Channel Lake water level · IL

Wind forecast, gusts, and gage height for small-craft sailing at Channel Lake (Channel Lake Near Antioch).

Good to know 📏 Reading USGS water gauges: elevation vs. gage height 💨 Gust factor: an indicator of jibe-crash risk
Channel Lake water level

Gage height recorded at USGS gauge 05547000, refreshed every 15 minutes to 1 hour depending on the sensor.

Gage height

4.16ft

recorded Nov 4, 6:45 AM

24-hr change

−0.02ft

falling

7-day change

+0.02ft

rising

14-day range

4.07–4.20ft

lowest to highest

Recent daily readings

DateLevel (ft)Δ day
Nov 4●4.16↑ 0.05
Nov 34.11↓ 0.05
Nov 24.16↑ 0.03
Nov 14.13↑ 0.01
Oct 314.12↓ 0.01
Oct 304.130
Oct 294.13↓ 0.01
Oct 284.14↑ 0.03
Oct 274.11↑ 0.04
Oct 264.07↓ 0.09
Oct 254.16↓ 0.04
Oct 244.200
Oct 234.20↑ 0.01
Oct 224.19—

Readings fetched Nov 4, 7:12 AM; the chart above loads the latest data live from USGS.

Channel Lake water level questions

What is the water level at Channel Lake today?
4.16 ft, recorded Nov 4, 6:45 AM at USGS gauge 05547000. The chart above refreshes live from the same gauge.
Is Channel Lake rising or falling?
steady — 0.02 ft over the last 7 days.
How does this compare to normal for Channel Lake?
Over the last 14 days the gauge has ranged from 4.07 ft to 4.20 ft; today's reading sits near the top of that range.
Where does the water level data for Channel Lake come from?
USGS gauge 05547000 (Channel Lake Near Antioch), which reports every 15 minutes to 1 hour. Readings are provisional until reviewed by the USGS.
What is the water temperature at Channel Lake?
This gauge has no live water-temperature sensor — the fishing tab shows a seasonal estimate based on air temperature.

Gage height history

Gage height · USGS gauge 05547000

Reading the chart. This gauge reports gage height — the depth of water above the sensor reference point, not absolute elevation. Trends matter more than the absolute number: a falling trend means shrinking launch depth.

Water levels respond to dam operations, irrigation drawdown, snowmelt, and recent rainfall. For launch decisions, combine the trend here with the wind forecast — low water plus strong wind makes steep, tired ramps.

About this lake

Location
42.4719°, -88.1470°
Gauge datum
733 ft
USGS gauge
05547000
Water temp sensor
No

Water level data comes from the USGS gauge above; wind is modeled for the lake’s coordinates by Open-Meteo. Always confirm conditions locally before launching — shorelines, ramps, and trees can all change what you feel on the water. Midwest lakes are dominated by pre-frontal south winds that build through the day, then swing northwest sharply behind a cold front — the shift can arrive in minutes and double the gusts, especially on east–west basins.

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