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Salt Creek at Wood Dale water level

River gauge, Salt Creek, Illinois, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

7.00ft Down 0.16 ft over the last 24 hours

10 15 Highest onrecord 16.58 ft Minor floodstage 12.50 ft

History

681012ftOct 13Oct 14Oct 16Oct 17Oct 19Minor flood stage681012ftOct 13Oct 16Oct 19Minor flood stage
681012ftSep 20Sep 27Oct 4Oct 12Oct 19Minor flood stage681012ftSep 20Oct 4Oct 19Minor flood stage
681012ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage681012ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage
681012ftJanMarMayJulSepNov2026681012ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

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

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Salt Creek at Wood Dale, where the gauge shows 7.00 ft.

The median for mid-October is 6.81 ft, based on 26 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.19 ft above typical. It is 5.50 ft below the flood stage of 12.50 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 8.69 ft, a difference of −1.69 ft.

It is still going down, by 0.16 ft over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 6.75 ft – 11.07 ft.

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

Compared with 26 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
6.81 ft0.19 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date
6.38 ft – 8.58 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (26 years of records)
Same day last year
8.69 ft−1.69 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
6.75 ft – 11.07 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
6.60 ft – 12.52 ft
Highest on record
16.58 ftSeptember 14, 2008

Paddling and fishing conditions

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

For reference, flood stage is 12.50 ft.

What happens at each level

18.00 ft
I-290 is threatened near Addison.
17.50 ft
Structures are threatened west of Addison Road near Elizabeth Drive.
17.00 ft
Irving Park Road (IL-19) threatened near the creek in Wood Dale.
16.50 ft
Elizabeth Drive and Addison Road threatened in Wood Dale.
16.00 ft
North Wastewater Treatment Plant is threatned in Addison. Residences threatened east and west of the creek just south of Irving Park Road (IL-19).
15.00 ft
Commercial Street and Grove Street threatened in Wood Dale. Athletic fields inundated at Community Park in Addison.
14.00 ft
Numerous structures are threatened east and west of the creek just south of Irving Park Road (IL-19).
13.00 ft
Edgebrook Road and Forest View Avenue threatened in Wood Dale.
11.00 ft
Low-lying sections of Salt Creek Park are inundated. Low-lying sections of Lincolnwood Park are inundated.
7.00 ft
Right now

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

Highest crests on record

RankLevelDate
116.58 ftSeptember 14, 2008
215.28 ftApril 18, 2013
314.82 ftMay 18, 2020
414.36 ftJuly 23, 2011
514.08 ftJuly 24, 2010
613.56 ftJune 20, 2009
713.35 ftDecember 28, 2008
813.31 ftMay 1, 2019
913.09 ftMay 14, 2010
1013.01 ftJune 16, 2015

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:09 AM Sunset 06:06 PM Daylight 10 hr, 56 min First quarter 59%

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 −0.05 ft 58 mi
Salt Creek at Rolling MeadowsRiver gauge, Salt Creek 2.34 ft Low −0.09 ft 7 mi
Salt Creek at Higgins Road near Elk Grove VillageRiver gauge, Salt Creek 5.41 ft Very low −0.02 ft 4.9 mi
Salt Creek at Elk Grove VillageRiver gauge, Salt Creek 12.05 ft Normal −0.13 ft 3.4 mi
Salt Creek at ElmhurstRiver gauge, Salt Creek 5.21 ft Normal −0.11 ft 5.5 mi
Salt Creek at 22nd Street at Oak BrookRiver gauge, Salt Creek 48.11 ft Normal −0.14 ft 8 mi
Salt Creek at Western SpringsRiver gauge, Salt Creek 1.86 ft Normal −0.14 ft 10 mi
Salt Creek near Farmer CityRiver gauge, Salt Creek 689.76 ft Normal ±0 125 mi
Salt Creek near RowellRiver gauge, Salt Creek 9.09 ft Normal ±0 139 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Weller Creek at Des PlainesRiver gauge, Weller Creek 0.74 ft Normal −0.01 ft 7 mi
Des Plaines River at Algonquin Road at Des PlainesRiver gauge, Des Plaines River 8.88 ft Normal −0.08 ft 7 mi
Addison Creek at BellwoodRiver gauge, Addison Creek 1.62 ft Normal +0.15 ft 8 mi
Des Plaines River at River ForestRiver gauge, Des Plaines River 4.80 ft Normal −0.18 ft 9 mi
East Branch Du Page River near Downers GroveRiver gauge, East Branch Du Page River 12.13 ft Very high −0.06 ft 10 mi

Questions and answers

Is Salt Creek at Wood Dale higher than last year?

No, it is 1.69 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 8.69 ft.

What is flood stage for Salt Creek at Wood Dale?

The official flood stage is 12.50 ft. The level is currently 5.50 ft below it.

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

The median for mid-October is 6.81 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 6.38 ft and 8.58 ft, based on 26 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 Wood Dale today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 08:00 AM CDT, the water level was 7.00 ft. Down 0.16 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Salt Creek at Wood Dale rising or falling?

Down 0.16 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 0.25 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Salt Creek at Wood Dale normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 26 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:05531175 (Agency page)
Coordinates
41.96414, -87.98417 (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 7.00 ft 2026-10-19 13:00 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Salt Creek at Wood Dale (usgs:05531175). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/salt-creek-at-wood-dale

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