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Kankakee River near Wilmington

Highest listed crest 16.70 ftFlood stage 6.5 ft103 crests since 1883

The Kankakee River near Wilmington crested at major flood stage 17 times among the 103 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1883 to 2020. The highest, 16.70 ft on February 5, 1883, was major flooding, 10.20 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
16.70 ft
February 5, 1883
Flood stage
6.5 ft
Major flooding from 10.0 ft
Crests at major
17
13th of 177 gauges in Illinois
Most recent flood crest
May 18, 2020
9.07 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Will County
Near Channahon (6.6 mi), Minooka (8.6 mi), Manhattan (11.8 mi)

Flood stages

The thresholds the National Weather Service uses for this gauge today, and how many listed crests reached each.

Flood categories, Kankakee River near Wilmington
Action stage5.032Apr 30, 2020The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)6.521Apr 19, 2013Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage8.031May 18, 2020Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage10.017Feb 5, 2019Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

103 crests from 1883 to 2020. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Kankakee River near Wilmington, 1883 to 2020 05101520ft Flood stage 6.5 ftMajor 10.0 ft Feb 5, 1883: 16.70 ft, major floodingJan 1, 1887: 16.70 ft, major floodingFeb 15, 1935: 6.90 ft, minor floodingMay 9, 1935: 5.03 ft, action stage; 17,500 cubic feet per secondFeb 29, 1936: 9.54 ft, moderate floodingMay 4, 1936: 5.00 ft, action stage; 17,500 cubic feet per secondJan 27, 1937: 9.47 ft, moderate floodingApr 10, 1938: 5.33 ft, action stage; 19,600 cubic feet per secondMar 14, 1939: 6.02 ft, action stage; 24,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 7, 1942: 8.69 ft, moderate flooding; 46,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 6, 1943: 10.06 ft, major floodingMay 21, 1943: 8.87 ft, moderate flooding; 48,000 cubic feet per secondApr 23, 1944: 7.10 ft, minor flooding; 33,800 cubic feet per secondMay 18, 1945: 5.47 ft, action stage; 21,600 cubic feet per secondJan 9, 1946: 5.21 ft, action stage; 19,500 cubic feet per secondFeb 19, 1946: 8.80 ft, moderate floodingJun 8, 1947: 5.40 ft, action stage; 21,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 28, 1948: 6.00 ft, action stageJan 28, 1949: 4.79 ft, below flood stage; 16,700 cubic feet per secondFeb 1, 1949: 11.57 ft, major floodingMar 3, 1950: 11.39 ft, major floodingApr 25, 1950: 7.61 ft, minor flooding; 37,800 cubic feet per secondFeb 19, 1951: 10.83 ft, major flooding; 30,000 cubic feet per secondJan 31, 1952: 9.43 ft, moderate floodingJun 14, 1952: 6.46 ft, action stage; 29,000 cubic feet per secondJul 6, 1953: 5.17 ft, action stage; 19,500 cubic feet per secondFeb 20, 1955: 7.13 ft, minor floodingJul 13, 1957: 11.40 ft, major flooding; 75,900 cubic feet per secondJan 9, 1958: 9.92 ft, moderate floodingJun 14, 1958: 6.72 ft, minor flooding; 30,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 13, 1959: 9.52 ft, moderate floodingJan 23, 1960: 9.13 ft, moderate floodingFeb 11, 1960: 5.25 ft, action stage; 19,500 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 1961: 4.86 ft, below flood stage; 17,000 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 1962: 6.68 ft, minor floodingMar 22, 1962: 5.70 ft, action stage; 23,800 cubic feet per secondMar 8, 1963: 9.72 ft, moderate flooding; 22,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 10, 1965: 10.94 ft, major floodingApr 26, 1965: 5.20 ft, action stage; 19,500 cubic feet per secondDec 25, 1965: 5.75 ft, action stage; 23,400 cubic feet per secondJan 17, 1966: 6.99 ft, minor floodingFeb 16, 1967: 10.08 ft, major floodingApr 2, 1967: 5.18 ft, action stage; 19,400 cubic feet per secondJan 30, 1968: 13.88 ft, major floodingJan 30, 1969: 6.59 ft, minor flooding; 29,700 cubic feet per secondMay 15, 1970: 9.40 ft, moderate flooding; 54,500 cubic feet per secondDec 17, 1972: 11.76 ft, major floodingDec 31, 1972: 7.03 ft, minor flooding; 33,200 cubic feet per secondJan 21, 1974: 12.78 ft, major floodingMay 22, 1974: 8.49 ft, moderate flooding; 49,100 cubic feet per secondJun 15, 1975: 6.24 ft, action stage; 27,100 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 1976: 6.95 ft, minor flooding; 32,600 cubic feet per secondDec 17, 1977: 9.40 ft, moderate floodingJun 26, 1978: 6.68 ft, minor flooding; 30,500 cubic feet per secondMar 8, 1979: 12.07 ft, major flooding; 48,000 cubic feet per secondJun 2, 1980: 5.88 ft, action stage; 24,800 cubic feet per secondJun 14, 1981: 6.67 ft, minor flooding; 44,300 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 1982: 7.09 ft, minor flooding; 43,600 cubic feet per secondDec 3, 1982: 8.53 ft, moderate flooding; 62,700 cubic feet per secondFeb 14, 1984: 7.06 ft, minor flooding; 43,500 cubic feet per secondFeb 25, 1985: 12.83 ft, major flooding; 50,000 cubic feet per secondMay 19, 1985: 5.40 ft, action stage; 26,900 cubic feet per secondNov 19, 1985: 7.47 ft, minor flooding; 48,900 cubic feet per secondDec 19, 1985: 9.79 ft, moderate floodingFeb 18, 1988: 7.49 ft, minor floodingJun 1, 1989: 5.52 ft, action stage; 25,200 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 1990: 6.39 ft, action stage; 36,700 cubic feet per secondNov 28, 1990: 8.42 ft, moderate flooding; 61,000 cubic feet per secondDec 28, 1990: 10.41 ft, major floodingJan 5, 1993: 7.17 ft, minor flooding; 36,800 cubic feet per secondFeb 26, 1993: 8.82 ft, moderate floodingOct 17, 1993: 7.11 ft, minor flooding; 40,100 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 1995: 5.71 ft, action stage; 26,100 cubic feet per secondMay 29, 1996: 6.24 ft, action stage; 29,900 cubic feet per secondDec 26, 1996: 9.59 ft, moderate floodingFeb 22, 1997: 7.27 ft, minor flooding; 37,500 cubic feet per secondMay 8, 1998: 7.56 ft, minor flooding; 39,800 cubic feet per secondApr 23, 1999: 5.59 ft, action stage; 25,300 cubic feet per secondJul 10, 2000: 5.05 ft, action stage; 21,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 10, 2001: 6.37 ft, action stage; 30,800 cubic feet per secondMay 13, 2002: 8.17 ft, moderate flooding; 44,000 cubic feet per secondJul 18, 2003: 5.30 ft, action stage; 21,300 cubic feet per secondJun 13, 2004: 6.43 ft, action stage; 29,100 cubic feet per secondJan 14, 2005: 8.49 ft, moderate flooding; 52,800 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 2006: 5.05 ft, action stage; 20,400 cubic feet per secondJan 9, 2008: 8.77 ft, moderate flooding; 49,500 cubic feet per secondJan 26, 2008: 12.00 ft, major floodingSep 15, 2008: 8.68 ft, moderate floodingMar 11, 2009: 8.10 ft, moderate flooding; 44,000 cubic feet per secondOct 31, 2009: 5.64 ft, action stage; 24,800 cubic feet per secondApr 27, 2011: 6.30 ft, action stage; 30,300 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 2013: 7.87 ft, minor flooding; 42,200 cubic feet per secondFeb 22, 2014: 9.59 ft, moderate floodingJun 23, 2015: 8.92 ft, moderate flooding; 50,800 cubic feet per secondDec 29, 2015: 8.05 ft, moderate flooding; 43,600 cubic feet per secondJan 23, 2016: 9.46 ft, moderate floodingJan 10, 2017: 9.72 ft, moderate floodingFeb 21, 2018: 9.10 ft, moderate flooding; 52,300 cubic feet per secondFeb 5, 2019: 13.18 ft, major floodingMay 2, 2019: 8.31 ft, moderate flooding; 45,700 cubic feet per secondJan 12, 2020: 6.30 ft, action stage; 30,300 cubic feet per secondApr 30, 2020: 6.29 ft, action stage; 30,300 cubic feet per secondMay 18, 2020: 9.07 ft, moderate flooding; 52,100 cubic feet per second Highest, 16.70 ft, Feb 5, 1883 1900192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Kankakee River near Wilmington 1880s: 2 1890s: 0 1900s: 0 1910s: 0 1920s: 0 1930s: 3 1940s: 6 1950s: 9 9 1960s: 8 1970s: 9 1980s: 8 1990s: 8 2000s: 6 2010s: 9 2020s: 1 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 103 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Kankakee River near Wilmington
1Feb 5, 188316.70+10.20Major—
2Jan 1, 188716.70+10.20Major—
3Jan 30, 196813.88+7.38Major—
4Feb 5, 201913.18+6.68Major—
5Feb 25, 198512.83+6.33Major50,000
6Jan 21, 197412.78+6.28Major—
7Mar 8, 197912.07+5.57Major48,000
8Jan 26, 200812.00+5.50Major—
9Dec 17, 197211.76+5.26Major—
10Feb 1, 194911.57+5.07Major—
11Jul 13, 195711.40+4.90Major75,900
12Mar 3, 195011.39+4.89Major—
13Feb 10, 196510.94+4.44Major—
14Feb 19, 195110.83+4.33Major30,000
15Dec 28, 199010.41+3.91Major—
16Feb 16, 196710.08+3.58Major—
17Feb 6, 194310.06+3.56Major—
18Jan 9, 19589.92+3.42Moderate—
19Dec 19, 19859.79+3.29Moderate—
20Mar 8, 19639.72+3.22Moderate22,000
21Jan 10, 20179.72+3.22Moderate—
22Dec 26, 19969.59+3.09Moderate—
23Feb 22, 20149.59+3.09Moderate—
24Feb 29, 19369.54+3.04Moderate—
25Feb 13, 19599.52+3.02Moderate—
26Jan 27, 19379.47+2.97Moderate—
27Jan 23, 20169.46+2.96Moderate—
28Jan 31, 19529.43+2.93Moderate—
29May 15, 19709.40+2.90Moderate54,500
30Dec 17, 19779.40+2.90Moderate—
31Jan 23, 19609.13+2.63Moderate—
32Feb 21, 20189.10+2.60Moderate52,300
33May 18, 20209.07+2.57Moderate52,100
34Jun 23, 20158.92+2.42Moderate50,800
35May 21, 19438.87+2.37Moderate48,000
36Feb 26, 19938.82+2.32Moderate—
37Feb 19, 19468.80+2.30Moderate—
38Jan 9, 20088.77+2.27Moderate49,500
39Feb 7, 19428.69+2.19Moderate46,600
40Sep 15, 20088.68+2.18Moderate—
41Dec 3, 19828.53+2.03Moderate62,700
42May 22, 19748.49+1.99Moderate49,100
43Jan 14, 20058.49+1.99Moderate52,800
44Nov 28, 19908.42+1.92Moderate61,000
45May 2, 20198.31+1.81Moderate45,700
46May 13, 20028.17+1.67Moderate44,000
47Mar 11, 20098.10+1.60Moderate44,000
48Dec 29, 20158.05+1.55Moderate43,600
49Apr 19, 20137.87+1.37Minor42,200
50Apr 25, 19507.61+1.11Minor37,800

The worst floods along the Kankakee River

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

January 30, 1968: 13.88 ft here, major flooding

  • DavisIN · Feb 6, 1968 · 11.70 ft · Minor
  • MomenceIL · Feb 2, 1968 · 5.10 ft · Minor

February 5, 2019: 13.18 ft here, major flooding

  • ShelbyIN · Feb 6, 2019 · 12.04 ft · Moderate

February 25, 1985: 12.83 ft here, major flooding

Gauges on the Kankakee River

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

Flood gauges on the Kankakee River
DavisIN10.013.80 ft, Mar 11, 20099
Dunns BridgeIN10.013.65 ft, Feb 26, 20186
KoutsIN11.014.52 ft, Mar 24, 19823
ShelbyIN10.513.04 ft, Sep 18, 20084
MomenceIL5.010.51 ft, Mar 6, 19792
Wilmington this gaugeIL6.516.70 ft, Feb 5, 188317
LorenzoIL508.0508.54 ft, May 18, 20200

Other gauges in Will County

Flood gauges in Will County
Lockport Lock (tailwater)541.0546.59 ft, Dec 4, 19820
Brandon Road Lock (tailwater)507.0513.30 ft, Jul 13, 19570
Joliet541.0542.00 ft, Jul 1, 19570
Shorewood15.524.03 ft, Jul 18, 19967
Plainfield12.016.57 ft, Apr 19, 20132
Bolingbrook20.025.54 ft, Apr 18, 20132
Joliet16.519.50 ft, Apr 18, 20130
Crete14.017.72 ft, Jun 9, 20110

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge WLMI2, 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.