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Fox River at McHenry (Stratton Lock and Dam) tailwater

Highest listed crest 9.00 ftFlood stage 4.0 ft36 crests since 1938

The Fox River at McHenry (Stratton Lock and Dam) tailwater crested at major flood stage 6 times among the 36 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1938 to 2024. The highest, 9.00 ft on July 5, 1938, was major flooding, 5.00 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
9.00 ft
July 5, 1938
Flood stage
4.0 ft
Major flooding from 7.0 ft
Crests at major
6
48th of 177 gauges in Illinois
Most recent flood crest
April 8, 2024
5.38 ft, minor flooding
Location
McHenry County
Near McHenry (2.8 mi), Wauconda (6.3 mi), Cary (6.7 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 McHenry (Stratton Lock and Dam) tailwater
Action stage3.00—The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)4.021Apr 8, 2024Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage6.09May 23, 2020Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage7.06Jul 22, 2017Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

36 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 McHenry (Stratton Lock and Dam) tailwater, 1938 to 2024 456789ft Flood stage 4.0 ftMajor 7.0 ft Jul 5, 1938: 9.00 ft, major floodingApr 5, 1960: 7.00 ft, major floodingMar 30, 1962: 6.20 ft, moderate floodingMay 6, 1973: 6.90 ft, moderate floodingMar 12, 1974: 6.40 ft, moderate floodingMay 23, 1974: 5.90 ft, minor floodingApr 2, 1979: 7.04 ft, major floodingOct 2, 1986: 7.20 ft, major floodingApr 24, 1993: 6.90 ft, moderate floodingJul 19, 1996: 4.64 ft, minor floodingJun 16, 1997: 4.50 ft, minor floodingJun 17, 2000: 6.22 ft, moderate floodingAug 27, 2007: 6.95 ft, moderate floodingJun 19, 2008: 6.85 ft, moderate floodingMay 16, 2010: 4.53 ft, minor floodingAug 1, 2010: 4.93 ft, minor floodingMar 27, 2011: 4.60 ft, minor floodingApr 30, 2011: 4.41 ft, minor floodingMar 16, 2013: 4.24 ft, minor floodingApr 23, 2013: 7.64 ft, major floodingJun 29, 2013: 5.16 ft, minor floodingMay 4, 2017: 4.44 ft, minor floodingJul 22, 2017: 7.65 ft, major floodingFeb 27, 2018: 4.94 ft, minor floodingJun 27, 2018: 5.55 ft, minor floodingSep 8, 2018: 4.51 ft, minor floodingOct 12, 2018: 5.55 ft, minor floodingMar 20, 2019: 5.63 ft, minor floodingMay 12, 2019: 5.19 ft, minor floodingJun 1, 2019: 4.93 ft, minor floodingSep 17, 2019: 6.43 ft, moderate floodingOct 8, 2019: 5.93 ft, minor floodingMay 4, 2020: 5.49 ft, minor floodingMay 23, 2020: 6.20 ft, moderate floodingMar 6, 2023: 4.10 ft, minor floodingApr 8, 2024: 5.38 ft, minor flooding Highest, 9.00 ft, Jul 5, 1938 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Fox River at McHenry (Stratton Lock and Dam) tailwater 1930s: 1 1940s: 0 1950s: 0 1960s: 2 1970s: 4 1980s: 1 1990s: 3 2000s: 3 2010s: 18 18 2020s: 4 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 McHenry (Stratton Lock and Dam) tailwater
1Jul 5, 19389.00+5.00Major—
2Jul 22, 20177.65+3.65Major—
3Apr 23, 20137.64+3.64Major—
4Oct 2, 19867.20+3.20Major—
5Apr 2, 19797.04+3.04Major—
6Apr 5, 19607.00+3.00Major—
7Aug 27, 20076.95+2.95Moderate—
8May 6, 19736.90+2.90Moderate—
9Apr 24, 19936.90+2.90Moderate—
10Jun 19, 20086.85+2.85Moderate—
11Sep 17, 20196.43+2.43Moderate—
12Mar 12, 19746.40+2.40Moderate—
13Jun 17, 20006.22+2.22Moderate—
14Mar 30, 19626.20+2.20Moderate—
15May 23, 20206.20+2.20Moderate—
16Oct 8, 20195.93+1.93Minor—
17May 23, 19745.90+1.90Minor—
18Mar 20, 20195.63+1.63Minor—
19Jun 27, 20185.55+1.55Minor—
20Oct 12, 20185.55+1.55Minor—
21May 4, 20205.49+1.49Minor—
22Apr 8, 20245.38+1.38Minor—
23May 12, 20195.19+1.19Minor—
24Jun 29, 20135.16+1.16Minor—
25Feb 27, 20184.94+0.94Minor—
26Aug 1, 20104.93+0.93Minor—
27Jun 1, 20194.93+0.93Minor—
28Jul 19, 19964.64+0.64Minor—
29Mar 27, 20114.60+0.60Minor—
30May 16, 20104.53+0.53Minor—
31Sep 8, 20184.51+0.51Minor—
32Jun 16, 19974.50+0.50Minor—
33May 4, 20174.44+0.44Minor—
34Apr 30, 20114.41+0.41Minor—
35Mar 16, 20134.24+0.24Minor—
36Mar 6, 20234.10+0.10Minor—

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 5, 1938: 9.00 ft here, major flooding

  • Algonquin tailwaterIL · Jul 5, 1938 · 14.00 ft · Major · its highest
  • Lake VillaIL · Jul 4, 1938 · 8.90 ft · Major · its highest
  • JohnsburgIL · Jul 4, 1938 · 8.90 ft · Major · its highest
  • AlgonquinIL · Jul 5, 1938 · 4.42 ft · Major

July 22, 2017: 7.65 ft here, major flooding

  • Algonquin tailwaterIL · Jul 23, 2017 · 13.18 ft · Major
  • AntiochIL · Jul 17, 2017 · 8.13 ft · Major
  • Lake VillaIL · Jul 17, 2017 · 8.01 ft · Major
  • Fox LakeIL · Jul 17, 2017 · 7.97 ft · Major
  • AlgonquinIL · Jul 23, 2017 · 4.39 ft · Major
  • DaytonIL · Jul 23, 2017 · 14.43 ft · Moderate
  • JohnsburgIL · Jul 17, 2017 · 7.37 ft · Moderate
  • ElginIL · Jul 24, 2017 · 713.11 ft · Minor · its highest
  • South Elgin DamIL · Jul 22, 2017 · 14.93 ft · Minor
  • MontgomeryIL · Jul 23, 2017 · 14.21 ft · Minor

April 23, 2013: 7.64 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 VillaIL6.08.90 ft, Jul 4, 19387
McHenry (Stratton Lock and Dam) tailwater this gaugeIL4.09.00 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 McHenry County

Flood gauges in McHenry County
Mchenry7.07.48 ft, Jun 26, 20130
Algonquin3.04.50 ft, Apr 1, 191612
Algonquin tailwater9.514.00 ft, Jul 5, 19386
Johnsburg6.58.90 ft, Jul 4, 19382
Marengo12.013.06 ft, Sep 4, 20180
Wonder Lake9.014.30 ft, Jun 11, 19671
Spring Grove11.014.26 ft, Sep 26, 19860

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge MHYI2, 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.