Search
Menu

Explore

Hazards

Analysis

Rankings

Reference

Chicago River at Chicago (Columbus Dr)

Highest listed crest 5.50 ftFlood stage 3.0 ft17 crests since 1954

The Chicago River at Chicago (Columbus Dr) crested at major flood stage 2 times among the 17 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1954 to 2020. The highest, 5.50 ft on October 10, 1954, was major flooding, 2.50 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
5.50 ft
October 10, 1954
Flood stage
3.0 ft
Major flooding from 5.0 ft
Crests at major
2
82nd of 177 gauges in Illinois
Most recent flood crest
May 17, 2020
5.12 ft, major flooding
Location
Cook County
Near Chicago (4.8 mi), Cicero (7.7 mi), Oak Park (8.7 mi)

Flood stages

The thresholds the National Weather Service uses for this gauge today, and how many listed crests reached each.

Flood categories, Chicago River at Chicago (Columbus Dr)
Action stage1.07May 1, 2019The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)3.06Oct 14, 2017Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage4.02Jul 24, 2010Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage5.02May 17, 2020Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

17 crests from 1954 to 2020. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Chicago River at Chicago (Columbus Dr), 1954 to 2020 123456ft Flood stage 3.0 ftMajor 5.0 ft Oct 10, 1954: 5.50 ft, major floodingJun 11, 1967: 1.50 ft, action stageAug 16, 1997: 4.20 ft, moderate floodingAug 5, 2008: 1.90 ft, action stageSep 13, 2008: 3.06 ft, minor floodingDec 27, 2008: 3.15 ft, minor floodingMar 8, 2009: 2.81 ft, action stageJul 24, 2010: 4.72 ft, moderate floodingJul 23, 2011: 3.99 ft, minor floodingAug 26, 2012: 1.60 ft, action stageApr 18, 2013: 3.18 ft, minor floodingJun 30, 2014: 2.85 ft, action stageJun 15, 2015: 3.16 ft, minor floodingOct 14, 2017: 3.37 ft, minor floodingFeb 21, 2018: 1.04 ft, action stageMay 1, 2019: 1.93 ft, action stageMay 17, 2020: 5.12 ft, major flooding Highest, 5.50 ft, Oct 10, 1954 1960197019801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Chicago River at Chicago (Columbus Dr) 1950s: 1 1960s: 0 1970s: 0 1980s: 0 1990s: 1 2000s: 2 2010s: 5 5 2020s: 1 1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  1. 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.
  2. Categories use today's flood stages. Levees, dams and channel changes since a crest can make old and new stages not directly comparable.

Highest crests

Highest listed crests, Chicago River at Chicago (Columbus Dr)
1Oct 10, 19545.50+2.50Major—
2May 17, 20205.12+2.12Major—
3Jul 24, 20104.72+1.72Moderate—
4Aug 16, 19974.20+1.20Moderate—
5Jul 23, 20113.99+0.99Minor—
6Oct 14, 20173.37+0.37Minor—
7Apr 18, 20133.18+0.18Minor—
8Jun 15, 20153.16+0.16Minor—
9Dec 27, 20083.15+0.15Minor—
10Sep 13, 20083.06+0.06Minor—
11Jun 30, 20142.85−0.15Action—
12Mar 8, 20092.81−0.19Action—
13May 1, 20191.93−1.07Action—
14Aug 5, 20081.90−1.10Action—
15Aug 26, 20121.60−1.40Action—
16Jun 11, 19671.50−1.50Action—
17Feb 21, 20181.04−1.96Action—

Other gauges in Cook County

Flood gauges in Cook County
Bellwood9.013.57 ft, Jul 24, 20104
Wheeling5.08.46 ft, Jun 26, 20136
Flossmoor9.013.08 ft, Apr 17, 20060
Markham10.012.00 ft, Oct 11, 19542
Chicago (Western Ave)4.05.26 ft, May 17, 20200
Chicago Heights10.012.87 ft, Sep 15, 20080
Des Plaines (Algonquin Road)13.021.00 ft, Sep 14, 20082
Lyons18.022.87 ft, Apr 18, 20132
River Forest16.018.98 ft, Apr 19, 20131
Riverside7.511.28 ft, Apr 18, 20137
Des Plaines15.020.92 ft, Apr 19, 20135
Lemont10.013.24 ft, May 18, 20200
Willow Springs10.010.57 ft, Apr 18, 20130
Lake Michigan at Calumet Harbor5.06.07 ft, Aug 11, 20200
Lake Michigan at Chicago (Chicago Lock)4.05.98 ft, Apr 29, 20200
Lansing7.010.18 ft, Oct 11, 19540
South Holland16.020.50 ft, Nov 28, 19905
Lemont6.011.10 ft, Jul 18, 19961
Mount Prospect5.08.08 ft, Aug 14, 19872
Oak Forest6.09.50 ft, Apr 5, 19472
Midlothian8.59.98 ft, Feb 2, 20160
Chicago (Grand Ave)3.05.70 ft, Oct 10, 19543
Chicago (Pulaski Rd)18.022.50 ft, Aug 14, 19871
Niles10.012.13 ft, Sep 14, 20082
Elgin5.57.69 ft, Sep 13, 20080
Elk Grove Village17.020.80 ft, May 18, 20200
Rolling Meadows8.514.03 ft, Aug 14, 19870
Western Springs7.510.65 ft, Apr 18, 20130
Worth31.036.50 ft, Oct 11, 19542
Glenwood8.511.14 ft, Jul 13, 19570
Thornton9.017.06 ft, Jun 14, 19816
Palos Park9.010.30 ft, Oct 10, 19540
Des Plaines9.015.09 ft, Jun 10, 19677
Northbrook7.010.10 ft, Aug 14, 19877

Cook County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Illinois

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge NBCI2, 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.