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Des Plaines River at Joliet

Highest listed crest 542.00 ftFlood stage 541.0 ft13 crests since 1957

The Des Plaines River at Joliet crested above flood stage 3 times among the 13 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1957 to 2019. The highest, 542.00 ft on July 1, 1957, was minor flooding, 1.00 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
542.00 ft
July 1, 1957
Flood stage
541.0 ft
Major flooding from 544.0 ft
Crests at major
0
3 above flood stage
Most recent flood crest
September 14, 2008
541.22 ft, minor flooding
Location
Will County
Near Crest Hill (3.0 mi), Joliet (3.6 mi), Lockport (4.7 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 Joliet
Action stage540.53May 1, 2019The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)541.03Sep 14, 2008Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage543.00—Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage544.00—Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

13 crests from 1957 to 2019. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Des Plaines River at Joliet, 1957 to 2019 539540541542543544ft Flood stage 541.0 ftMajor 544.0 ft Jul 1, 1957: 542.00 ft, minor floodingApr 1, 1960: 539.50 ft, below flood stageMar 5, 1985: 541.00 ft, minor floodingJan 13, 2005: 539.96 ft, below flood stageAug 24, 2007: 540.64 ft, action stage; 27,400 cubic feet per secondSep 14, 2008: 541.22 ft, minor flooding; 33,100 cubic feet per secondDec 28, 2008: 540.49 ft, below flood stage; 28,300 cubic feet per secondJul 25, 2010: 540.29 ft, below flood stage; 26,400 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 2011: 540.42 ft, below flood stage; 27,300 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 2013: 540.92 ft, action stage; 23,500 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 2015: 540.37 ft, below flood stage; 20,800 cubic feet per secondMay 12, 2016: 540.06 ft, below flood stage; 20,700 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 2019: 540.97 ft, action stage Highest, 542.00 ft, Jul 1, 1957 1960197019801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Des Plaines River at Joliet 1950s: 1 1 1960s: 0 1970s: 0 1980s: 1 1990s: 0 2000s: 1 2010s: 0 1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s
  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 Joliet
1Jul 1, 1957542.00+1.00Minor—
2Sep 14, 2008541.22+0.22Minor33,100
3Mar 5, 1985541.000.00Minor—
4May 1, 2019540.97−0.03Action—
5Apr 18, 2013540.92−0.08Action23,500
6Aug 24, 2007540.64−0.36Action27,400
7Dec 28, 2008540.49−0.51Below flood stage28,300
8Jun 9, 2011540.42−0.58Below flood stage27,300
9Jun 16, 2015540.37−0.63Below flood stage20,800
10Jul 25, 2010540.29−0.71Below flood stage26,400
11May 12, 2016540.06−0.94Below flood stage20,700
12Jan 13, 2005539.96−1.04Below flood stage—
13Apr 1, 1960539.50−1.50Below flood stage—

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: 541.22 ft here, minor flooding

March 5, 1985: 541.00 ft here, minor flooding

  • Des PlainesIL · Mar 5, 1985 · 17.53 ft · Minor
  • GurneeIL · Mar 4, 1985 · 8.92 ft · Minor
  • RussellIL · Mar 5, 1985 · 8.69 ft · Minor
  • RiversideIL · Mar 5, 1985 · 7.94 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)IL13.021.00 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
Joliet this gaugeIL541.0542.00 ft, Jul 1, 19570
Brandon Road Lock (tailwater)IL507.0513.30 ft, Jul 13, 19570

Other gauges in Will County

Flood gauges in Will County
Lockport Lock (tailwater)541.0546.59 ft, Dec 4, 19820
Brandon Road Lock (tailwater)507.0513.30 ft, Jul 13, 19570
Shorewood15.524.03 ft, Jul 18, 19967
Plainfield12.016.57 ft, Apr 19, 20132
Bolingbrook20.025.54 ft, Apr 18, 20132
Joliet16.519.50 ft, Apr 18, 20130
Wilmington6.516.70 ft, Feb 5, 188317
Crete14.017.72 ft, Jun 9, 20110

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge JRSI2, 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.