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Salt Creek at Western Springs water level

River gauge, Salt Creek, Illinois, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

1.80ft Down 0.10 ft over the last 24 hours

Flow
19.4 cfs
5 10 Highest onrecord 10.65 ft Minor floodstage 7.50 ft

History

246ftOct 13Oct 14Oct 16Oct 18Oct 19Minor flood stage246ftOct 13Oct 16Oct 19Minor flood stage
246ftSep 20Sep 27Oct 4Oct 12Oct 19Minor flood stage246ftSep 20Oct 4Oct 19Minor flood stage
246ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage246ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage
246ftJanMarMayJulSepNov2026246ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

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

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Salt Creek at Western Springs, where the gauge shows 1.80 ft.

That puts it 0.14 ft below the median of 1.94 ft for mid-October, based on 32 years of readings. It is 5.70 ft below the flood stage of 7.50 ft. A year ago it stood at 3.02 ft (−1.22 ft).

It is still going down, by 0.10 ft over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 1.63 ft – 6.36 ft.

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

Compared with 32 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
1.94 ft0.14 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date
1.54 ft – 4.61 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (32 years of records)
Same day last year
3.02 ft−1.22 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
1.63 ft – 6.36 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
1.31 ft – 7.47 ft
Highest on record
10.65 ftApril 18, 2013

Paddling and fishing conditions

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

For reference, flood stage is 7.50 ft.

What happens at each level

9.00 ft
Structures are threatened near Ogden Avenue and York Road.
7.50 ft
Nearby forest preserve land is threatened.
1.80 ft
Right now

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

Highest crests on record

RankLevelDate
110.65 ftApril 18, 2013
210.54 ftAugust 17, 1987
39.92 ftSeptember 14, 2008
49.64 ftJune 16, 2015
59.56 ftOctober 15, 2017
69.45 ftMay 18, 2020
79.35 ftFebruary 21, 1997
88.94 ftOctober 3, 2006
98.94 ftMay 10, 1990
108.91 ftFebruary 21, 2018

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

19 Mon 66° 41° – Wind 6 mph
20 Tue 66° 40° – Wind 6 mph
21 Wed 70° 41° – Wind 5 mph
22 Thu 72° 57° – Wind 4 mph
23 Fri 73° 58° – Wind 6 mph
24 Sat 73° 58° – Wind 9 mph
25 Sun 69° 60° – Wind 10 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:09 AM Sunset 06:05 PM Daylight 10 hr, 56 min First quarter 62%

Map

Other gauges on Salt Creek

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Salt Creek at ValparaisoRiver gauge, Salt Creek 3.21 ft Below flood stage −0.04 ft 50 mi
Salt Creek at Rolling MeadowsRiver gauge, Salt Creek 2.34 ft Low −0.05 ft 17 mi
Salt Creek at Higgins Road near Elk Grove VillageRiver gauge, Salt Creek 5.40 ft Very low −0.02 ft 15 mi
Salt Creek at Elk Grove VillageRiver gauge, Salt Creek 12.12 ft Normal −0.14 ft 14 mi
Salt Creek at Wood DaleRiver gauge, Salt Creek 7.11 ft Normal −0.04 ft 10 mi
Salt Creek at ElmhurstRiver gauge, Salt Creek 5.23 ft Normal −0.08 ft 5.2 mi
Salt Creek at 22nd Street at Oak BrookRiver gauge, Salt Creek 48.12 ft Normal −0.09 ft 2.4 mi
Salt Creek near Farmer CityRiver gauge, Salt Creek 689.76 ft Normal ±0 117 mi
Salt Creek near RowellRiver gauge, Salt Creek 9.09 ft Normal ±0 133 mi
Salt Creek near GreenviewRiver gauge, Salt Creek 1.32 ft Normal −0.04 ft 151 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Des Plaines River at RiversideRiver gauge, Des Plaines River 2.55 ft Normal −0.07 ft 4.0 mi
Addison Creek at BellwoodRiver gauge, Addison Creek 1.46 ft Normal +0.10 ft 4.2 mi
Des Plaines River at LyonsRiver gauge, Des Plaines River 10.95 ft Normal −0.23 ft 4.8 mi
Des Plaines River at River ForestRiver gauge, Des Plaines River 4.78 ft Normal −0.12 ft 5.5 mi
Flag Creek near Willow SpringsRiver gauge, Flag Creek 3.42 ft High +0.08 ft 6.0 mi
Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal at StickneyRiver gauge, Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal −2.31 ft Normal −0.17 ft 8 mi
East Branch Du Page River near Downers GroveRiver gauge, East Branch Du Page River 12.14 ft Very high −0.06 ft 8 mi
Sawmill Creek near LemontRiver gauge, Sawmill Creek 8.43 ft Normal −0.04 ft 9 mi

Questions and answers

How does Salt Creek at Western Springs compare with last year?

It is 1.22 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3.02 ft.

What is flood stage for Salt Creek at Western Springs?

The official flood stage is 7.50 ft. The level is currently 5.70 ft below it.

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

The median for mid-October is 1.94 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.54 ft and 4.61 ft, based on 32 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 Western Springs today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 03:50 PM CDT, the water level was 1.80 ft. Down 0.10 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Salt Creek at Western Springs rising or falling?

Down 0.10 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 0.17 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Salt Creek at Western Springs normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 32 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:05531500 (Agency page)
Coordinates
41.82583, -87.90028 (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

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Water level 1.80 ft 2026-10-19 20:50 Provisional
Flow 19.4 cfs 2026-10-19 20:50 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Salt Creek at Western Springs (usgs:05531500). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/salt-creek-at-western-springs

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