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Des Plaines River near Gurnee

Highest listed crest 12.09 ftFlood stage 7.0 ft75 crests since 1946

The Des Plaines River near Gurnee crested at major flood stage 4 times among the 75 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1946 to 2021. The highest, 12.09 ft on July 16, 2017, was major flooding, 5.09 feet above flood stage. 6 other gauges on the Des Plaines River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 2 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
12.09 ft
July 16, 2017; 3,440 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
7.0 ft
Major flooding from 11.0 ft
Crests at major
4
65th of 177 gauges in Illinois
Most recent flood crest
May 20, 2020
9.84 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Lake County
Near Gurnee (1.8 mi), Waukegan (4.0 mi), Libertyville (4.3 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 near Gurnee
Action stage6.58Mar 13, 2021The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)7.041Apr 1, 2020Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage9.016May 20, 2020Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage11.04Jul 16, 2017Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

75 crests from 1946 to 2021. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Des Plaines River near Gurnee, 1946 to 2021 468101214ft Flood stage 7.0 ftMajor 11.0 ft Jan 11, 1946: 7.86 ft, minor flooding; 1,580 cubic feet per secondJun 3, 1947: 5.78 ft, below flood stage; 931 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 1948: 9.21 ft, moderate flooding; 2,620 cubic feet per secondFeb 25, 1949: 7.44 ft, minor floodingApr 25, 1950: 8.22 ft, minor flooding; 1,780 cubic feet per secondFeb 28, 1951: 8.42 ft, minor flooding; 1,600 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 1952: 8.36 ft, minor flooding; 1,830 cubic feet per secondJul 8, 1954: 6.57 ft, action stage; 960 cubic feet per secondJan 9, 1955: 6.96 ft, action stage; 1,100 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 1957: 5.83 ft, below flood stage; 745 cubic feet per secondMar 3, 1958: 6.20 ft, below flood stage; 845 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 1960: 10.64 ft, moderate flooding; 3,070 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 1961: 6.55 ft, action stage; 960 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 1962: 9.02 ft, moderate flooding; 2,140 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1965: 7.86 ft, minor flooding; 1,520 cubic feet per secondFeb 10, 1966: 7.98 ft, minor flooding; 1,580 cubic feet per secondJun 10, 1967: 7.87 ft, minor flooding; 1,520 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 1969: 7.25 ft, minor flooding; 980 cubic feet per secondJun 3, 1970: 7.20 ft, minor flooding; 1,160 cubic feet per secondFeb 25, 1971: 8.44 ft, minor floodingSep 23, 1972: 8.19 ft, minor flooding; 1,750 cubic feet per secondApr 24, 1973: 7.75 ft, minor flooding; 1,500 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 1974: 9.07 ft, moderate flooding; 2,140 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 1976: 9.84 ft, moderate flooding; 2,590 cubic feet per secondAug 24, 1978: 8.74 ft, minor flooding; 1,700 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 1979: 10.29 ft, moderate flooding; 2,860 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 1980: 6.10 ft, below flood stage; 955 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 1982: 8.20 ft, minor flooding; 1,590 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1983: 9.65 ft, moderate flooding; 2,370 cubic feet per secondFeb 19, 1984: 6.76 ft, action stage; 1,050 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 1985: 8.92 ft, minor floodingSep 27, 1986: 11.95 ft, major flooding; 3,530 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 1987: 7.37 ft, minor flooding; 1,260 cubic feet per secondFeb 1, 1988: 7.76 ft, minor flooding; 1,390 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 1990: 8.16 ft, minor flooding; 1,400 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 1991: 7.81 ft, minor floodingApr 22, 1993: 9.89 ft, moderate flooding; 2,370 cubic feet per secondFeb 21, 1994: 8.18 ft, minor flooding; 1,370 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 1995: 7.67 ft, minor flooding; 1,220 cubic feet per secondMay 24, 1996: 8.92 ft, minor flooding; 1,640 cubic feet per secondFeb 22, 1997: 7.99 ft, minor flooding; 1,320 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1998: 7.53 ft, minor flooding; 1,180 cubic feet per secondApr 24, 1999: 8.48 ft, minor flooding; 1,470 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 2000: 10.30 ft, moderate flooding; 2,910 cubic feet per secondFeb 14, 2001: 7.04 ft, minor flooding; 1,140 cubic feet per secondOct 26, 2001: 6.61 ft, action stage; 989 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 2002: 5.59 ft, below flood stage; 734 cubic feet per secondMay 25, 2004: 11.76 ft, major flooding; 3,890 cubic feet per secondFeb 17, 2005: 6.88 ft, action stage; 1,000 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 2006: 6.24 ft, below flood stage; 838 cubic feet per secondAug 25, 2007: 9.80 ft, moderate flooding; 2,250 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 2008: 8.99 ft, minor flooding; 1,900 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 2009: 9.41 ft, moderate flooding; 2,120 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 2010: 8.53 ft, minor flooding; 1,830 cubic feet per secondApr 27, 2011: 7.35 ft, minor flooding; 1,280 cubic feet per secondApr 20, 2013: 11.20 ft, major flooding; 3,470 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 2017: 8.42 ft, minor flooding; 1,770 cubic feet per secondMay 2, 2017: 7.83 ft, minor flooding; 1,291 cubic feet per secondJul 16, 2017: 12.09 ft, major flooding; 3,440 cubic feet per secondFeb 25, 2018: 7.77 ft, minor flooding; 1,270 cubic feet per secondMay 16, 2018: 8.70 ft, minor flooding; 1,640 cubic feet per secondJun 28, 2018: 9.72 ft, moderate flooding; 2,100 cubic feet per secondSep 5, 2018: 7.14 ft, minor flooding; 959 cubic feet per secondOct 10, 2018: 8.38 ft, minor flooding; 3,170 cubic feet per secondDec 5, 2018: 8.16 ft, minor flooding; 1,420 cubic feet per secondFeb 9, 2019: 8.23 ft, minor flooding; 1,450 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 2019: 9.05 ft, moderate flooding; 1,860 cubic feet per secondMay 10, 2019: 7.83 ft, minor flooding; 1,380 cubic feet per secondSep 15, 2019: 10.52 ft, moderate flooding; 2,560 cubic feet per secondOct 6, 2019: 8.06 ft, minor flooding; 1,460 cubic feet per secondNov 1, 2019: 6.88 ft, action stage; 1,060 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 2020: 8.01 ft, minor flooding; 1,460 cubic feet per secondMay 2, 2020: 9.73 ft, moderate flooding; 2,320 cubic feet per secondMay 20, 2020: 9.84 ft, moderate flooding; 2,380 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 2021: 6.63 ft, action stage; 1,000 cubic feet per second Highest, 12.09 ft, Jul 16, 2017 19501960197019801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Des Plaines River near Gurnee 1940s: 3 1950s: 3 1960s: 6 1970s: 8 1980s: 6 1990s: 9 2000s: 6 2010s: 17 17 2020s: 3 1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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

The 50 highest of 75 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Des Plaines River near Gurnee
1Jul 16, 201712.09+5.09Major3,440
2Sep 27, 198611.95+4.95Major3,530
3May 25, 200411.76+4.76Major3,890
4Apr 20, 201311.20+4.20Major3,470
5Apr 3, 196010.64+3.64Moderate3,070
6Sep 15, 201910.52+3.52Moderate2,560
7Jun 16, 200010.30+3.30Moderate2,910
8Mar 22, 197910.29+3.29Moderate2,860
9Apr 22, 19939.89+2.89Moderate2,370
10Mar 7, 19769.84+2.84Moderate2,590
11May 20, 20209.84+2.84Moderate2,380
12Aug 25, 20079.80+2.80Moderate2,250
13May 2, 20209.73+2.73Moderate2,320
14Jun 28, 20189.72+2.72Moderate2,100
15Apr 6, 19839.65+2.65Moderate2,370
16Jun 22, 20099.41+2.41Moderate2,120
17Mar 21, 19489.21+2.21Moderate2,620
18Mar 6, 19749.07+2.07Moderate2,140
19Mar 16, 20199.05+2.05Moderate1,860
20Mar 23, 19629.02+2.02Moderate2,140
21Apr 2, 20088.99+1.99Minor1,900
22Mar 4, 19858.92+1.92Minor—
23May 24, 19968.92+1.92Minor1,640
24Aug 24, 19788.74+1.74Minor1,700
25May 16, 20188.70+1.70Minor1,640
26Mar 15, 20108.53+1.53Minor1,830
27Apr 24, 19998.48+1.48Minor1,470
28Feb 25, 19718.44+1.44Minor—
29Feb 28, 19518.42+1.42Minor1,600
30Apr 6, 20178.42+1.42Minor1,770
31Oct 10, 20188.38+1.38Minor3,170
32Apr 15, 19528.36+1.36Minor1,830
33Feb 9, 20198.23+1.23Minor1,450
34Apr 25, 19508.22+1.22Minor1,780
35Mar 21, 19828.20+1.20Minor1,590
36Sep 23, 19728.19+1.19Minor1,750
37Feb 21, 19948.18+1.18Minor1,370
38Mar 16, 19908.16+1.16Minor1,400
39Dec 5, 20188.16+1.16Minor1,420
40Oct 6, 20198.06+1.06Minor1,460
41Apr 1, 20208.01+1.01Minor1,460
42Feb 22, 19977.99+0.99Minor1,320
43Feb 10, 19667.98+0.98Minor1,580
44Jun 10, 19677.87+0.87Minor1,520
45Jan 11, 19467.86+0.86Minor1,580
46Apr 6, 19657.86+0.86Minor1,520
47May 2, 20177.83+0.83Minor1,291
48May 10, 20197.83+0.83Minor1,380
49Mar 31, 19917.81+0.81Minor—
50Feb 25, 20187.77+0.77Minor1,270

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.

July 16, 2017: 12.09 ft here, major flooding

  • Des PlainesIL · Jul 14, 2017 · 19.92 ft · Major
  • LincolnshireIL · Jul 13, 2017 · 16.55 ft · Major · its highest
  • RussellIL · Jul 14, 2017 · 12.11 ft · Major · its highest
  • LyonsIL · Jul 22, 2017 · 19.81 ft · Moderate
  • RiversideIL · Jul 22, 2017 · 8.07 ft · Moderate
  • LemontIL · Jul 23, 2017 · 11.52 ft · Minor

September 27, 1986: 11.95 ft here, major flooding

  • Des PlainesIL · Oct 1, 1986 · 20.88 ft · Major
  • RussellIL · Sep 27, 1986 · 10.75 ft · Major
  • RiversideIL · Oct 4, 1986 · 8.80 ft · Moderate

May 25, 2004: 11.76 ft here, major flooding

  • RussellIL · May 23, 2004 · 11.09 ft · Major
  • Des PlainesIL · May 27, 2004 · 18.51 ft · Moderate

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
Gurnee this gaugeIL7.012.09 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
JolietIL541.0542.00 ft, Jul 1, 19570
Brandon Road Lock (tailwater)IL507.0513.30 ft, Jul 13, 19570

Other gauges in Lake County

Flood gauges in Lake County
Lincolnshire12.516.55 ft, Jul 13, 20174
Russell7.012.11 ft, Jul 14, 20178
Fox Lake6.08.12 ft, Apr 5, 19606
Lake Villa6.08.90 ft, Jul 4, 19387
Antioch6.08.34 ft, Apr 5, 19606
Old Mill Creek11.013.21 ft, Jul 12, 20170
Deerfield9.512.75 ft, Jul 13, 20170
Highland Park9.010.44 ft, Jul 13, 20170
Lake Forest6.09.09 ft, Jul 12, 20170
Deerfield13.016.84 ft, Jun 10, 19671

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge GUNI2, 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.