West Branch Du Page River near Naperville water level
River gauge, West Branch Du Page River, Illinois, United States
Right now
Low for mid-October
Water level
- Flow
- 124 cfs
History
20252026
What this means
The West Branch Du Page River near Naperville is running below normal at 4.45 ft.
That puts it 0.46 ft below the median of 4.91 ft for mid-October, based on 33 years of readings. A year ago it stood at 4.65 ft (−0.20 ft).
It has dropped 0.13 ft over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. In the last month it has stayed between 4.32 ft and 7.08 ft.
Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.
Compared with 33 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 4.91 ft0.46 ft below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 4.05 ft – 5.95 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (33 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 4.65 ft−0.20 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 4.32 ft – 7.08 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 3.93 ft – 8.26 ft
- Highest on record
- 14.31 ftJuly 18, 1996
Floating and fishing near West Branch Du Page River near Naperville
Low water exposes gravel bars that make good wading access, but some boat ramps may be left high and dry.
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14.31 ft | July 18, 1996 |
| 2 | 12.47 ft | April 19, 2013 |
| 3 | 11.98 ft | September 14, 2008 |
| 4 | 11.10 ft | October 11, 1954 |
| 5 | 10.98 ft | February 22, 1997 |
| 6 | 10.93 ft | July 25, 2010 |
| 7 | 10.73 ft | October 13, 2001 |
| 8 | 10.68 ft | May 17, 2020 |
| 9 | 10.56 ft | June 16, 2015 |
| 10 | 10.44 ft | May 1, 2017 |
Weather at the gauge
Rain in the last 3 days: 1.35 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Other gauges on the West Branch Du Page River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Branch Du Page River near West ChicagoRiver gauge, West Branch Du Page River | 4.12 ft | High | +0.10 ft | 13 mi |
| West Branch Du Page River near WarrenvilleRiver gauge, West Branch Du Page River | 7.87 ft | High | −0.11 ft | 7 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring Brook at 87th Street near NapervilleRiver gauge, Spring Brook | 2.89 ft | Normal | −0.06 ft | 1.7 mi |
| Du Page River near PlainfieldRiver gauge, Du Page River | 7.08 ft | Normal | −0.08 ft | 2.7 mi |
| East Branch Du Page River at BolingbrookRiver gauge, East Branch Du Page River | 15.00 ft | Normal | −0.08 ft | 3.2 mi |
| East Branch Dupage River at Short St at LisleRiver gauge, East Branch Dupage River | 5.65 ft | Normal | −0.09 ft | 5.7 mi |
| Des Plaines River near LemontRiver gauge, Des Plaines River | 6.16 ft | Normal | −0.25 ft | 6 mi |
| St. Joseph Creek at Route 34 at LisleRiver gauge, St. Joseph Creek | 4.29 ft | High | −0.09 ft | 7 mi |
| Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal at LemontRiver gauge, Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal | 25.32 ft | High | +0.16 ft | 7 mi |
| Long Run near LemontRiver gauge, Long Run | 1.06 ft | Normal | −0.07 ft | 9 mi |
Questions and answers
How does the West Branch Du Page River near Naperville compare with last year?
It is 0.20 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 4.65 ft.
What is a normal level for the West Branch Du Page River near Naperville in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 4.91 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 4.05 ft and 5.95 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 West Branch Du Page River near Naperville today?
On Oct 19, 2026, 05:15 PM CDT, the water level was 4.45 ft. Down 0.13 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is West Branch Du Page River near Naperville rising or falling?
Down 0.13 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 0.10 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of West Branch Du Page River near Naperville normal?
Low for mid-October. Compared with 33 years of daily readings for this time of year.
What is the highest water level ever recorded at West Branch Du Page River near Naperville?
The highest level on record is 14.31 ft on July 18, 1996.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- U.S. Geological Survey
- Station code
usgs:05540130(Agency page)- Coordinates
41.72026, -88.13193(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 | 4.45 ft | 2026-10-19 22:15 | Provisional |
| Flow | 124 cfs | 2026-10-19 22:15 | Provisional |
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: West Branch Du Page River near Naperville (usgs:05540130). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/west-branch-du-page-river-near-naperville
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