Wf of Nb Chicago River at Northbrook water level

Name: Wf of Nb Chicago River at Northbrook 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, Wf of Nb Chicago River, Illinois, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

1.00ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 03:00 PM CDT (59 min ago)

Flow: 7.0 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 Wf of Nb Chicago River at Northbrook, where the gauge shows 1.00 ft.

That puts it 0.01 ft above the median of 0.99 ft for mid-October, based on 32 years of readings. It is 6.00 ft below the flood stage of 7.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 1.43 ft (−0.43 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 0.94 ft – 2.51 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: 0.99 ft0.01 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 0.89 ft – 1.63 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (32 years of records)
Same day last year: 1.43 ft−0.43 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 0.94 ft – 2.51 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 0.86 ft – 3.66 ft
Highest on record: 10.10 ftAugust 14, 1987

Paddling and fishing conditions

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

For reference, flood stage is 7.00 ft.

What happens at each level

14.00 ft: Dundee Road (IL-68) threatened in Northbrook.
12.50 ft: Sherman Road threatened in Northbrook.
12.00 ft: Industrial structures threatened along North Side Drive in Northbrook.
11.50 ft: Northbrook Village Hall threatened.
10.50 ft: A few commercial structures threatened in downtown Northbrook. Numerous commercial structures threatened in downtown Glenview. Commercial parking lots threatened along Ravine Way in Glenview.
10.00 ft: A few industrial and commercial structures threatened along Old Willow Road in Glenview.
9.50 ft: Northbrook Historical Society threatened. Commercial structures threatened along Glenview Road in Glenview. Fair Lane and Meadow Road threatened in Northbrook. Waukegan Road (IL-43), Ravine Way, Glenview Road, and Golf Road threatened in Glenview. Water overflows into Valley Lo Lake in Glenview.
9.00 ft: Northbrook Public Library threatened. Residential structures threatened along Fair Lane, Cedar Lane, Spruce Street, Elm Avenue, Maple Avenue, and Oak Avenue in Northbrook. Residential structures threatened at Sunset Village and along Raleigh Road in Glenview. Commercial parking lots and structures threatened in downtown Glenview. Lake Avenue, Pine Street, and River Road, and numerous additional roadways threatened in Glenview. Low-lying portions of Anetsburger Golf Course threatened.
8.50 ft: Industrial structures threatened along Techy Road in Northbrook. Commercial structures threatened along Chestnut Avenue in Glenview. Residential structures threatened along Blackthorn Drive, Sequoia Trail, and Silverwillow Drive in Glenview. Commercial parking lots threatened in downtown Northbrook. Cedar Lane and Chestnut Avenue threatened in Northbrook. Techy Road, Willow Road, and Walters Avenue threatened in Northbrook.
8.00 ft: Cherry Lane, Spruce Street, Elm Avenue, Maple Avenue, and Oak Avenue threatened in Northbrook. Tanglewood Drive, Blackthorn Drive, Sequoia Trail, Silverwillow Drive, and Raleigh Road threatened in Glenview. Roadways threatened at Sunset Village in Glenview. Athletic fields inundated at Village Green Park in Northbrook.
7.00 ft: Low-lying portions of Techny Prairie Park threatened in Northbrook.
6.00 ft: Water begins to be diverted into stormwater detention reservoirs in Northbrook and Glenview. Low-lying portions of Sleepy Hollow Park inundated in Glenview.
1.00 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	10.10 ft	August 14, 1987
2	9.66 ft	July 22, 1982
3	9.65 ft	July 13, 1957
4	8.86 ft	June 10, 1967
5	8.77 ft	October 13, 2001
6	8.56 ft	March 25, 1954
7	8.54 ft	June 11, 1955
8	8.47 ft	June 26, 2013
9	8.42 ft	April 28, 1959
10	8.38 ft	June 24, 1994

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.38 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

17 Sat 58° 38° – Wind 10 mph

18 Sun 61° 41° – Wind 14 mph

19 Mon 66° 40° – Wind 6 mph

20 Tue 62° 56° – Wind 7 mph

21 Wed 66° 54° – Wind 5 mph

22 Thu 67° 58° 0.01 in Wind 5 mph

23 Fri 68° 57° – Wind 9 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

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

Map

Other gauges on the Wf of Nb Chicago River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Wf of Nb Chicago River at DeerfieldRiver gauge, Wf of Nb Chicago River	7.22 ft	Low	−0.02 ft	2.3 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
North Branch Chicago River at DeerfieldRiver gauge, North Branch Chicago River	4.44 ft	Normal	−0.05 ft	1.3 mi
Skokie River near Highland ParkRiver gauge, Skokie River	2.69 ft	Very low	−0.05 ft	2.4 mi
Des Plaines River near Des PlainesRiver gauge, Des Plaines River	9.21 ft	High	−0.08 ft	4.4 mi
Mc Donald Creek near Mount ProspectRiver gauge, Mc Donald Creek	0.91 ft	Normal	−0.05 ft	5.0 mi
Des Plaines River at LincolnshireRiver gauge, Des Plaines River	7.52 ft	Normal	−0.06 ft	6.1 mi
Buffalo Creek near WheelingRiver gauge, Buffalo Creek	1.58 ft	Normal	−0.11 ft	6 mi
Skokie River at Lake ForestRiver gauge, Skokie River	2.04 ft	Normal	−0.04 ft	7 mi
Weller Creek at Des PlainesRiver gauge, Weller Creek	0.73 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	7 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Wf of Nb Chicago River at Northbrook compare with last year?

It is 0.43 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.43 ft.

What is flood stage for the Wf of Nb Chicago River at Northbrook?

The official flood stage is 7.00 ft. The level is currently 6.00 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Wf of Nb Chicago River at Northbrook in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 0.99 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 0.89 ft and 1.63 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 Wf of Nb Chicago River at Northbrook today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 03:00 PM CDT, the water level was 1.00 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Wf of Nb Chicago River at Northbrook rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Up 0.04 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Wf of Nb Chicago River at Northbrook 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:05535500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 42.13833, -87.83472 (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	1.00 ft	2026-10-19 20:00	Provisional
Flow	7.0 cfs	2026-10-19 20:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Wf of Nb Chicago River at Northbrook (usgs:05535500). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/wf-of-nb-chicago-river-at-northbrook

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