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Illinois River at Valley City

Highest listed crest 27.00 ftFlood stage 14.0 ft104 crests since 1939

The Illinois River at Valley City crested at major flood stage 17 times among the 104 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1939 to 2026. The highest, 27.00 ft on May 26, 1943, was major flooding, 13.00 feet above flood stage. 9 other gauges on the Illinois River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
27.00 ft
May 26, 1943; 123,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
14.0 ft
Major flooding from 23.0 ft
Crests at major
17
13th of 177 gauges in Illinois
Most recent flood crest
May 2, 2026
15.38 ft, minor flooding
Location
Scott 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 Valley City
Action stage11.012May 1, 2008The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)14.060May 2, 2026Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage21.011May 7, 2017Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage23.017May 27, 2020Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

104 crests from 1939 to 2026. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Illinois River at Valley City, 1939 to 2026 51015202530ft Flood stage 14.0 ftMajor 23.0 ft Mar 22, 1939: 18.08 ft, minor flooding; 69,500 cubic feet per secondMay 26, 1943: 27.00 ft, major flooding; 123,000 cubic feet per secondApr 29, 1944: 24.86 ft, major flooding; 102,000 cubic feet per secondMay 26, 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 2, 1948: 20.59 ft, minor flooding; 73,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 27, 1949: 16.91 ft, minor flooding; 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 secondApr 7, 1953: 11.78 ft, action stage; 35,200 cubic feet per secondApr 24, 1954: 11.07 ft, action stage; 33,300 cubic feet per secondFeb 27, 1955: 11.87 ft, action stage; 37,700 cubic feet per secondJun 2, 1956: 9.53 ft, below flood stage; 29,700 cubic feet per secondMay 6, 1957: 18.21 ft, minor flooding; 66,300 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 1958: 15.97 ft, minor flooding; 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, minor flooding; 53,000 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 1962: 22.27 ft, moderate flooding; 91,100 cubic feet per secondMar 9, 1963: 13.44 ft, action stage; 41,100 cubic feet per secondApr 27, 1964: 14.51 ft, minor flooding; 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, minor flooding; 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, minor flooding; 51,200 cubic feet per secondJun 29, 1974: 24.84 ft, major flooding; 110,000 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 1975: 16.46 ft, minor flooding; 55,100 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1976: 20.63 ft, minor flooding; 80,600 cubic feet per secondMay 12, 1977: 13.81 ft, action stage; 45,900 cubic feet per secondMay 20, 1978: 19.85 ft, minor flooding; 72,600 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 1979: 25.20 ft, major flooding; 111,000 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 secondMar 11, 1985: 25.60 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, moderate flooding; 69,600 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 1988: 13.84 ft, action stage; 41,800 cubic feet per secondSep 18, 1989: 10.80 ft, below flood stage; 32,800 cubic feet per secondJun 27, 1990: 18.90 ft, minor flooding; 76,500 cubic feet per secondAug 3, 1992: 10.83 ft, below flood stage; 38,400 cubic feet per secondJul 27, 1993: 25.95 ft, major floodingApr 22, 1994: 17.46 ft, minor flooding; 74,800 cubic feet per secondMay 30, 1995: 26.56 ft, major flooding; 109,000 cubic feet per secondJun 7, 1996: 21.45 ft, moderate flooding; 83,800 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 1997: 21.07 ft, moderate flooding; 88,400 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 1998: 19.27 ft, minor flooding; 77,400 cubic feet per secondFeb 4, 1999: 15.37 ft, minor flooding; 62,400 cubic feet per secondMay 3, 1999: 17.55 ft, minor floodingJun 29, 2000: 12.88 ft, action stage; 43,800 cubic feet per secondMar 2, 2001: 18.49 ft, minor floodingMay 19, 2002: 25.56 ft, major flooding; 103,000 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 2003: 11.29 ft, action stage; 41,800 cubic feet per secondJul 18, 2003: 11.55 ft, action stage; 36,600 cubic feet per secondJun 21, 2004: 14.06 ft, minor flooding; 51,700 cubic feet per secondDec 7, 2004: 15.00 ft, minor flooding; 54,690 cubic feet per secondJan 2, 2005: 21.30 ft, moderate flooding; 91,900 cubic feet per secondJan 20, 2005: 21.17 ft, moderate flooding; 93,500 cubic feet per secondApr 10, 2006: 9.46 ft, below flood stage; 35,600 cubic feet per secondDec 31, 2006: 12.60 ft, action stageFeb 26, 2007: 11.32 ft, action stageApr 4, 2007: 17.39 ft, minor floodingJan 20, 2008: 15.27 ft, minor flooding; 60,200 cubic feet per secondFeb 23, 2008: 17.57 ft, minor flooding; 70,300 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 2008: 14.81 ft, minor floodingMay 1, 2008: 13.99 ft, action stageJun 28, 2008: 19.19 ft, minor flooding; 34,900 cubic feet per secondSep 25, 2008: 21.20 ft, moderate flooding; 91,300 cubic feet per secondJan 6, 2009: 18.56 ft, minor flooding; 73,700 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 2009: 21.86 ft, moderate flooding; 88,542 cubic feet per secondMay 22, 2009: 24.00 ft, major flooding; 104,000 cubic feet per secondNov 6, 2009: 19.97 ft, minor floodingJan 1, 2010: 17.68 ft, minor flooding; 71,200 cubic feet per secondJan 30, 2010: 15.28 ft, minor flooding; 57,800 cubic feet per secondMay 23, 2010: 18.03 ft, minor flooding; 64,800 cubic feet per secondJun 29, 2010: 22.86 ft, moderate flooding; 90,800 cubic feet per secondJul 25, 2010: 16.04 ft, minor flooding; 41,500 cubic feet per secondMar 10, 2011: 16.20 ft, minor flooding; 61,500 cubic feet per secondMay 4, 2011: 20.07 ft, minor flooding; 73,100 cubic feet per secondJun 28, 2011: 20.94 ft, minor flooding; 75,400 cubic feet per secondApr 27, 2013: 26.63 ft, major flooding; 111,000 cubic feet per secondJun 6, 2013: 24.19 ft, major floodingJul 12, 2014: 15.73 ft, minor flooding; 41,600 cubic feet per secondJul 2, 2015: 26.85 ft, major flooding; 110,000 cubic feet per secondJan 5, 2016: 25.72 ft, major flooding; 113,000 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 2017: 16.42 ft, minor flooding; 63,700 cubic feet per secondMay 7, 2017: 22.36 ft, moderate flooding; 79,000 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 2018: 17.62 ft, minor flooding; 73,200 cubic feet per secondFeb 18, 2019: 15.71 ft, minor flooding; 61,800 cubic feet per secondFeb 27, 2019: 15.20 ft, minor flooding; 57,500 cubic feet per secondJun 4, 2019: 26.99 ft, major floodingJan 22, 2020: 15.68 ft, minor floodingApr 1, 2020: 15.03 ft, minor flooding; 48,500 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 2020: 23.15 ft, major flooding; 100,000 cubic feet per secondMay 25, 2021: 14.41 ft, minor flooding; 57,900 cubic feet per secondJul 10, 2021: 16.10 ft, minor flooding; 62,000 cubic feet per secondNov 5, 2021: 14.12 ft, minor flooding; 54,200 cubic feet per secondFeb 6, 2024: 15.62 ft, minor flooding; 68,400 cubic feet per secondMay 2, 2026: 15.38 ft, minor flooding; 52,600 cubic feet per second Highest, 27.00 ft, May 26, 1943 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Illinois River at Valley City 1930s: 1 1940s: 7 1950s: 6 1960s: 9 1970s: 8 1980s: 5 1990s: 9 2000s: 16 2010s: 19 19 2020s: 8 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

The 50 highest of 104 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Illinois River at Valley City
1May 26, 194327.00+13.00Major123,000
2Jun 4, 201926.99+12.99Major—
3Jul 2, 201526.85+12.85Major110,000
4Apr 27, 201326.63+12.63Major111,000
5May 30, 199526.56+12.56Major109,000
6Jul 27, 199325.95+11.95Major—
7Jan 5, 201625.72+11.72Major113,000
8Mar 11, 198525.60+11.60Major122,000
9Mar 24, 198225.56+11.56Major104,000
10May 19, 200225.56+11.56Major103,000
11Apr 19, 197925.20+11.20Major111,000
12Apr 29, 194424.86+10.86Major102,000
13Nov 27, 198524.85+10.85Major96,800
14Jun 29, 197424.84+10.84Major110,000
15Jun 6, 201324.19+10.19Major—
16May 22, 200924.00+10.00Major104,000
17May 27, 202023.15+9.15Major100,000
18Jun 29, 201022.86+8.86Moderate90,800
19May 22, 197022.57+8.57Moderate94,800
20May 7, 201722.36+8.36Moderate79,000
21Mar 29, 196222.27+8.27Moderate91,100
22Mar 18, 200921.86+7.86Moderate88,542
23Oct 11, 198621.60+7.60Moderate69,600
24Jun 7, 199621.45+7.45Moderate83,800
25Jan 2, 200521.30+7.30Moderate91,900
26Sep 25, 200821.20+7.20Moderate91,300
27Jan 20, 200521.17+7.17Moderate93,500
28Mar 6, 199721.07+7.07Moderate88,400
29May 24, 198120.95+6.95Minor75,500
30Jun 28, 201120.94+6.94Minor75,400
31Apr 7, 196020.88+6.88Minor73,000
32Mar 13, 197620.63+6.63Minor80,600
33Apr 2, 194820.59+6.59Minor73,600
34May 2, 195020.43+6.43Minor77,200
35Jun 11, 194720.15+6.15Minor68,300
36Feb 28, 195120.15+6.15Minor77,800
37May 4, 201120.07+6.07Minor73,100
38Nov 6, 200919.97+5.97Minor—
39May 20, 197819.85+5.85Minor72,600
40May 17, 199819.27+5.27Minor77,400
41Jun 28, 200819.19+5.19Minor34,900
42Jun 27, 199018.90+4.90Minor76,500
43Jan 14, 194618.88+4.88Minor66,000
44Jan 6, 200918.56+4.56Minor73,700
45Mar 2, 200118.49+4.49Minor—
46Feb 11, 196818.23+4.23Minor66,900
47May 6, 195718.21+4.21Minor66,300
48Mar 22, 193918.08+4.08Minor69,500
49May 26, 194518.07+4.07Minor62,800
50May 23, 201018.03+4.03Minor64,800

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.

May 26, 1943: 27.00 ft here, major flooding

June 4, 2019: 26.99 ft here, major flooding

July 2, 2015: 26.85 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
  • BeardstownIL · Jul 2, 2015 · 29.75 ft · Major
  • MeredosiaIL · Jul 2, 2015 · 28.86 ft · Major · its highest
  • HavanaIL · Jul 1, 2015 · 27.24 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

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
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 City this gaugeIL14.027.00 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

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge VALI2, 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.