Poplar Creek at Elgin, IL

Cook County, Illinois · USGS gauge 05550500 · NWS EPCI2 · Illinois river levels

Is Poplar Creek at Elgin, IL flooding right now?

Poplar Creek at Elgin, IL measured 1.73 ft on 2026-09-22 21:00:00 UTC. That observation was 3.8 ft below its 5.5 ft flood stage. This is the latest available reading, not a guarantee of current conditions.

Gauge height

1.73 ft

as of 47 min ago

Streamflow

44 cfs

data refreshed 16 min ago

Minor flooding here begins at 5.5 ft, with major flooding at 8 ft. The highest crest on record was 7.69 ft on Sat, Sep 13, 2008.

Streamflow outlook

NOAA National Water Model forecast, issued 10 hours ago. The NWM models discharge for every river reach in the country, including the many gauges the National Weather Service does not forecast individually. It is a model, not an official NWS river forecast, and it predicts flow rather than water level.

Flood stages at this gauge

Category	Stage	Current distance
Action	5 ft	3.3 ft below
Minor flood	5.5 ft	3.8 ft below
Moderate flood	6.5 ft	4.8 ft below
Major flood	8 ft	6.3 ft below

New to these numbers? What does flood stage mean? · How to read a river gauge · Why is the river rising?

Highest crests on record

Stage	Date
7.69 ft	2008-09-13
7.42 ft	2013-04-18
6.78 ft	1997-02-21
6.61 ft	2020-05-15
6.55 ft	2008-12-28

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Distance	County
Fox River at South Elgin, IL	2.9 mi	Kane County
Fox River at South Elgin, Il (Tailwater)	2.9 mi	Kane County
Tyler Creek at Elgin, IL	3.4 mi	Kane County
Ferson Creek near St. Charles, IL	7.8 mi	Kane County
West Branch Du Page River near West Chicago, IL	8.8 mi	DuPage County

Provisional data: Real-time readings are provisional and subject to revision by the USGS — sensors can be affected by ice, debris, or equipment malfunction. Do not rely on this site for decisions involving personal safety; follow official guidance from the National Weather Service and local authorities.

Sources: USGS monitoring location · NWS gauge & forecast