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Fox River at Fox Lake

Highest listed crest 8.12 ftFlood stage 6.0 ft22 crests since 1960

The Fox River at Fox Lake crested at major flood stage 6 times among the 22 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1960 to 2020. The highest, 8.12 ft on April 5, 1960, was major flooding, 2.12 feet above flood stage. 8 other gauges on the Fox River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
8.12 ft
April 5, 1960
Flood stage
6.0 ft
Major flooding from 7.5 ft
Crests at major
6
48th of 177 gauges in Illinois
Most recent flood crest
May 23, 2020
6.37 ft, minor flooding
Location
Lake County
Near Fox Lake (1.7 mi), Round Lake Beach (5.4 mi), Round Lake (5.8 mi)

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 Fox Lake
Action stage5.07May 3, 2020The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)6.08May 23, 2020Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage7.01Jun 18, 2008Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage7.56Jul 17, 2017Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

22 crests from 1960 to 2020. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Fox River at Fox Lake, 1960 to 2020 56789ft Flood stage 6.0 ftMajor 7.5 ft Apr 5, 1960: 8.12 ft, major floodingSep 26, 1972: 6.60 ft, minor floodingMay 4, 1973: 7.50 ft, major floodingMar 11, 1974: 6.97 ft, minor floodingApr 2, 1979: 7.58 ft, major floodingMar 26, 1982: 5.80 ft, action stageOct 3, 1986: 7.50 ft, major floodingApr 15, 2008: 6.46 ft, minor floodingJun 18, 2008: 7.17 ft, moderate floodingMar 15, 2009: 5.51 ft, action stageMay 4, 2009: 5.99 ft, action stageApr 22, 2013: 7.91 ft, major floodingJul 17, 2017: 7.97 ft, major floodingFeb 27, 2018: 5.49 ft, action stageJun 23, 2018: 5.77 ft, action stageOct 11, 2018: 6.06 ft, minor floodingMar 19, 2019: 6.06 ft, minor floodingJun 2, 2019: 5.72 ft, action stageSep 17, 2019: 6.70 ft, minor floodingOct 8, 2019: 6.35 ft, minor floodingMay 3, 2020: 5.99 ft, action stageMay 23, 2020: 6.37 ft, minor flooding Highest, 8.12 ft, Apr 5, 1960 1960197019801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Fox River at Fox Lake 1960s: 1 1970s: 4 1980s: 1 1990s: 0 2000s: 2 2010s: 6 6 2020s: 1 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 Fox Lake
1Apr 5, 19608.12+2.12Major—
2Jul 17, 20177.97+1.97Major—
3Apr 22, 20137.91+1.91Major—
4Apr 2, 19797.58+1.58Major—
5May 4, 19737.50+1.50Major—
6Oct 3, 19867.50+1.50Major—
7Jun 18, 20087.17+1.17Moderate—
8Mar 11, 19746.97+0.97Minor—
9Sep 17, 20196.70+0.70Minor—
10Sep 26, 19726.60+0.60Minor—
11Apr 15, 20086.46+0.46Minor—
12May 23, 20206.37+0.37Minor—
13Oct 8, 20196.35+0.35Minor—
14Oct 11, 20186.06+0.06Minor—
15Mar 19, 20196.06+0.06Minor—
16May 4, 20095.99−0.01Action—
17May 3, 20205.99−0.01Action—
18Mar 26, 19825.80−0.20Action—
19Jun 23, 20185.77−0.23Action—
20Jun 2, 20195.72−0.28Action—
21Mar 15, 20095.51−0.49Action—
22Feb 27, 20185.49−0.51Action—

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.

April 5, 1960: 8.12 ft here, major flooding

July 17, 2017: 7.97 ft here, major flooding

April 22, 2013: 7.91 ft here, major 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
ElginIL713.0713.11 ft, Jul 24, 20170
Fox Lake this gaugeIL6.08.12 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 Lake County

Flood gauges in Lake County
Lincolnshire12.516.55 ft, Jul 13, 20174
Gurnee7.012.09 ft, Jul 16, 20174
Russell7.012.11 ft, Jul 14, 20178
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 NFLI2, 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.