Highest listed crest 16.01 ft May 17, 1974; 12,500 cubic feet per second
Flood stage 14.0 ft No major stage set
Crests at major 0 9 above flood stage
Most recent flood crest February 21, 1997 15.73 ft, minor flooding Listed crests at the Big Bureau Creek at Princeton, 1937 to 2005 0 5 10 15 20 ft Flood stage 14.0 ft Feb 21, 1937: 14.53 ft, minor flooding; 8,300 cubic feet per second Apr 5, 1937: 9.50 ft, below flood stage; 1,820 cubic feet per second Apr 21, 1937: 10.70 ft, below flood stage; 2,430 cubic feet per second Jan 24, 1938: 15.88 ft, minor flooding; 11,800 cubic feet per second Jan 30, 1938: 11.80 ft, below flood stage; 2,000 cubic feet per second Feb 6, 1938: 9.90 ft, below flood stage; 2,120 cubic feet per second Jun 1, 1938: 10.00 ft, below flood stage; 2,190 cubic feet per second Jun 24, 1938: 9.90 ft, below flood stage; 2,120 cubic feet per second Sep 8, 1938: 10.80 ft, below flood stage; 2,800 cubic feet per second Feb 10, 1939: 12.60 ft, action stage; 3,500 cubic feet per second Mar 12, 1939: 13.30 ft, action stage; 5,980 cubic feet per second Aug 8, 1939: 13.80 ft, action stage; 6,840 cubic feet per second Mar 3, 1940: 11.66 ft, below flood stage; 2,910 cubic feet per second Feb 14, 1941: 11.80 ft, below flood stage; 3,000 cubic feet per second Jul 23, 1941: 12.77 ft, action stage; 4,510 cubic feet per second Oct 3, 1941: 11.63 ft, below flood stage; 2,830 cubic feet per second Feb 6, 1942: 10.50 ft, below flood stage; 2,300 cubic feet per second Mar 16, 1942: 10.90 ft, below flood stage; 2,480 cubic feet per second Jun 12, 1942: 11.40 ft, below flood stage; 2,720 cubic feet per second Mar 16, 1943: 11.40 ft, below flood stage; 3,480 cubic feet per second May 20, 1943: 11.96 ft, below flood stage; 4,120 cubic feet per second Mar 15, 1944: 13.13 ft, action stage; 5,660 cubic feet per second Jun 28, 1945: 14.12 ft, minor flooding; 8,370 cubic feet per second Jan 6, 1946: 12.88 ft, action stage; 6,430 cubic feet per second Mar 5, 1946: 10.50 ft, below flood stage; 3,510 cubic feet per second Jun 12, 1946: 10.00 ft, below flood stage; 3,150 cubic feet per second Jul 9, 1946: 8.00 ft, below flood stage; 1,860 cubic feet per second Apr 5, 1947: 11.07 ft, below flood stage; 4,420 cubic feet per second Apr 20, 1947: 8.60 ft, below flood stage; 2,220 cubic feet per second Jun 8, 1947: 9.60 ft, below flood stage; 2,900 cubic feet per second Feb 28, 1948: 10.70 ft, below flood stage; 3,970 cubic feet per second Mar 15, 1948: 9.20 ft, below flood stage; 2,590 cubic feet per second Mar 19, 1948: 11.30 ft, below flood stage; 4,540 cubic feet per second Dec 29, 1948: 9.10 ft, below flood stage; 2,520 cubic feet per second Jan 5, 1949: 10.30 ft, below flood stage; 2,400 cubic feet per second Feb 13, 1949: 14.00 ft, minor flooding Feb 18, 1949: 11.24 ft, below flood stage; 4,540 cubic feet per second Feb 24, 1949: 8.90 ft, below flood stage; 2,400 cubic feet per second Mar 5, 1950: 9.30 ft, below flood stage; 2,800 cubic feet per second Apr 11, 1950: 7.90 ft, below flood stage; 2,000 cubic feet per second Apr 25, 1950: 12.09 ft, action stage; 5,730 cubic feet per second Jun 13, 1950: 8.70 ft, below flood stage; 2,440 cubic feet per second Feb 19, 1951: 11.78 ft, below flood stage; 4,400 cubic feet per second May 11, 1951: 10.47 ft, below flood stage; 3,970 cubic feet per second Jul 9, 1951: 12.17 ft, action stage; 5,870 cubic feet per second Jul 28, 1951: 9.03 ft, below flood stage; 2,780 cubic feet per second Aug 7, 1951: 9.30 ft, below flood stage; 2,990 cubic feet per second Jan 19, 1952: 7.61 ft, below flood stage; 1,880 cubic feet per second Mar 11, 1952: 8.16 ft, below flood stage; 2,590 cubic feet per second Jun 12, 1952: 6.98 ft, below flood stage; 1,870 cubic feet per second Jul 3, 1952: 7.06 ft, below flood stage; 1,930 cubic feet per second Jul 6, 1953: 7.37 ft, below flood stage; 2,110 cubic feet per second Jun 1, 1954: 8.12 ft, below flood stage; 2,180 cubic feet per second Oct 11, 1954: 12.16 ft, action stage; 5,410 cubic feet per second Jan 6, 1955: 7.54 ft, below flood stage; 1,940 cubic feet per second Feb 20, 1955: 9.80 ft, below flood stage; 3,520 cubic feet per second Feb 27, 1955: 8.80 ft, below flood stage; 2,800 cubic feet per second Jun 11, 1955: 7.91 ft, below flood stage; 2,200 cubic feet per second Jul 20, 1956: 7.83 ft, below flood stage; 2,200 cubic feet per second Feb 9, 1957: 6.13 ft, below flood stage Apr 27, 1957: 6.10 ft, below flood stage; 1,350 cubic feet per second Feb 25, 1958: 10.58 ft, below flood stage Jun 13, 1958: 9.61 ft, below flood stage; 3,220 cubic feet per second Jul 5, 1958: 7.81 ft, below flood stage; 2,000 cubic feet per second Jul 14, 1958: 8.76 ft, below flood stage; 2,640 cubic feet per second Feb 23, 1959: 8.95 ft, below flood stage; 2,300 cubic feet per second Jan 12, 1960: 10.13 ft, below flood stage; 3,700 cubic feet per second Mar 31, 1960: 12.32 ft, action stage; 6,120 cubic feet per second Apr 17, 1960: 9.52 ft, below flood stage; 3,200 cubic feet per second Sep 14, 1961: 4.88 ft, below flood stage; 515 cubic feet per second Mar 20, 1962: 11.99 ft, below flood stage; 5,760 cubic feet per second Apr 29, 1962: 10.51 ft, below flood stage; 4,100 cubic feet per second Mar 4, 1963: 10.80 ft, below flood stage; 4,000 cubic feet per second Jun 20, 1964: 6.91 ft, below flood stage; 1,400 cubic feet per second Jan 23, 1965: 8.61 ft, below flood stage; 2,530 cubic feet per second Sep 9, 1965: 8.86 ft, below flood stage; 2,720 cubic feet per second Sep 15, 1965: 8.79 ft, below flood stage; 2,650 cubic feet per second Dec 31, 1965: 7.67 ft, below flood stage; 1,920 cubic feet per second Feb 10, 1966: 12.60 ft, action stage; 6,530 cubic feet per second May 12, 1966: 13.62 ft, action stage; 8,020 cubic feet per second May 16, 1966: 7.95 ft, below flood stage; 2,270 cubic feet per second Apr 1, 1967: 8.94 ft, below flood stage; 2,860 cubic feet per second Jul 26, 1967: 9.22 ft, below flood stage; 3,050 cubic feet per second May 16, 1968: 4.84 ft, below flood stage; 636 cubic feet per second Jan 23, 1969: 12.94 ft, action stage; 6,980 cubic feet per second Jan 30, 1969: 8.56 ft, below flood stage; 2,640 cubic feet per second May 14, 1970: 8.92 ft, below flood stage; 2,850 cubic feet per second Jun 3, 1970: 12.19 ft, action stage; 5,990 cubic feet per second Jun 21, 1970: 7.35 ft, below flood stage; 1,910 cubic feet per second Sep 25, 1970: 9.70 ft, below flood stage; 3,390 cubic feet per second Feb 19, 1971: 10.45 ft, below flood stage Mar 15, 1971: 7.38 ft, below flood stage; 1,930 cubic feet per second Jun 9, 1972: 8.97 ft, below flood stage; 2,930 cubic feet per second Jun 15, 1972: 15.16 ft, minor flooding; 10,000 cubic feet per second Dec 30, 1972: 9.88 ft, below flood stage; 3,620 cubic feet per second Jan 4, 1973: 8.37 ft, below flood stage; 2,520 cubic feet per second Mar 7, 1973: 10.70 ft, below flood stage; 4,300 cubic feet per second Apr 9, 1973: 7.78 ft, below flood stage; 2,170 cubic feet per second Apr 22, 1973: 13.09 ft, action stage; 6,870 cubic feet per second Jan 27, 1974: 9.55 ft, below flood stage; 3,360 cubic feet per second Jan 31, 1974: 7.68 ft, below flood stage; 2,110 cubic feet per second May 17, 1974: 16.01 ft, minor flooding; 12,500 cubic feet per second Jun 9, 1974: 7.57 ft, below flood stage; 2,160 cubic feet per second Jun 22, 1974: 11.44 ft, below flood stage; 4,980 cubic feet per second Jan 29, 1975: 9.02 ft, below flood stage; 2,980 cubic feet per second Apr 28, 1975: 10.62 ft, below flood stage; 4,240 cubic feet per second Mar 5, 1976: 8.25 ft, below flood stage; 2,460 cubic feet per second Apr 25, 1976: 7.28 ft, below flood stage; 1,870 cubic feet per second May 5, 1977: 4.30 ft, below flood stage; 554 cubic feet per second Jun 26, 1978: 14.59 ft, minor flooding; 8,620 cubic feet per second Jul 3, 1978: 9.95 ft, below flood stage; 3,690 cubic feet per second Mar 20, 1979: 11.99 ft, below flood stage; 7,160 cubic feet per second Mar 30, 1979: 9.72 ft, below flood stage; 4,720 cubic feet per second Apr 26, 1979: 8.16 ft, below flood stage; 3,220 cubic feet per second Aug 17, 1980: 5.23 ft, below flood stage; 1,070 cubic feet per second Feb 22, 1981: 7.85 ft, below flood stage; 2,960 cubic feet per second Apr 14, 1981: 6.38 ft, below flood stage; 1,810 cubic feet per second May 30, 1981: 6.69 ft, below flood stage; 2,040 cubic feet per second Jun 14, 1981: 10.97 ft, below flood stage; 6,070 cubic feet per second Aug 15, 1981: 10.00 ft, below flood stage; 5,010 cubic feet per second Feb 21, 1982: 6.45 ft, below flood stage; 1,860 cubic feet per second Mar 16, 1982: 7.41 ft, below flood stage; 2,590 cubic feet per second Mar 20, 1982: 7.61 ft, below flood stage; 2,760 cubic feet per second Jun 15, 1982: 8.97 ft, below flood stage; 3,970 cubic feet per second Jul 7, 1982: 9.70 ft, below flood stage; 4,690 cubic feet per second Jul 23, 1982: 7.99 ft, below flood stage; 3,080 cubic feet per second Dec 3, 1982: 9.17 ft, below flood stage; 4,170 cubic feet per second Apr 2, 1983: 10.27 ft, below flood stage; 5,300 cubic feet per second May 23, 1983: 7.80 ft, below flood stage; 2,910 cubic feet per second Feb 13, 1984: 8.76 ft, below flood stage; 3,770 cubic feet per second Jun 22, 1984: 6.79 ft, below flood stage; 2,110 cubic feet per second Feb 23, 1985: 8.65 ft, below flood stage; 3,670 cubic feet per second Mar 4, 1985: 11.53 ft, below flood stage; 6,660 cubic feet per second Nov 19, 1985: 7.66 ft, below flood stage; 2,800 cubic feet per second Dec 1, 1985: 7.28 ft, below flood stage; 2,490 cubic feet per second Feb 4, 1986: 7.90 ft, below flood stage; 3,000 cubic feet per second Feb 20, 1986: 6.66 ft, below flood stage; 2,010 cubic feet per second May 18, 1986: 8.15 ft, below flood stage; 3,220 cubic feet per second Jul 9, 1986: 8.00 ft, below flood stage; 3,090 cubic feet per second May 20, 1987: 6.95 ft, below flood stage; 2,320 cubic feet per second Aug 26, 1987: 8.76 ft, below flood stage; 3,820 cubic feet per second Jan 20, 1988: 8.34 ft, below flood stage; 3,450 cubic feet per second Jan 31, 1988: 6.23 ft, below flood stage; 1,820 cubic feet per second Apr 6, 1988: 6.66 ft, below flood stage; 2,110 cubic feet per second Mar 11, 1989: 6.31 ft, below flood stage; 1,870 cubic feet per second Jun 29, 1990: 10.16 ft, below flood stage; 5,200 cubic feet per second Aug 20, 1990: 7.90 ft, below flood stage; 3,070 cubic feet per second Feb 5, 1991: 6.77 ft, below flood stage; 2,190 cubic feet per second Mar 2, 1991: 6.87 ft, below flood stage; 2,260 cubic feet per second Mar 19, 1991: 8.85 ft, below flood stage; 3,910 cubic feet per second May 26, 1991: 6.67 ft, below flood stage; 2,110 cubic feet per second Sep 10, 1992: 8.96 ft, below flood stage; 4,010 cubic feet per second Dec 16, 1992: 7.62 ft, below flood stage; 2,840 cubic feet per second Dec 31, 1992: 7.21 ft, below flood stage; 2,520 cubic feet per second Jan 4, 1993: 9.15 ft, below flood stage; 4,190 cubic feet per second Mar 4, 1993: 9.88 ft, below flood stage; 4,910 cubic feet per second Mar 23, 1993: 11.56 ft, below flood stage; 6,700 cubic feet per second Apr 16, 1993: 7.97 ft, below flood stage; 3,130 cubic feet per second Jun 9, 1993: 10.07 ft, below flood stage; 5,110 cubic feet per second Feb 20, 1994: 10.18 ft, below flood stage; 4,050 cubic feet per second Jun 24, 1994: 15.31 ft, minor flooding; 11,200 cubic feet per second Jan 14, 1995: 6.56 ft, below flood stage; 2,040 cubic feet per second May 9, 1995: 10.45 ft, below flood stage; 5,510 cubic feet per second May 24, 1995: 7.87 ft, below flood stage; 3,050 cubic feet per second May 28, 1995: 9.24 ft, below flood stage; 4,280 cubic feet per second May 29, 1996: 9.54 ft, below flood stage; 4,570 cubic feet per second Jun 2, 1996: 8.23 ft, below flood stage; 3,350 cubic feet per second Jun 7, 1996: 6.79 ft, below flood stage; 2,210 cubic feet per second Jul 18, 1996: 9.03 ft, below flood stage; 4,080 cubic feet per second Feb 21, 1997: 15.73 ft, minor flooding; 12,000 cubic feet per second Mar 1, 1997: 8.27 ft, below flood stage; 3,330 cubic feet per second May 8, 1998: 9.32 ft, below flood stage; 4,260 cubic feet per second Jun 30, 1998: 8.25 ft, below flood stage; 3,320 cubic feet per second Oct 18, 1998: 11.34 ft, below flood stage; 6,330 cubic feet per second Jan 24, 1999: 7.64 ft, below flood stage; 2,830 cubic feet per second Apr 23, 1999: 7.87 ft, below flood stage; 3,010 cubic feet per second May 13, 1999: 6.45 ft, below flood stage; 1,970 cubic feet per second Jun 14, 1999: 7.73 ft, below flood stage; 2,900 cubic feet per second Jun 1, 2000: 9.00 ft, below flood stage; 3,980 cubic feet per second Feb 9, 2001: 8.99 ft, below flood stage; 3,000 cubic feet per second Feb 25, 2001: 10.36 ft, below flood stage; 5,280 cubic feet per second May 12, 2002: 9.59 ft, below flood stage; 4,520 cubic feet per second Jun 5, 2002: 12.77 ft, action stage; 7,990 cubic feet per second May 11, 2003: 8.45 ft, below flood stage; 3,510 cubic feet per second May 31, 2004: 7.39 ft, below flood stage; 2,670 cubic feet per second Jan 13, 2005: 5.52 ft, below flood stage; 1,460 cubic feet per second Highest, 16.01 ft, May 17, 1974 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 Crests at or above flood stage, by decade Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Big Bureau Creek at Princeton 1930s: 2 1940s: 2 1950s: 0 1960s: 0 1970s: 3 3 1980s: 0 1990s: 2 2000s: 0 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s These are the crests the local National Weather Service office lists for the gauge: the highest on record and recent crests. Lesser floods between them may be missing, so counts by decade are a floor. Categories use today's flood stages. Levees, dams and channel changes since a crest can make old and new stages not directly comparable. Bureau County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Illinois
NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge PINI2, retrieved October 30, 2026. Stages in feet on the gauge's own datum, not elevation. Crests are as the National Weather Service lists them; preliminary values may be revised.