Tinley Creek near Palos Park water level

Name: Tinley Creek near Palos Park 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, Tinley Creek, Illinois, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

2.58ft Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 12:45 PM CDT (26 min ago)

Flow: 3.7 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Tinley Creek near Palos Park, where the gauge shows 2.58 ft.

The median for mid-October is 2.47 ft, based on 33 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.11 ft above typical. It is 6.42 ft below the flood stage of 9.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 2.91 ft, a difference of −0.33 ft.

It is still going down, by 0.06 ft over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 2.53 ft – 4.71 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: 2.47 ft0.11 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 2.28 ft – 2.95 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (33 years of records)
Same day last year: 2.91 ft−0.33 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 2.53 ft – 4.71 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 2.39 ft – 4.94 ft
Highest on record: 10.30 ftOctober 10, 1954

Paddling and fishing conditions

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

For reference, flood stage is 9.00 ft.

What happens at each level

13.00 ft: Widespread inundation of resdiences and businesses along 127th Street and Central Avenue in Crestwood. Central Avenue is threatened in Crestwood.
12.50 ft: Water begins to bypass the main channel toward numerous residential streets and structures in the vicinity of 127th Street and Central Avenue in Crestwood. Widespread inundation of residences in the floodplain along Playfield Drive and Terrance Lane begins in Crestwood.
12.00 ft: Residences are threatened along 129th Street in Crestwood.
11.50 ft: Without flood protection, athletic fields are threatened at Playfield Park in Crestwood.
11.00 ft: Structures are threatened at the Elim campus in Crestwood.
9.50 ft: Parking lots are threatened at the Elim campus in Crestwood.
9.00 ft: 135th Street threatened west of Crestwood.
6.50 ft: Low-lying sections of Rubio Woods are inundated near Crestwood and Palos Heights.
2.58 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	10.30 ft	October 10, 1954
2	10.25 ft	July 18, 1996
3	10.02 ft	July 13, 1957
4	9.83 ft	April 30, 1970
5	9.79 ft	June 13, 1981
6	9.68 ft	May 17, 2020
7	9.53 ft	June 9, 2011
8	9.45 ft	May 25, 1991
9	9.39 ft	December 3, 1982
10	9.29 ft	April 18, 2013

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.16 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

18 Sun 61° 39° – Wind 13 mph

19 Mon 67° 41° – Wind 6 mph

20 Tue 69° 53° – Wind 6 mph

21 Wed 70° 53° – Wind 4 mph

22 Thu 71° 55° – Wind 4 mph

23 Fri 73° 61° – Wind 8 mph

24 Sat 73° 59° – Wind 12 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:08 AM Sunset 06:05 PM Daylight 10 hr, 57 min First quarter 61%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Natalie Creek at MidlothianRiver gauge, Natalie Creek	5.09 ft	Low	±0	2.4 mi
Midlothian Creek at Oak ForestRiver gauge, Midlothian Creek	1.58 ft	Normal	−0.04 ft	2.9 mi
Stony Creek (West) near WorthRiver gauge, Stony Creek (West)	25.48 ft	Normal	−0.09 ft	4.4 mi
Calumet Union Drainage Canal near MarkhamRiver gauge, Calumet Union Drainage Canal	2.31 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	6 mi
Little Calumet River at South HollandRiver gauge, Little Calumet River	5.53 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	9 mi
Flag Creek near Willow SpringsRiver gauge, Flag Creek	3.29 ft	Normal	+0.02 ft	9 mi
Butterfield Creek at FlossmoorRiver gauge, Butterfield Creek	4.02 ft	Normal	−0.05 ft	10 mi
Thorn Creek at ThorntonRiver gauge, Thorn Creek	2.82 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	10 mi

Questions and answers

Is Tinley Creek near Palos Park higher than last year?

No, it is 0.33 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.91 ft.

What is flood stage for Tinley Creek near Palos Park?

The official flood stage is 9.00 ft. The level is currently 6.42 ft below it.

What is a normal level for Tinley Creek near Palos Park in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 2.47 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.28 ft and 2.95 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 Tinley Creek near Palos Park today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 12:45 PM CDT, the water level was 2.58 ft. Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Tinley Creek near Palos Park rising or falling?

Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 0.04 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Tinley Creek near Palos Park 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:05536500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 41.64664, -87.76644 (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	2.58 ft	2026-10-19 17:45	Provisional
Flow	3.7 cfs	2026-10-19 17:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Tinley Creek near Palos Park (usgs:05536500). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/tinley-creek-near-palos-park

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