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Fox River at Lake Villa

Highest listed crest 8.90 ftFlood stage 6.0 ft29 crests since 1938

The Fox River at Lake Villa crested at major flood stage 7 times among the 29 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1938 to 2024. The highest, 8.90 ft on July 4, 1938, was major flooding, 2.90 feet above flood stage. 4 other gauges on the Fox River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 3 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
8.90 ft
July 4, 1938
Flood stage
6.0 ft
Major flooding from 7.5 ft
Crests at major
7
39th of 177 gauges in Illinois
Most recent flood crest
April 8, 2024
6.00 ft, minor flooding
Location
Lake County
Near Fox Lake (3.0 mi), Round Lake Beach (3.4 mi), Antioch (5.0 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 Lake Villa
Action stage5.07Jul 19, 2024The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)6.012Apr 8, 2024Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage7.03Jun 18, 2008Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage7.57Jul 17, 2017Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

29 crests from 1938 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Fox River at Lake Villa, 1938 to 2024 56789ft Flood stage 6.0 ftMajor 7.5 ft Jul 4, 1938: 8.90 ft, major floodingMar 23, 1948: 7.40 ft, moderate floodingApr 6, 1960: 8.18 ft, major floodingMar 30, 1962: 7.40 ft, moderate floodingSep 26, 1972: 6.72 ft, minor floodingMay 4, 1973: 7.50 ft, major floodingMar 11, 1974: 6.99 ft, minor floodingApr 2, 1979: 7.64 ft, major floodingMar 26, 1982: 5.84 ft, action stageOct 3, 1986: 7.50 ft, major floodingJun 18, 1999: 6.40 ft, minor floodingJun 16, 2000: 6.63 ft, minor floodingMay 28, 2004: 6.46 ft, minor floodingAug 27, 2007: 6.95 ft, minor floodingJun 18, 2008: 7.15 ft, moderate floodingMay 5, 2009: 5.96 ft, action stageApr 22, 2013: 7.88 ft, major floodingJul 17, 2017: 8.01 ft, major floodingFeb 28, 2018: 5.53 ft, action stageJun 23, 2018: 5.78 ft, action stageOct 11, 2018: 6.22 ft, minor floodingMar 19, 2019: 6.15 ft, minor floodingJun 2, 2019: 5.74 ft, action stageSep 17, 2019: 6.77 ft, minor floodingOct 8, 2019: 6.40 ft, minor floodingMay 4, 2020: 5.95 ft, action stageMay 23, 2020: 6.37 ft, minor floodingApr 8, 2024: 6.00 ft, minor floodingJul 19, 2024: 5.26 ft, action stage Highest, 8.90 ft, Jul 4, 1938 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Fox River at Lake Villa 1930s: 1 1940s: 1 1950s: 0 1960s: 2 1970s: 4 1980s: 1 1990s: 1 2000s: 4 2010s: 6 6 2020s: 2 1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 Lake Villa
1Jul 4, 19388.90+2.90Major—
2Apr 6, 19608.18+2.18Major—
3Jul 17, 20178.01+2.01Major—
4Apr 22, 20137.88+1.88Major—
5Apr 2, 19797.64+1.64Major—
6May 4, 19737.50+1.50Major—
7Oct 3, 19867.50+1.50Major—
8Mar 23, 19487.40+1.40Moderate—
9Mar 30, 19627.40+1.40Moderate—
10Jun 18, 20087.15+1.15Moderate—
11Mar 11, 19746.99+0.99Minor—
12Aug 27, 20076.95+0.95Minor—
13Sep 17, 20196.77+0.77Minor—
14Sep 26, 19726.72+0.72Minor—
15Jun 16, 20006.63+0.63Minor—
16May 28, 20046.46+0.46Minor—
17Jun 18, 19996.40+0.40Minor—
18Oct 8, 20196.40+0.40Minor—
19May 23, 20206.37+0.37Minor—
20Oct 11, 20186.22+0.22Minor—
21Mar 19, 20196.15+0.15Minor—
22Apr 8, 20246.000.00Minor—
23May 5, 20095.96−0.04Action—
24May 4, 20205.95−0.05Action—
25Mar 26, 19825.84−0.16Action—
26Jun 23, 20185.78−0.22Action—
27Jun 2, 20195.74−0.26Action—
28Feb 28, 20185.53−0.47Action—
29Jul 19, 20245.26−0.74Action—

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 4, 1938: 8.90 ft here, major flooding

April 6, 1960: 8.18 ft here, major flooding

July 17, 2017: 8.01 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 LakeIL6.08.12 ft, Apr 5, 19606
Lake Villa this gaugeIL6.08.90 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
Fox Lake6.08.12 ft, Apr 5, 19606
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 FLVI2, 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.