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Illinois River at Beardstown

Highest listed crest 29.81 ftFlood stage 14.0 ft163 crests since 1883

The Illinois River at Beardstown crested at major flood stage 10 times among the 163 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1883 to 2026. The highest, 29.81 ft on April 27, 2013, was major flooding, 15.81 feet above flood stage. 8 other gauges on the Illinois River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 5 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
29.81 ft
April 27, 2013
Flood stage
14.0 ft
Major flooding from 28.0 ft
Crests at major
10
28th of 177 gauges in Illinois
Most recent flood crest
August 23, 2026
16.35 ft, minor flooding
Location
Cass County
Illinois
Identifiers
NWS BEAI2
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, Illinois River at Beardstown
Action stage13.04Apr 13, 2025The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)14.054Aug 23, 2026Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage18.091Jun 27, 2026Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage28.010Jun 3, 2019Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

163 crests from 1883 to 2026. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Illinois River at Beardstown, 1883 to 2026 1015202530ft Flood stage 14.0 ftMajor 28.0 ft Feb 25, 1883: 21.80 ft, moderate floodingApr 4, 1904: 20.00 ft, moderate floodingMay 24, 1908: 20.60 ft, moderate floodingApr 5, 1912: 21.80 ft, moderate floodingFeb 1, 1913: 20.70 ft, moderate floodingJun 17, 1917: 19.10 ft, moderate floodingFeb 28, 1918: 15.70 ft, minor floodingMar 30, 1919: 19.50 ft, moderate floodingApr 27, 1920: 21.30 ft, moderate floodingMay 6, 1921: 14.60 ft, minor floodingApr 20, 1922: 25.10 ft, moderate floodingMar 28, 1923: 15.40 ft, minor floodingAug 28, 1924: 19.10 ft, moderate floodingMar 29, 1925: 15.40 ft, minor floodingOct 12, 1926: 26.30 ft, moderate floodingApr 26, 1927: 25.15 ft, moderate floodingFeb 16, 1928: 17.00 ft, minor floodingApr 6, 1929: 21.20 ft, moderate floodingJan 26, 1932: 15.00 ft, minor floodingMay 23, 1933: 25.50 ft, moderate floodingMay 17, 1935: 22.40 ft, moderate floodingMar 4, 1936: 19.80 ft, moderate floodingMay 9, 1937: 17.30 ft, minor floodingApr 15, 1938: 21.80 ft, moderate floodingMar 20, 1939: 20.30 ft, moderate floodingOct 16, 1941: 15.70 ft, minor floodingFeb 17, 1942: 20.80 ft, moderate floodingMay 26, 1943: 29.60 ft, major floodingApr 29, 1944: 26.20 ft, moderate floodingMay 24, 1945: 19.40 ft, moderate floodingJan 14, 1946: 20.10 ft, moderate floodingJun 14, 1947: 21.40 ft, moderate floodingMar 30, 1948: 21.60 ft, moderate floodingFeb 26, 1949: 18.50 ft, moderate floodingMay 2, 1950: 21.90 ft, moderate floodingFeb 28, 1951: 21.60 ft, moderate floodingApr 28, 1952: 18.60 ft, moderate floodingMay 5, 1957: 19.60 ft, moderate floodingJun 22, 1958: 17.70 ft, minor floodingFeb 19, 1959: 19.70 ft, moderate floodingApr 7, 1960: 21.80 ft, moderate floodingOct 1, 1961: 17.40 ft, minor floodingMar 29, 1962: 23.40 ft, moderate floodingMar 9, 1963: 15.20 ft, minor floodingApr 27, 1964: 16.10 ft, minor floodingApr 17, 1965: 18.50 ft, moderate floodingMay 25, 1966: 19.20 ft, moderate floodingDec 29, 1967: 16.60 ft, minor floodingFeb 11, 1968: 19.80 ft, moderate floodingFeb 10, 1969: 18.10 ft, moderate floodingMay 22, 1970: 23.70 ft, moderate floodingMar 23, 1971: 14.60 ft, minor floodingMay 1, 1972: 17.10 ft, minor floodingApr 30, 1973: 27.00 ft, moderate floodingAug 29, 1973: 27.10 ft, moderate floodingJun 29, 1974: 26.20 ft, moderate floodingMay 10, 1975: 17.70 ft, minor floodingMar 12, 1976: 21.90 ft, moderate floodingMay 13, 1977: 15.40 ft, minor floodingMay 20, 1978: 20.80 ft, moderate floodingApr 18, 1979: 28.10 ft, major floodingJun 9, 1980: 19.30 ft, moderate floodingDec 12, 1982: 27.40 ft, moderate floodingMar 10, 1985: 28.50 ft, major floodingOct 27, 1985: 25.80 ft, moderate floodingOct 11, 1986: 21.60 ft, moderate floodingJan 11, 1988: 14.40 ft, minor floodingJun 26, 1990: 21.10 ft, moderate floodingJul 28, 1993: 26.66 ft, moderate floodingMay 30, 1995: 29.41 ft, major floodingJun 6, 1996: 24.20 ft, moderate floodingMar 6, 1997: 24.30 ft, moderate floodingJan 16, 1998: 14.20 ft, minor floodingFeb 23, 1998: 14.01 ft, minor floodingMar 27, 1998: 22.06 ft, moderate floodingMay 15, 1998: 20.95 ft, moderate floodingJun 24, 1998: 20.49 ft, moderate floodingFeb 4, 1999: 19.03 ft, moderate floodingMay 2, 1999: 19.88 ft, moderate floodingMay 20, 1999: 19.41 ft, moderate floodingJun 20, 1999: 16.89 ft, minor floodingMay 19, 2002: 28.71 ft, major floodingMay 19, 2003: 14.80 ft, minor floodingApr 6, 2004: 18.70 ft, moderate floodingMay 28, 2004: 15.50 ft, minor floodingJun 9, 2004: 16.90 ft, minor floodingJun 21, 2004: 17.60 ft, minor floodingDec 14, 2004: 18.88 ft, moderate floodingJan 20, 2005: 24.91 ft, moderate floodingFeb 1, 2005: 19.10 ft, moderate floodingFeb 21, 2005: 17.50 ft, minor floodingJan 19, 2008: 19.38 ft, moderate floodingFeb 15, 2008: 19.65 ft, moderate flooding; 67,387 cubic feet per secondFeb 23, 2008: 21.26 ft, moderate flooding; 75,016 cubic feet per secondMar 8, 2008: 18.24 ft, moderate flooding; 60,939 cubic feet per secondSep 24, 2008: 24.97 ft, moderate flooding; 99,750 cubic feet per secondJan 6, 2009: 22.22 ft, moderate flooding; 83,509 cubic feet per secondFeb 21, 2009: 15.59 ft, minor floodingMar 18, 2009: 25.20 ft, moderate flooding; 101,419 cubic feet per secondMay 22, 2009: 27.36 ft, moderate flooding; 117,288 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 2009: 16.58 ft, minor flooding; 54,625 cubic feet per secondJun 28, 2009: 16.58 ft, minor flooding; 54,625 cubic feet per secondNov 6, 2009: 22.87 ft, moderate floodingNov 22, 2009: 20.26 ft, moderate floodingJan 1, 2010: 21.02 ft, moderate floodingJan 30, 2010: 18.74 ft, moderate floodingMar 21, 2010: 20.14 ft, moderate floodingApr 29, 2010: 14.41 ft, minor floodingMay 23, 2010: 20.47 ft, moderate floodingJun 10, 2010: 18.81 ft, moderate floodingJun 21, 2010: 16.81 ft, minor floodingJun 29, 2010: 25.71 ft, moderate floodingJul 25, 2010: 16.81 ft, minor floodingMar 11, 2011: 19.42 ft, moderate floodingMay 4, 2011: 22.82 ft, moderate floodingMar 18, 2013: 16.33 ft, minor floodingApr 27, 2013: 29.81 ft, major floodingFeb 27, 2014: 17.68 ft, minor floodingMar 19, 2014: 16.88 ft, minor floodingApr 18, 2014: 14.65 ft, minor floodingJul 9, 2014: 17.22 ft, minor floodingSep 16, 2014: 15.76 ft, minor floodingJul 2, 2015: 29.75 ft, major floodingJan 5, 2016: 29.23 ft, major floodingMay 19, 2016: 15.32 ft, minor floodingSep 11, 2016: 14.74 ft, minor floodingJan 30, 2017: 15.28 ft, minor floodingApr 13, 2017: 20.08 ft, moderate floodingMay 8, 2017: 24.93 ft, moderate floodingMar 6, 2018: 21.49 ft, moderate floodingSep 10, 2018: 12.80 ft, below flood stageDec 17, 2018: 15.22 ft, minor floodingJan 18, 2019: 16.28 ft, minor floodingApr 4, 2019: 21.42 ft, moderate floodingMay 9, 2019: 28.74 ft, major floodingJun 3, 2019: 28.75 ft, major floodingOct 8, 2019: 16.55 ft, minor floodingNov 7, 2019: 17.33 ft, minor floodingDec 5, 2019: 12.81 ft, below flood stageJan 21, 2020: 19.71 ft, moderate floodingMay 26, 2020: 26.66 ft, moderate floodingMar 8, 2021: 12.26 ft, below flood stageMar 24, 2021: 15.98 ft, minor floodingApr 15, 2021: 14.20 ft, minor floodingMay 23, 2021: 17.74 ft, minor floodingJul 7, 2021: 19.86 ft, moderate floodingNov 5, 2021: 18.08 ft, moderate floodingFeb 28, 2022: 17.43 ft, minor floodingApr 11, 2022: 18.76 ft, moderate floodingMay 11, 2022: 16.81 ft, minor floodingJun 2, 2022: 13.76 ft, action stage; 37,663 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 2023: 16.48 ft, minor flooding; 48,536 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 2023: 15.91 ft, minor flooding; 46,259 cubic feet per secondMay 14, 2023: 13.24 ft, action stage; 35,524 cubic feet per secondFeb 5, 2024: 20.15 ft, moderate flooding; 63,716 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 2024: 12.68 ft, below flood stage; 33,121 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 2024: 16.56 ft, minor flooding; 48,858 cubic feet per secondMay 6, 2024: 19.77 ft, moderate floodingJul 20, 2024: 13.53 ft, action stageApr 13, 2025: 13.23 ft, action stageMay 2, 2026: 18.05 ft, moderate floodingJun 27, 2026: 21.42 ft, moderate floodingAug 23, 2026: 16.35 ft, minor flooding Highest, 29.81 ft, Apr 27, 2013 1900192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Illinois River at Beardstown 1880s: 1 1890s: 0 1900s: 2 1910s: 5 1920s: 10 1930s: 7 1940s: 9 1950s: 6 1960s: 10 1970s: 11 1980s: 6 1990s: 14 2000s: 23 2010s: 33 33 2020s: 18 1880s1900s1920s1940s1960s1980s2000s2020s
  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

The 50 highest of 163 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Illinois River at Beardstown
1Apr 27, 201329.81+15.81Major—
2Jul 2, 201529.75+15.75Major—
3May 26, 194329.60+15.60Major—
4May 30, 199529.41+15.41Major—
5Jan 5, 201629.23+15.23Major—
6Jun 3, 201928.75+14.75Major—
7May 9, 201928.74+14.74Major—
8May 19, 200228.71+14.71Major—
9Mar 10, 198528.50+14.50Major—
10Apr 18, 197928.10+14.10Major—
11Dec 12, 198227.40+13.40Moderate—
12May 22, 200927.36+13.36Moderate117,288
13Aug 29, 197327.10+13.10Moderate—
14Apr 30, 197327.00+13.00Moderate—
15Jul 28, 199326.66+12.66Moderate—
16May 26, 202026.66+12.66Moderate—
17Oct 12, 192626.30+12.30Moderate—
18Apr 29, 194426.20+12.20Moderate—
19Jun 29, 197426.20+12.20Moderate—
20Oct 27, 198525.80+11.80Moderate—
21Jun 29, 201025.71+11.71Moderate—
22May 23, 193325.50+11.50Moderate—
23Mar 18, 200925.20+11.20Moderate101,419
24Apr 26, 192725.15+11.15Moderate—
25Apr 20, 192225.10+11.10Moderate—
26Sep 24, 200824.97+10.97Moderate99,750
27May 8, 201724.93+10.93Moderate—
28Jan 20, 200524.91+10.91Moderate—
29Mar 6, 199724.30+10.30Moderate—
30Jun 6, 199624.20+10.20Moderate—
31May 22, 197023.70+9.70Moderate—
32Mar 29, 196223.40+9.40Moderate—
33Nov 6, 200922.87+8.87Moderate—
34May 4, 201122.82+8.82Moderate—
35May 17, 193522.40+8.40Moderate—
36Jan 6, 200922.22+8.22Moderate83,509
37Mar 27, 199822.06+8.06Moderate—
38May 2, 195021.90+7.90Moderate—
39Mar 12, 197621.90+7.90Moderate—
40Feb 25, 188321.80+7.80Moderate—
41Apr 5, 191221.80+7.80Moderate—
42Apr 15, 193821.80+7.80Moderate—
43Apr 7, 196021.80+7.80Moderate—
44Mar 30, 194821.60+7.60Moderate—
45Feb 28, 195121.60+7.60Moderate—
46Oct 11, 198621.60+7.60Moderate—
47Mar 6, 201821.49+7.49Moderate—
48Apr 4, 201921.42+7.42Moderate—
49Jun 27, 202621.42+7.42Moderate—
50Jun 14, 194721.40+7.40Moderate—

The worst floods along the Illinois River

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

April 27, 2013: 29.81 ft here, major flooding

  • Peoria Lock and DamIL · Apr 23, 2013 · 456.57 ft · Major · its highest
  • LaGrange Lock and DamIL · Apr 27, 2013 · 34.50 ft · Major
  • La SalleIL · Apr 20, 2013 · 34.44 ft · Major · its highest
  • HenryIL · Apr 22, 2013 · 32.94 ft · Major · its highest
  • PeoriaIL · Apr 23, 2013 · 29.35 ft · Major · its highest
  • MeredosiaIL · Apr 27, 2013 · 28.69 ft · Major
  • HavanaIL · Apr 25, 2013 · 27.78 ft · Major · its highest
  • Valley CityIL · Apr 27, 2013 · 26.63 ft · Major

July 2, 2015: 29.75 ft here, major flooding

  • HardinIL · Jun 30, 2015 · 36.50 ft · Major
  • LaGrange Lock and DamIL · Jul 2, 2015 · 34.66 ft · Major · its highest
  • MeredosiaIL · Jul 2, 2015 · 28.86 ft · Major · its highest
  • HavanaIL · Jul 1, 2015 · 27.24 ft · Major
  • Valley CityIL · Jul 2, 2015 · 26.85 ft · Major
  • Peoria Lock and DamIL · Jun 30, 2015 · 454.55 ft · Moderate
  • HenryIL · Jun 30, 2015 · 30.39 ft · Moderate
  • PeoriaIL · Jun 30, 2015 · 27.09 ft · Moderate

May 26, 1943: 29.60 ft here, major flooding

Gauges on the Illinois River

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

Flood gauges on the Illinois River
Beardstown this gaugeIL14.029.81 ft, Apr 27, 201310
HardinIL25.042.40 ft, Aug 3, 199320
LaGrange Lock and DamIL23.034.66 ft, Jul 2, 201517
Marseilles Lock (tailwater)IL467.0476.72 ft, Apr 19, 20130
MeredosiaIL17.028.86 ft, Jul 2, 201523
MorrisIL16.024.91 ft, Apr 19, 201312
OttawaIL463.0473.72 ft, Apr 19, 20134
PeoriaIL18.029.35 ft, Apr 23, 20135
Peoria Lock and DamIL447.0456.57 ft, Apr 23, 20135
Starved Rock Lock (tailwater)IL450.0467.81 ft, Apr 19, 20133
Valley CityIL14.027.00 ft, May 26, 194317
HavanaIL14.027.78 ft, Apr 25, 201325
HenryIL23.032.94 ft, Apr 22, 20137
La SalleIL20.034.44 ft, Apr 20, 20139

Other gauges in Cass County

Flood gauges in Cass County
Chandlerville456.6463.20 ft, Jan 2, 20162

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge BEAI2, 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.