Des Plaines River near Des Plaines
No watches, warnings or advisories are in effect for this area.
Future / Actual / Minor
OWP 2.0 WWA Modal Title
01/11/2021, 10:04 PM UTC through 01/11/2021, 10:04 PM UTC
Sender
Sent
- Warning: no valid ratings curve available. Transformations to and from FEET/CFS/KCFS will not happen.
Traces and Thresholds Click to turn on/off display
Observed (OBS) 06/10/2025 10:45 AM CDTRecord: 20.9 ftLow Threshold: 7.5 ftCATEGORY STAGE 
Major Flooding 19 ft Moderate Flooding 18 ft Minor Flooding 15 ft Action 13.5 ft Reliability of the Forecast:
NOTE: Forecasts are issued as needed during times of high water, but are not routinely available.
River forecasts for this location take into account past and future precipitation. The stages/flows that will occur may be different if future rainfall is different than forecast.
National Water Model Hydrograph
Official NWS streamflow forecasts are produced by NWS hydrologic forecasters for river gauge locations using hydrologic models which are calibrated to that location. This process considers additional guidance and information, including local expertise and experience, to produce the best forecast possible. The NWM output provides supplemental guidance to NWS forecasters and should not be considered an official NWS river forecast.
Flood Impacts
- 22.5 - Structures threatened at Chicago Executive Airport in Prospect Heights.
- 21.5 - Taxiways and runways threatened at Chicago Executive Airport in Prospect Heights.
- 21 - Milwaukee Avenue threatened at Palatine Road in Prospect Heights. Algonquin Road threatened east of the river in Des Plaines.
Gauge Info
| Coordinates | 42.0872, -87.8872 |
| RFC | NCRFC |
| State | IL |
| WFO | LOT |
| County | Cook |
| Data Provider(s) | |
| US Geological Survey | USGS--Water Resources of the United States |
| USGS | 05529000 |
Gauge Location
Recent Crests
| 1. | 17.78 ft | on 03-12-2021 |
| 2. | 19.77 ft | on 05-18-2020 |
| 3. | 16.96 ft | on 05-02-2020 |
| 4. | 15.15 ft | on 03-29-2020 |
| 5. | 17.88 ft | on 09-14-2019 |
Recent Crests
| 1. | 17.78 ft | on 03-12-2021 | |
| 2. | 19.77 ft | on 05-18-2020 | |
| 3. | 16.96 ft | on 05-02-2020 | |
| 4. | 15.15 ft | on 03-29-2020 | |
| 5. | 17.88 ft | on 09-14-2019 | |
| 6. | 14.96 ft | on 06-21-2019 | |
| 7. | 15.84 ft | on 05-01-2019 | |
| 8. | 15.30 ft | on 03-16-2019 | |
| 9. | 15.15 ft | on 02-08-2019 | |
| 10. | 16.17 ft | on 09-04-2018 | |
| 11. | 15.98 ft | on 02-21-2018 | |
| 12. | 15.87 ft | on 10-15-2017 | |
| 13. | 19.92 ft | on 07-14-2017 | |
| 14. | 15.83 ft | on 05-02-2017 | |
| 15. | 15.76 ft | on 04-06-2017 | |
| 16. | 13.98 ft | on 11-28-2015 | |
| 17. | 20.92 ft | on 04-19-2013 | |
| 18. | 17.55 ft | on 07-23-2011 | |
| 19. | 17.19 ft | on 05-14-2010 | |
| 20. | 17.43 ft | on 12-28-2008 | |
| 21. | 20.00 ft | on 09-14-2008 | |
| 22. | 18.62 ft | on 08-02-2007 | |
| 23. | 14.80 ft | on 03-14-2006 | |
| 24. | 14.31 ft | on 01-13-2005 | |
| 25. | 18.51 ft | on 05-27-2004 | |
| 26. | 13.85 ft | on 05-11-2003 | |
| 27. | 15.82 ft | on 08-22-2002 | |
| 28. | 17.38 ft | on 10-14-2001 | |
| 29. | 14.81 ft | on 09-19-2001 | |
| 30. | 15.83 ft | on 06-18-2000 | |
| 31. | 17.80 ft | on 04-24-1999 | |
| 32. | 14.10 ft | on 04-17-1998 | |
| 33. | 18.05 ft | on 02-22-1997 | |
| 34. | 18.67 ft | on 05-21-1996 | |
| 35. | 16.60 ft | on 02-20-1994 | |
| 36. | 16.49 ft | on 04-01-1993 | |
| 37. | 15.37 ft | on 11-15-1991 | |
| 38. | 15.01 ft | on 04-16-1991 | |
| 39. | 15.93 ft | on 08-21-1990 | |
| 40. | 14.35 ft | on 08-04-1989 | |
| 41. | 14.94 ft | on 01-21-1988 | |
| 42. | 18.77 ft | on 08-14-1987 | |
| 43. | 20.88 ft | on 10-01-1986 | |
| 44. | 16.47 ft | on 11-20-1985 | |
| 45. | 17.53 ft | on 03-05-1985 | |
| 46. | 13.61 ft | on 02-13-1984 | |
| 47. | 17.76 ft | on 04-03-1983 | |
| 48. | 17.95 ft | on 07-23-1982 | |
| 49. | 13.27 ft | on 08-15-1981 | |
| 50. | 12.71 ft | on 04-15-1980 | |
| 51. | 17.34 ft | on 03-20-1979 | |
| 52. | 13.98 ft | on 07-02-1978 | |
| 53. | 15.77 ft | on 03-06-1976 | |
| 54. | 14.42 ft | on 04-28-1975 | |
| 55. | 15.49 ft | on 01-28-1974 | |
| 56. | 16.45 ft | on 04-22-1973 | |
| 57. | 16.14 ft | on 06-20-1972 | |
| 58. | 15.49 ft | on 02-27-1971 | |
| 59. | 17.65 ft | on 06-03-1970 | |
| 60. | 15.28 ft | on 06-09-1969 | |
| 61. | 13.53 ft | on 08-17-1968 | |
| 62. | 16.30 ft | on 06-11-1967 | |
| 63. | 13.69 ft | on 02-10-1966 | |
| 64. | 14.17 ft | on 04-07-1965 | |
| 65. | 16.30 ft | on 03-25-1962 | |
| 66. | 18.56 ft | on 04-02-1960 | |
| 67. | 15.18 ft | on 07-13-1957 | |
| 68. | 13.25 ft | on 10-11-1954 | |
| 69. | 13.72 ft | on 04-26-1954 | |
| 70. | 14.69 ft | on 02-26-1951 | |
| 71. | 17.78 ft | on 04-25-1950 | |
| 72. | 13.07 ft | on 02-25-1949 | |
| 73. | 16.82 ft | on 03-22-1948 | |
| 74. | 13.48 ft | on 06-02-1947 | |
| 75. | 14.87 ft | on 01-10-1946 | |
| 76. | 13.38 ft | on 05-17-1945 | |
| 77. | 14.84 ft | on 03-14-1944 | |
| 78. | 15.15 ft | on 02-25-1943 | |
| 79. | 13.75 ft | on 10-24-1941 | |
| 80. | 12.92 ft | on 03-16-1941 | |
| 81. | 19.00 ft | on 07-04-1938 | 1 |
Historic Crests
| 1. | 20.92 ft | on 04-19-2013 |
| 2. | 20.88 ft | on 10-01-1986 |
| 3. | 20.00 ft | on 09-14-2008 |
| 4. | 19.92 ft | on 07-14-2017 |
| 5. | 19.77 ft | on 05-18-2020 |
Historic Crests
| 1. | 20.92 ft | on 04-19-2013 | |
| 2. | 20.88 ft | on 10-01-1986 | |
| 3. | 20.00 ft | on 09-14-2008 | |
| 4. | 19.92 ft | on 07-14-2017 | |
| 5. | 19.77 ft | on 05-18-2020 | |
| 6. | 19.00 ft | on 07-04-1938 | 1 |
| 7. | 18.77 ft | on 08-14-1987 | |
| 8. | 18.67 ft | on 05-21-1996 | |
| 9. | 18.62 ft | on 08-02-2007 | |
| 10. | 18.56 ft | on 04-02-1960 | |
| 11. | 18.51 ft | on 05-27-2004 | |
| 12. | 18.05 ft | on 02-22-1997 | |
| 13. | 17.95 ft | on 07-23-1982 | |
| 14. | 17.88 ft | on 09-14-2019 | |
| 15. | 17.80 ft | on 04-24-1999 | |
| 16. | 17.78 ft | on 03-12-2021 | |
| 17. | 17.78 ft | on 04-25-1950 | |
| 18. | 17.76 ft | on 04-03-1983 | |
| 19. | 17.65 ft | on 06-03-1970 | |
| 20. | 17.55 ft | on 07-23-2011 | |
| 21. | 17.53 ft | on 03-05-1985 | |
| 22. | 17.43 ft | on 12-28-2008 | |
| 23. | 17.38 ft | on 10-14-2001 | |
| 24. | 17.34 ft | on 03-20-1979 | |
| 25. | 17.19 ft | on 05-14-2010 | |
| 26. | 16.96 ft | on 05-02-2020 | |
| 27. | 16.82 ft | on 03-22-1948 | |
| 28. | 16.60 ft | on 02-20-1994 | |
| 29. | 16.49 ft | on 04-01-1993 | |
| 30. | 16.47 ft | on 11-20-1985 | |
| 31. | 16.45 ft | on 04-22-1973 | |
| 32. | 16.30 ft | on 03-25-1962 | |
| 33. | 16.30 ft | on 06-11-1967 | |
| 34. | 16.17 ft | on 09-04-2018 | |
| 35. | 16.14 ft | on 06-20-1972 | |
| 36. | 15.98 ft | on 02-21-2018 | |
| 37. | 15.93 ft | on 08-21-1990 | |
| 38. | 15.87 ft | on 10-15-2017 | |
| 39. | 15.84 ft | on 05-01-2019 | |
| 40. | 15.83 ft | on 06-18-2000 | |
| 41. | 15.83 ft | on 05-02-2017 | |
| 42. | 15.82 ft | on 08-22-2002 | |
| 43. | 15.77 ft | on 03-06-1976 | |
| 44. | 15.76 ft | on 04-06-2017 | |
| 45. | 15.49 ft | on 02-27-1971 | |
| 46. | 15.49 ft | on 01-28-1974 | |
| 47. | 15.37 ft | on 11-15-1991 | |
| 48. | 15.30 ft | on 03-16-2019 | |
| 49. | 15.28 ft | on 06-09-1969 | |
| 50. | 15.18 ft | on 07-13-1957 | |
| 51. | 15.15 ft | on 02-25-1943 | |
| 52. | 15.15 ft | on 03-29-2020 | |
| 53. | 15.15 ft | on 02-08-2019 | |
| 54. | 15.01 ft | on 04-16-1991 | |
| 55. | 14.96 ft | on 06-21-2019 | |
| 56. | 14.94 ft | on 01-21-1988 | |
| 57. | 14.87 ft | on 01-10-1946 | |
| 58. | 14.84 ft | on 03-14-1944 | |
| 59. | 14.81 ft | on 09-19-2001 | |
| 60. | 14.80 ft | on 03-14-2006 | |
| 61. | 14.69 ft | on 02-26-1951 | |
| 62. | 14.42 ft | on 04-28-1975 | |
| 63. | 14.35 ft | on 08-04-1989 | |
| 64. | 14.31 ft | on 01-13-2005 | |
| 65. | 14.17 ft | on 04-07-1965 | |
| 66. | 14.10 ft | on 04-17-1998 | |
| 67. | 13.98 ft | on 11-28-2015 | |
| 68. | 13.98 ft | on 07-02-1978 | |
| 69. | 13.85 ft | on 05-11-2003 | |
| 70. | 13.75 ft | on 10-24-1941 | |
| 71. | 13.72 ft | on 04-26-1954 | |
| 72. | 13.69 ft | on 02-10-1966 | |
| 73. | 13.61 ft | on 02-13-1984 | |
| 74. | 13.53 ft | on 08-17-1968 | |
| 75. | 13.48 ft | on 06-02-1947 | |
| 76. | 13.38 ft | on 05-17-1945 | |
| 77. | 13.27 ft | on 08-15-1981 | |
| 78. | 13.25 ft | on 10-11-1954 | |
| 79. | 13.07 ft | on 02-25-1949 | |
| 80. | 12.92 ft | on 03-16-1941 | |
| 81. | 12.71 ft | on 04-15-1980 |
Low Water Records
Low Water Records
Vertical Datum Table
| type | NAVD88 |
|---|---|
| major Flooding | 635.15 ft |
| moderate Flooding | 634.15 ft |
| minor Flooding | 631.15 ft |
| action | 629.65 ft |
| Latest Value | 624.76 ft |
| Gauge Zero | 616.15 ft |
Gauge Photos
No Images Found
Collaborative Agencies
The National Weather Service prepares its forecasts and other services in collaboration with agencies like the US Geological Survey, US Bureau of Reclamation, US Army Corps of Engineers, Natural Resource Conservation Service, National Park Service, ALERT Users Group, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and many state and local emergency managers across the country. For details, please click here.