Indiana Harbor Canal at East Chicago (Lake Michigan outlet), IN
River level and flood forecast · Lake County
Normal9.8 ftas of Mon 3 PM
The river is 3.2 ft below flood stage (13 ft).
Flow: 1,180 cubic feet per second (USGS).
The last 7 days and the forecast
NWS forecast issued Sun, Dec 31, 6 PM. Forecasts change as rain falls and as upstream water arrives.
Flood stages
| Major flood stage | 15.5 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 14.5 ft |
| Flood stage | 13 ft |
| Action stage | 11.5 ft |
| Record crest (April 30, 2020) | 14.35 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 18 ftI-90 threatened near 141st Street in Hammond.
- 16 ftNumerous residences threatened near East Chicago Central High School.
- 15 ftWithout flood protection, numerous roadways and structures are threatened near Lake George and Wolf Lake in Hammond and Whiting. Indianapolis Boulevard threatened near McShane Avenue in East Chicago. Gary Airport service road threatened.
- 14.5 ftWithout flood protection, park land and athletic fields are inundated near Wolf Lake and Lake George in Hammond and Whiting.
- 14 ftWithout flood protection, US-41 (Calumet Avenue) is threatened at 129 Street and at I-90 in Hammond.
- 13 ftWithout flood protection, water begins to move through the Lake George Canal into Lake George and Wolf Lake in Hammond and Whiting.
- 12 ftLow-lying sections of Goodman Park threatened in East Chicago.
- 11.5 ftWater overtops low-lying banks along Grand Calumet River at the confluence with the Indiana Harbor Canal.
- 11 ftWater overtops low-lying banks along the Indiana Harbor Canal and the Lake George Canal in Hammond and East Chicago.
- 9 ftWater begins to flow toward the Calumet River through the Indiana Harbor Canal and the Grand Calumet River.
Highest crests on record
- 14.35 ft — April 30, 2020
- 14.28 ft — August 11, 2020
- 14.25 ft — January 11, 2020
- 14.12 ft — June 3, 2020
- 14.05 ft — July 20, 2019
Recent crests: 14.28 ft (August 11, 2020) · 13.95 ft (July 10, 2020) · 14.12 ft (June 3, 2020) · 14.35 ft (April 30, 2020) · 13.74 ft (March 6, 2020)
Up and down the river, and nearby
- Grand Calumet River above Hammond (Columbia Ave), IN
- Little Calumet River at Highland (Kennedy Avenue), IN
- Little Calumet River at Hammond (Indianapolis Boulevard), IN
- Little Calumet River at Munster, IN
- Little Calumet River at Munster (Northcote Avenue), IN
- Hart Ditch at Munster, IN
- Little Calumet River at Gary (Burr Street), IN
- Little Calumet River at South Holland, IL
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (IHCI3); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.