low	−0.06 ft	11 mi

Questions and answers

How does Salt Creek at Higgins Road near Elk Grove Village compare with last year?

It is 0.04 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 5.44 ft.

What is a normal level for Salt Creek at Higgins Road near Elk Grove Village in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 5.69 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 5.45 ft and 6.13 ft, based on 19 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 Higgins Road near Elk Grove Village today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 11:45 PM CDT, the water level was 5.40 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Salt Creek at Higgins Road near Elk Grove Village rising or falling?

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

Is the level of Salt Creek at Higgins Road near Elk Grove Village normal?

Very low for mid-October. Compared with 19 years of daily readings for this time of year.

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:05531015 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 42.03141, -88.01123 (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	5.40 ft	2026-10-21 04:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Salt Creek at Higgins Road near Elk Grove Village (usgs:05531015). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/salt-creek-at-higgins-road-near-elk-grove-village

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