Search
Menu

Explore

Hazards

Analysis

Rankings

Reference

Des Plaines River at Des Plaines (Algonquin Road)

Highest listed crest 21.00 ftFlood stage 13.0 ft7 crests since 2008

The Des Plaines River at Des Plaines (Algonquin Road) crested at major flood stage 2 times among the 7 crests the National Weather Service lists from 2008 to 2020. The highest, 21.00 ft on September 14, 2008, was major flooding, 8.00 feet above flood stage. 5 other gauges on the Des Plaines River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
21.00 ft
September 14, 2008
Flood stage
13.0 ft
Major flooding from 20.0 ft
Crests at major
2
82nd of 177 gauges in Illinois
Most recent flood crest
May 18, 2020
20.24 ft, major flooding
Location
Cook County
Near Des Plaines (1.2 mi), Park Ridge (2.3 mi), Niles (3.5 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Des Plaines River at Des Plaines (Algonquin Road)
Action stage12.50—The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)13.05May 2, 2020Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage18.00—Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage20.02May 18, 2020Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

7 crests from 2008 to 2020. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Des Plaines River at Des Plaines (Algonquin Road), 2008 to 2020 121416182022ft Flood stage 13.0 ftMajor 20.0 ft Sep 14, 2008: 21.00 ft, major floodingJul 22, 2019: 15.20 ft, minor flooding; 2,330 cubic feet per secondSep 15, 2019: 17.92 ft, minor flooding; 3,790 cubic feet per secondOct 27, 2019: 14.38 ft, minor flooding; 1,940 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 2020: 15.59 ft, minor flooding; 2,520 cubic feet per secondMay 2, 2020: 17.08 ft, minor flooding; 3,210 cubic feet per secondMay 18, 2020: 20.24 ft, major flooding; 4,840 cubic feet per second Highest, 21.00 ft, Sep 14, 2008 201020152020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Des Plaines River at Des Plaines (Algonquin Road) 2000s: 1 2010s: 3 3 2020s: 3 2000s2010s2020s
  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, Des Plaines River at Des Plaines (Algonquin Road)
1Sep 14, 200821.00+8.00Major—
2May 18, 202020.24+7.24Major4,840
3Sep 15, 201917.92+4.92Minor3,790
4May 2, 202017.08+4.08Minor3,210
5Mar 29, 202015.59+2.59Minor2,520
6Jul 22, 201915.20+2.20Minor2,330
7Oct 27, 201914.38+1.38Minor1,940

The worst floods along the Des Plaines River

For this gauge's highest crests, the other gauges on the Des Plaines River that crested above flood stage within a week.

September 14, 2008: 21.00 ft here, major flooding

May 18, 2020: 20.24 ft here, major flooding

September 15, 2019: 17.92 ft here, minor flooding

  • RussellIL · Sep 15, 2019 · 10.48 ft · Major
  • LincolnshireIL · Sep 14, 2019 · 15.07 ft · Moderate
  • GurneeIL · Sep 15, 2019 · 10.52 ft · Moderate
  • Des PlainesIL · Sep 14, 2019 · 17.88 ft · Minor

Gauges on the Des Plaines River

In USGS station-number order, which runs downstream within a river basin.

Flood gauges on the Des Plaines River
RussellIL7.012.11 ft, Jul 14, 20178
GurneeIL7.012.09 ft, Jul 16, 20174
LincolnshireIL12.516.55 ft, Jul 13, 20174
Des PlainesIL15.020.92 ft, Apr 19, 20135
Des Plaines (Algonquin Road) this gaugeIL13.021.00 ft, Sep 14, 20082
River ForestIL16.018.98 ft, Apr 19, 20131
RiversideIL7.511.28 ft, Apr 18, 20137
LyonsIL18.022.87 ft, Apr 18, 20132
LemontIL10.013.24 ft, May 18, 20200
JolietIL541.0542.00 ft, Jul 1, 19570
Brandon Road Lock (tailwater)IL507.0513.30 ft, Jul 13, 19570

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 (Columbus Dr)3.05.50 ft, Oct 10, 19542
Chicago (Western Ave)4.05.26 ft, May 17, 20200
Chicago Heights10.012.87 ft, Sep 15, 20080
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 DMPI2, 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.