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Mississippi River at Bellevue

Highest listed crest 23.51 ftFlood stage 17.0 ft26 crests since 1938

The Mississippi River at Bellevue crested at major flood stage 11 times among the 26 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1938 to 2024. The highest, 23.51 ft on April 26, 1965, was major flooding, 6.51 feet above flood stage. 38 other gauges on the Mississippi River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 23 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
23.51 ft
April 26, 1965
Flood stage
17.0 ft
Major flooding from 20.0 ft
Crests at major
11
25th of 177 gauges in Illinois
Most recent flood crest
July 7, 2024
20.17 ft, major flooding
Location
Jo Daviess County
Illinois

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Mississippi River at Bellevue
Action stage16.04May 29, 2017The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)17.04May 8, 2018Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage18.06Jul 3, 2014Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage20.011Jul 7, 2024Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

26 crests from 1938 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Mississippi River at Bellevue, 1938 to 2024 12141618202224ft Flood stage 17.0 ftMajor 20.0 ft Sep 21, 1938: 17.90 ft, minor floodingJun 28, 1944: 16.92 ft, action stageApr 23, 1951: 20.00 ft, major floodingApr 26, 1952: 20.11 ft, major floodingMay 13, 1954: 17.57 ft, minor floodingApr 26, 1965: 23.51 ft, major floodingApr 13, 1967: 18.93 ft, moderate floodingApr 24, 1969: 20.06 ft, major floodingApr 24, 1973: 19.13 ft, moderate floodingMay 6, 1975: 19.95 ft, moderate floodingMar 17, 1983: 17.75 ft, minor floodingOct 6, 1986: 19.21 ft, moderate floodingJul 1, 1993: 21.50 ft, major floodingApr 17, 1997: 20.16 ft, major floodingApr 22, 2001: 22.58 ft, major floodingJun 14, 2008: 18.70 ft, moderate floodingApr 20, 2011: 20.58 ft, major flooding; 229,175 cubic feet per secondJun 26, 2013: 16.70 ft, action stageJul 3, 2014: 18.68 ft, moderate flooding; 207,705 cubic feet per secondJun 7, 2015: 12.22 ft, below flood stageSep 30, 2016: 16.13 ft, action stageMay 29, 2017: 16.89 ft, action stageMay 8, 2018: 17.56 ft, minor floodingApr 29, 2019: 20.87 ft, major floodingApr 29, 2023: 21.78 ft, major floodingJul 7, 2024: 20.17 ft, major flooding; 226,929 cubic feet per second Highest, 23.51 ft, Apr 26, 1965 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Mississippi River at Bellevue 1930s: 1 1940s: 0 1950s: 3 1960s: 3 1970s: 2 1980s: 2 1990s: 2 2000s: 2 2010s: 4 4 2020s: 2 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

Highest listed crests, Mississippi River at Bellevue
1Apr 26, 196523.51+6.51Major—
2Apr 22, 200122.58+5.58Major—
3Apr 29, 202321.78+4.78Major—
4Jul 1, 199321.50+4.50Major—
5Apr 29, 201920.87+3.87Major—
6Apr 20, 201120.58+3.58Major229,175
7Jul 7, 202420.17+3.17Major226,929
8Apr 17, 199720.16+3.16Major—
9Apr 26, 195220.11+3.11Major—
10Apr 24, 196920.06+3.06Major—
11Apr 23, 195120.00+3.00Major—
12May 6, 197519.95+2.95Moderate—
13Oct 6, 198619.21+2.21Moderate—
14Apr 24, 197319.13+2.13Moderate—
15Apr 13, 196718.93+1.93Moderate—
16Jun 14, 200818.70+1.70Moderate—
17Jul 3, 201418.68+1.68Moderate207,705
18Sep 21, 193817.90+0.90Minor—
19Mar 17, 198317.75+0.75Minor—
20May 13, 195417.57+0.57Minor—
21May 8, 201817.56+0.56Minor—
22Jun 28, 194416.92−0.08Action—
23May 29, 201716.89−0.11Action—
24Jun 26, 201316.70−0.30Action—
25Sep 30, 201616.13−0.87Action—
26Jun 7, 201512.22−4.78Below flood stage—

The worst floods along the Mississippi River

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

April 26, 1965: 23.51 ft here, major flooding

April 22, 2001: 22.58 ft here, major flooding

April 29, 2023: 21.78 ft here, major flooding

Gauges on the Mississippi River

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

Flood gauges on the Mississippi River
TiptonvilleMO37.048.35 ft, May 5, 20112
Alma - Pool 5MN672.0672.13 ft, Apr 16, 20010
AltonIL21.039.55 ft, Aug 1, 19937
Baton RougeLA35.047.28 ft, May 15, 192731
Bellevue this gaugeIL17.023.51 ft, Apr 26, 196511
BrainerdMN16.017.61 ft, Jun 28, 20120
BrownsvilleMN635.0640.20 ft, Apr 22, 19650
BurlingtonIL15.025.73 ft, Jun 17, 200836
CamancheIA17.024.65 ft, Apr 28, 196520
Canton Lock and Dam 20MO15.027.88 ft, Jul 9, 19933
Cape GirardeauMO32.048.86 ft, Jan 2, 201615
CaruthersvilleMO32.047.61 ft, May 7, 20112
ChesterIL27.049.74 ft, Aug 7, 19939
Clarksville Lock and Dam 24MO25.037.73 ft, Jul 29, 199310
ClaytonIA620.0627.28 ft, Apr 24, 19650
DakotaMN644.0649.08 ft, Apr 21, 19650
DonaldsonvilleLA27.036.01 ft, May 15, 19273
Dubuque (LD11)IA16.025.69 ft, Apr 26, 196513
Dubuque (Railroad Bridge)IA17.026.81 ft, Apr 26, 196518
Fort RipleyMN10.514.15 ft, Apr 8, 19970
Fridley abv 37th Ave NEMN16.020.00 ft, Apr 17, 19656
FultonIL16.024.75 ft, Apr 28, 196513
GladstoneIL10.022.46 ft, Jun 17, 200824
GraftonIL20.038.17 ft, Aug 1, 199315
Gregory LandingMO15.028.49 ft, Jul 9, 19934
HannibalMO17.031.80 ft, Jul 15, 199310
HelenaAR44.060.21 ft, Feb 12, 19374
HerculaneumMO26.029.79 ft, Jul 10, 20240
HickmanKY34.054.29 ft, May 2, 20113
Hwy 169 at ChamplinMN12.017.96 ft, Apr 12, 19653
Hwy 610 in Brooklyn ParkMN12.019.53 ft, Apr 17, 19654
Illinois CityIA15.024.10 ft, Jul 9, 199321
KeithsburgIA14.024.49 ft, Jun 17, 200822
KeokukIA16.027.58 ft, Jul 10, 199324
La Crosse - Pool 8WI12.017.89 ft, Apr 22, 19654
LaGrangeMO17.030.00 ft, Jul 13, 19934
Lake CityWI16.022.18 ft, Apr 19, 19653
Lansing - Pool 9IA17.022.50 ft, Apr 24, 19651
LeClaireIA11.017.75 ft, Apr 28, 196516
LouisianaMO15.028.40 ft, Jul 28, 19934
McGregorIA16.025.38 ft, Apr 24, 19653
Mel Price (Alton) Lock and DamIL21.042.72 ft, Aug 1, 19938
MemphisTN34.048.70 ft, Feb 10, 19372
MuscatineIA16.025.61 ft, Jul 9, 199321
NatchezMS48.061.95 ft, May 19, 20116
New BostonIL15.025.90 ft, Jul 9, 199322
New MadridMO34.048.35 ft, May 6, 20114
New OrleansLA17.021.27 ft, Apr 25, 19225
OsceolaAR28.050.90 ft, Feb 7, 193742
QuincyIL19.032.13 ft, Jul 13, 19937
Quincy Lock and Dam 21IL18.031.30 ft, Jul 13, 19937
Red River LandingLA48.063.39 ft, May 18, 20110
Red WingMN14.020.70 ft, Apr 18, 19659
ReserveLA22.026.00 ft, Jun 11, 19291
Rock IslandIL15.022.70 ft, May 2, 201920
Saverton Lock and Dam 22MO16.029.58 ft, Jul 25, 19939
St. CloudMN9.011.44 ft, Apr 8, 19971
St. LouisMO30.049.58 ft, Aug 1, 19939
St. PaulMN14.026.01 ft, Apr 16, 196516
ThebesIL33.047.74 ft, Jan 2, 201612
Tunica Mhoon LandingMS30.053.20 ft, Feb 10, 19375
VicksburgLA43.057.10 ft, May 19, 201112
Wabasha - Pool 4MN12.020.05 ft, Apr 19, 19657
Winfield Lock and Dam 25MO26.039.62 ft, Aug 1, 19939
Winona - Pool 6MN13.020.77 ft, Apr 19, 19655
Lock and Dam 10 - GuttenbergIA15.023.65 ft, Apr 24, 19652
Lock and Dam 2 - HastingsMN15.025.90 ft, Apr 17, 196512
Lock and Dam 3 - Red WingMN680.5687.77 ft, Apr 19, 19658
Lock and Dam 4 - AlmaWI16.019.78 ft, Apr 19, 19652
Lock and Dam 5 - Minnesota CityMN660.0667.85 ft, Apr 19, 19654
Lock and Dam 5a - WinonaMN655.0663.35 ft, Apr 19, 19654
Lock and Dam 6 - TrempealeauMN647.0653.02 ft, Apr 21, 19654
Lock and Dam 7 - La CrescentMN641.0647.38 ft, Apr 21, 19652
Lock and Dam 8 - GenoaWI631.0638.40 ft, Apr 22, 19653
Lock and Dam 9 - LynxvilleWI625.0633.16 ft, Apr 24, 19653
AitkinMN13.022.49 ft, May 20, 195011
Arkansas CityAR37.059.20 ft, Apr 21, 192715
GreenvilleAR48.065.40 ft, Apr 21, 192718

Jo Daviess County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Illinois

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge BLVI4, 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.