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Illinois River at Meredosia

Highest listed crest 28.86 ftFlood stage 17.0 ft100 crests since 1921

The Illinois River at Meredosia crested at major flood stage 23 times among the 100 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1921 to 2024. The highest, 28.86 ft on July 2, 2015, was major flooding, 11.86 feet above flood stage. 8 other gauges on the Illinois River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
28.86 ft
July 2, 2015; 112,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
17.0 ft
Major flooding from 24.0 ft
Crests at major
23
7th of 177 gauges in Illinois
Most recent flood crest
May 6, 2024
18.70 ft, minor flooding
Location
Morgan County
Illinois

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 Meredosia
Action stage14.019Feb 21, 2009The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)17.049May 6, 2024Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage22.08May 8, 2017Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage24.023May 27, 2020Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

100 crests from 1921 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Illinois River at Meredosia, 1921 to 2024 1015202530ft Flood stage 17.0 ftMajor 24.0 ft May 6, 1921: 18.21 ft, minor floodingApr 20, 1922: 25.10 ft, major flooding; 93,100 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 1923: 15.40 ft, action stage; 38,300 cubic feet per secondJul 4, 1924: 19.10 ft, minor flooding; 55,400 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 1925: 15.40 ft, action stage; 38,600 cubic feet per secondSep 19, 1926: 22.20 ft, moderate flooding; 71,200 cubic feet per secondDec 15, 1927: 19.20 ft, minor flooding; 59,200 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 1930: 18.00 ft, minor flooding; 48,000 cubic feet per secondJan 26, 1932: 15.00 ft, action stage; 36,000 cubic feet per secondMay 23, 1933: 25.50 ft, major flooding; 90,800 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 1936: 19.80 ft, minor flooding; 57,300 cubic feet per secondMay 10, 1937: 17.30 ft, minor flooding; 46,400 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 1938: 21.80 ft, minor flooding; 68,600 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 1939: 18.08 ft, minor flooding; 69,500 cubic feet per secondMay 26, 1943: 28.70 ft, major flooding; 123,000 cubic feet per secondApr 29, 1944: 24.86 ft, major flooding; 102,000 cubic feet per secondMay 24, 1945: 18.07 ft, minor flooding; 62,800 cubic feet per secondJan 14, 1946: 18.88 ft, minor flooding; 66,000 cubic feet per secondJun 11, 1947: 20.15 ft, minor flooding; 68,300 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 1948: 20.59 ft, minor flooding; 73,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 27, 1949: 16.91 ft, action stage; 59,800 cubic feet per secondMay 2, 1950: 20.43 ft, minor flooding; 77,200 cubic feet per secondFeb 28, 1951: 20.15 ft, minor flooding; 77,800 cubic feet per secondApr 25, 1952: 17.48 ft, minor flooding; 55,700 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 1958: 15.97 ft, action stage; 60,800 cubic feet per secondFeb 19, 1959: 18.01 ft, minor flooding; 64,300 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 1960: 20.88 ft, minor flooding; 73,000 cubic feet per secondMay 16, 1961: 15.73 ft, action stage; 53,000 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 1962: 22.27 ft, moderate flooding; 91,100 cubic feet per secondApr 27, 1964: 14.51 ft, action stage; 48,700 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 1965: 17.62 ft, minor flooding; 55,000 cubic feet per secondMay 25, 1966: 17.93 ft, minor flooding; 65,600 cubic feet per secondApr 10, 1967: 14.69 ft, action stage; 48,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 11, 1968: 18.23 ft, minor flooding; 66,900 cubic feet per secondFeb 9, 1969: 17.62 ft, minor flooding; 62,900 cubic feet per secondMay 22, 1970: 22.57 ft, moderate flooding; 94,800 cubic feet per secondOct 1, 1970: 17.43 ft, minor flooding; 61,400 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 1972: 15.67 ft, action stage; 51,200 cubic feet per secondMay 2, 1973: 26.25 ft, major flooding; 102,000 cubic feet per secondJun 29, 1974: 24.84 ft, major flooding; 110,000 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 1975: 16.46 ft, action stage; 55,100 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1976: 20.63 ft, minor flooding; 80,600 cubic feet per secondMay 20, 1978: 19.85 ft, minor flooding; 72,600 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 1979: 27.28 ft, major floodingJun 7, 1980: 16.95 ft, action stage; 76,900 cubic feet per secondMay 24, 1981: 20.95 ft, minor flooding; 75,500 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 1982: 25.56 ft, major flooding; 104,000 cubic feet per secondDec 12, 1982: 26.40 ft, major flooding; 112,000 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 1984: 21.60 ft, minor flooding; 76,800 cubic feet per secondMar 10, 1985: 27.62 ft, major flooding; 122,000 cubic feet per secondNov 27, 1985: 24.85 ft, major flooding; 96,800 cubic feet per secondOct 11, 1986: 21.60 ft, minor flooding; 69,600 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 1988: 13.84 ft, below flood stage; 41,800 cubic feet per secondJul 28, 1993: 26.96 ft, major floodingMay 30, 1995: 28.30 ft, major floodingJun 6, 1996: 23.40 ft, moderate floodingMay 19, 2002: 27.57 ft, major flooding; 110,600 cubic feet per secondDec 15, 2004: 16.82 ft, action stage; 57,791 cubic feet per secondJan 21, 2005: 23.53 ft, moderate flooding; 95,000 cubic feet per secondJan 22, 2007: 15.72 ft, action stageMar 9, 2007: 17.36 ft, minor floodingApr 4, 2007: 19.30 ft, minor floodingMay 6, 2007: 15.60 ft, action stageJan 20, 2008: 17.21 ft, minor floodingFeb 23, 2008: 19.56 ft, minor floodingApr 1, 2008: 14.08 ft, action stageApr 16, 2008: 16.19 ft, action stageMay 1, 2008: 15.05 ft, action stageMay 17, 2008: 14.07 ft, action stageJun 18, 2008: 19.67 ft, minor floodingSep 25, 2008: 23.50 ft, moderate floodingJan 7, 2009: 20.76 ft, minor flooding; 77,400 cubic feet per secondFeb 21, 2009: 14.01 ft, action stage; 46,850 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 2009: 24.08 ft, major flooding; 98,634 cubic feet per secondMay 23, 2009: 26.25 ft, major flooding; 113,300 cubic feet per secondNov 6, 2009: 21.92 ft, minor floodingJan 1, 2010: 19.64 ft, minor floodingJan 30, 2010: 17.16 ft, minor floodingMar 22, 2010: 19.11 ft, minor floodingMay 23, 2010: 19.64 ft, minor floodingJun 29, 2010: 24.81 ft, major floodingMay 4, 2011: 21.72 ft, minor floodingJun 28, 2011: 22.57 ft, moderate floodingApr 27, 2013: 28.69 ft, major floodingJun 6, 2013: 25.79 ft, major floodingJul 2, 2015: 28.86 ft, major flooding; 112,000 cubic feet per secondJan 5, 2016: 28.03 ft, major flooding; 112,300 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 2017: 18.29 ft, minor flooding; 61,200 cubic feet per secondMay 8, 2017: 23.90 ft, moderate flooding; 87,500 cubic feet per secondMar 3, 2018: 19.72 ft, minor floodingFeb 18, 2019: 17.68 ft, minor flooding; 65,180 cubic feet per secondFeb 27, 2019: 17.04 ft, minor flooding; 62,330 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 2019: 20.69 ft, minor floodingJun 4, 2019: 28.39 ft, major floodingJan 22, 2020: 17.45 ft, minor floodingMay 27, 2020: 25.39 ft, major floodingJul 17, 2021: 17.98 ft, minor floodingApr 14, 2022: 17.61 ft, minor floodingFeb 6, 2024: 17.96 ft, minor floodingMay 6, 2024: 18.70 ft, minor flooding Highest, 28.86 ft, Jul 2, 2015 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Illinois River at Meredosia 1920s: 5 1930s: 6 1940s: 6 1950s: 4 1960s: 6 1970s: 7 1980s: 7 1990s: 3 2000s: 12 2010s: 18 18 2020s: 6 1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 100 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Illinois River at Meredosia
1Jul 2, 201528.86+11.86Major112,000
2May 26, 194328.70+11.70Major123,000
3Apr 27, 201328.69+11.69Major—
4Jun 4, 201928.39+11.39Major—
5May 30, 199528.30+11.30Major—
6Jan 5, 201628.03+11.03Major112,300
7Mar 10, 198527.62+10.62Major122,000
8May 19, 200227.57+10.57Major110,600
9Apr 19, 197927.28+10.28Major—
10Jul 28, 199326.96+9.96Major—
11Dec 12, 198226.40+9.40Major112,000
12May 2, 197326.25+9.25Major102,000
13May 23, 200926.25+9.25Major113,300
14Jun 6, 201325.79+8.79Major—
15Mar 24, 198225.56+8.56Major104,000
16May 23, 193325.50+8.50Major90,800
17May 27, 202025.39+8.39Major—
18Apr 20, 192225.10+8.10Major93,100
19Apr 29, 194424.86+7.86Major102,000
20Nov 27, 198524.85+7.85Major96,800
21Jun 29, 197424.84+7.84Major110,000
22Jun 29, 201024.81+7.81Major—
23Mar 18, 200924.08+7.08Major98,634
24May 8, 201723.90+6.90Moderate87,500
25Jan 21, 200523.53+6.53Moderate95,000
26Sep 25, 200823.50+6.50Moderate—
27Jun 6, 199623.40+6.40Moderate—
28May 22, 197022.57+5.57Moderate94,800
29Jun 28, 201122.57+5.57Moderate—
30Mar 29, 196222.27+5.27Moderate91,100
31Sep 19, 192622.20+5.20Moderate71,200
32Nov 6, 200921.92+4.92Minor—
33Apr 16, 193821.80+4.80Minor68,600
34May 4, 201121.72+4.72Minor—
35Mar 28, 198421.60+4.60Minor76,800
36Oct 11, 198621.60+4.60Minor69,600
37May 24, 198120.95+3.95Minor75,500
38Apr 7, 196020.88+3.88Minor73,000
39Jan 7, 200920.76+3.76Minor77,400
40Apr 4, 201920.69+3.69Minor—
41Mar 13, 197620.63+3.63Minor80,600
42Apr 1, 194820.59+3.59Minor73,600
43May 2, 195020.43+3.43Minor77,200
44Jun 11, 194720.15+3.15Minor68,300
45Feb 28, 195120.15+3.15Minor77,800
46May 20, 197819.85+2.85Minor72,600
47Mar 5, 193619.80+2.80Minor57,300
48Mar 3, 201819.72+2.72Minor—
49Jun 18, 200819.67+2.67Minor—
50Jan 1, 201019.64+2.64Minor—

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.

July 2, 2015: 28.86 ft here, major flooding

May 26, 1943: 28.70 ft here, major flooding

April 27, 2013: 28.69 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
  • BeardstownIL · Apr 27, 2013 · 29.81 ft · Major · its highest
  • PeoriaIL · Apr 23, 2013 · 29.35 ft · Major · its highest
  • HavanaIL · Apr 25, 2013 · 27.78 ft · Major · its highest
  • Valley CityIL · Apr 27, 2013 · 26.63 ft · Major

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
BeardstownIL14.029.81 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
Meredosia this gaugeIL17.028.86 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

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge MROI2, 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.