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Fox River at Elgin

Highest listed crest 713.11 ftFlood stage 713.0 ft24 crests since 1960

The Fox River at Elgin crested above flood stage 1 time among the 24 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1960 to 2024. The highest, 713.11 ft on July 24, 2017, was minor flooding, 0.11 feet above flood stage. 10 other gauges on the Fox River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
713.11 ft
July 24, 2017
Flood stage
713.0 ft
Major flooding from 716.0 ft
Crests at major
0
1 above flood stage
Most recent flood crest
July 24, 2017
713.11 ft, minor flooding
Location
Kane County
Near Elgin (2.5 mi), Carpentersville (4.4 mi), South Elgin (5.0 mi)
Identifiers
NWS ELGI2
No USGS station

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Fox River at Elgin
Action stage711.020May 23, 2020The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)713.01Jul 24, 2017Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage714.00—Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage716.00—Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

24 crests from 1960 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Fox River at Elgin, 1960 to 2024 710712714716ft Flood stage 713.0 ftMajor 716.0 ft Apr 7, 1960: 711.80 ft, action stageApr 1, 1962: 710.60 ft, below flood stageMay 31, 2004: 711.92 ft, action stageMar 15, 2007: 711.89 ft, action stageAug 24, 2007: 712.72 ft, action stageSep 14, 2008: 711.08 ft, action stageJan 1, 2009: 711.50 ft, action stageMar 11, 2009: 711.20 ft, action stageMay 5, 2009: 711.31 ft, action stageDec 30, 2009: 711.70 ft, action stageMay 14, 2010: 711.57 ft, action stageJul 25, 2010: 711.18 ft, action stageMay 1, 2011: 710.88 ft, below flood stageApr 24, 2013: 711.70 ft, action stageJul 1, 2014: 711.00 ft, action stageJul 24, 2017: 713.11 ft, minor floodingMar 1, 2018: 711.21 ft, action stageSep 7, 2018: 711.10 ft, action stageOct 12, 2018: 711.52 ft, action stageMar 20, 2019: 711.50 ft, action stageSep 17, 2019: 711.90 ft, action stageOct 11, 2019: 711.60 ft, action stageMay 23, 2020: 712.50 ft, action stageApr 9, 2024: 710.80 ft, below flood stage Highest, 713.11 ft, Jul 24, 2017 1960197019801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Fox River at Elgin 1960s: 0 1970s: 0 1980s: 0 1990s: 0 2000s: 0 2010s: 1 1 2020s: 0 1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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, Fox River at Elgin
1Jul 24, 2017713.11+0.11Minor—
2Aug 24, 2007712.72−0.28Action—
3May 23, 2020712.50−0.50Action—
4May 31, 2004711.92−1.08Action—
5Sep 17, 2019711.90−1.10Action—
6Mar 15, 2007711.89−1.11Action—
7Apr 7, 1960711.80−1.20Action—
8Dec 30, 2009711.70−1.30Action—
9Apr 24, 2013711.70−1.30Action—
10Oct 11, 2019711.60−1.40Action—
11May 14, 2010711.57−1.43Action—
12Oct 12, 2018711.52−1.48Action—
13Jan 1, 2009711.50−1.50Action—
14Mar 20, 2019711.50−1.50Action—
15May 5, 2009711.31−1.69Action—
16Mar 1, 2018711.21−1.79Action—
17Mar 11, 2009711.20−1.80Action—
18Jul 25, 2010711.18−1.82Action—
19Sep 7, 2018711.10−1.90Action—
20Sep 14, 2008711.08−1.92Action—
21Jul 1, 2014711.00−2.00Action—
22May 1, 2011710.88−2.12Below flood stage—
23Apr 9, 2024710.80−2.20Below flood stage—
24Apr 1, 1962710.60−2.40Below flood stage—

The worst floods along the Fox River

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

July 24, 2017: 713.11 ft here, minor flooding

Gauges on the Fox River

Flood gauges sharing the river's name, linked within 80 miles of one another.

Flood gauges on the Fox River
AlgonquinIL3.04.50 ft, Apr 1, 191612
Algonquin tailwaterIL9.514.00 ft, Jul 5, 19386
BurlingtonWI11.016.15 ft, Jul 13, 20171
DaytonIL12.036.47 ft, Jan 25, 19605
Elgin this gaugeIL713.0713.11 ft, Jul 24, 20170
Fox LakeIL6.08.12 ft, Apr 5, 19606
Lake VillaIL6.08.90 ft, Jul 4, 19387
McHenry (Stratton Lock and Dam) tailwaterIL4.09.00 ft, Jul 5, 19386
MontgomeryIL13.516.50 ft, Jul 18, 19961
RochesterWI6.06.29 ft, Apr 21, 20260
South Elgin DamIL14.515.04 ft, Apr 18, 20130
WaukeshaWI6.08.85 ft, Jun 9, 20080
Yorkville (Palmer Dam)IL15.521.00 ft, Jul 18, 19961
AntiochIL6.08.34 ft, Apr 5, 19606
JohnsburgIL6.58.90 ft, Jul 4, 19382
New MunsterWI11.017.47 ft, Jul 13, 20175

Other gauges in Kane County

Flood gauges in Kane County
Montgomery10.013.50 ft, Jul 18, 19961
St Charles6.09.66 ft, Feb 8, 19650
Montgomery13.516.50 ft, Jul 18, 19961
South Elgin Dam14.515.04 ft, Apr 18, 20130
Batavia6.59.48 ft, Sep 13, 20080
Elgin8.09.44 ft, May 17, 20200

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge ELGI2, 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.