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Fox River at Yorkville (Palmer Dam)

Highest listed crest 21.00 ftFlood stage 15.5 ft22 crests since 1996

The Fox River at Yorkville (Palmer Dam) crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 22 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1996 to 2020. The highest, 21.00 ft on July 18, 1996, was major flooding, 5.50 feet above flood stage. 3 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
21.00 ft
July 18, 1996
Flood stage
15.5 ft
Major flooding from 19.0 ft
Crests at major
1
101st of 177 gauges in Illinois
Most recent flood crest
May 18, 2020
15.77 ft, minor flooding
Location
Kendall County
Near Yorkville (1.5 mi), Plano (5.5 mi), Oswego (6.1 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 Yorkville (Palmer Dam)
Action stage14.512Apr 30, 2020The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)15.52May 18, 2020Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage17.01Sep 14, 2008Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage19.01Jul 18, 1996Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

22 crests from 1996 to 2020. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Fox River at Yorkville (Palmer Dam), 1996 to 2020 1416182022ft Flood stage 15.5 ftMajor 19.0 ft Jul 18, 1996: 21.00 ft, major floodingSep 14, 2008: 18.00 ft, moderate floodingApr 18, 2013: 16.80 ft, minor flooding; 20,600 cubic feet per secondJul 1, 2014: 14.44 ft, below flood stage; 7,260 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 2015: 15.44 ft, action stage; 12,100 cubic feet per secondDec 14, 2015: 14.26 ft, below flood stage; 6,120 cubic feet per secondMay 12, 2016: 14.55 ft, action stage; 7,650 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 2017: 15.00 ft, action stage; 9,740 cubic feet per secondJul 22, 2017: 15.28 ft, action stage; 10,900 cubic feet per secondOct 15, 2017: 15.02 ft, action stage; 9,700 cubic feet per secondFeb 21, 2018: 15.05 ft, action stage; 9,820 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 2018: 14.81 ft, action stage; 8,680 cubic feet per secondJun 27, 2018: 15.01 ft, action stage; 9,640 cubic feet per secondSep 4, 2018: 14.16 ft, below flood stage; 5,530 cubic feet per secondOct 8, 2018: 14.27 ft, below flood stage; 6,030 cubic feet per secondDec 2, 2018: 14.17 ft, below flood stage; 5,570 cubic feet per secondFeb 7, 2019: 14.29 ft, below flood stage; 6,380 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 2019: 15.00 ft, action stage; 9,840 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 2019: 14.71 ft, action stage; 8,450 cubic feet per secondOct 3, 2019: 14.54 ft, action stage; 7,700 cubic feet per secondApr 30, 2020: 14.89 ft, action stage; 9,010 cubic feet per secondMay 18, 2020: 15.77 ft, minor flooding; 13,400 cubic feet per second Highest, 21.00 ft, Jul 18, 1996 20002005201020152020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Fox River at Yorkville (Palmer Dam) 1990s: 1 1 2000s: 1 2010s: 1 2020s: 1 1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 Yorkville (Palmer Dam)
1Jul 18, 199621.00+5.50Major—
2Sep 14, 200818.00+2.50Moderate—
3Apr 18, 201316.80+1.30Minor20,600
4May 18, 202015.77+0.27Minor13,400
5Jun 16, 201515.44−0.06Action12,100
6Jul 22, 201715.28−0.22Action10,900
7Feb 21, 201815.05−0.45Action9,820
8Oct 15, 201715.02−0.48Action9,700
9Jun 27, 201815.01−0.49Action9,640
10May 1, 201715.00−0.50Action9,740
11May 1, 201915.00−0.50Action9,840
12Apr 30, 202014.89−0.61Action9,010
13May 21, 201814.81−0.69Action8,680
14May 27, 201914.71−0.79Action8,450
15May 12, 201614.55−0.95Action7,650
16Oct 3, 201914.54−0.96Action7,700
17Jul 1, 201414.44−1.06Below flood stage7,260
18Feb 7, 201914.29−1.21Below flood stage6,380
19Oct 8, 201814.27−1.23Below flood stage6,030
20Dec 14, 201514.26−1.24Below flood stage6,120
21Dec 2, 201814.17−1.33Below flood stage5,570
22Sep 4, 201814.16−1.34Below flood stage5,530

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 18, 1996: 21.00 ft here, major flooding

September 14, 2008: 18.00 ft here, moderate flooding

  • DaytonIL · Sep 14, 2008 · 21.48 ft · Moderate
  • MontgomeryIL · Sep 14, 2008 · 15.12 ft · Moderate

April 18, 2013: 16.80 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
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) 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) this gaugeIL15.521.00 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 Kendall County

Flood gauges in Kendall County
Yorkville7.013.16 ft, Jul 18, 19960
Oswego12.013.35 ft, Oct 15, 20170

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge YKVI2, 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.