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Mississippi River at Rock Island

Highest listed crest 22.70 ftFlood stage 15.0 ft37 crests since 1960

The Mississippi River at Rock Island crested at major flood stage 20 times among the 37 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1960 to 2026. The highest, 22.70 ft on May 2, 2019, was major flooding, 7.70 feet above flood stage. 24 other gauges on the Mississippi River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
22.70 ft
May 2, 2019
Flood stage
15.0 ft
Major flooding from 18.0 ft
Crests at major
20
10th of 177 gauges in Illinois
Most recent flood crest
April 23, 2026
16.08 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Rock Island County
Near Davenport (3.5 mi), Rock Island (3.6 mi), Moline (4.3 mi)
Identifiers
NWS RCKI2
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, Mississippi River at Rock Island
Action stage13.02Jun 17, 2015The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)15.05Sep 30, 2016Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage16.010Apr 23, 2026Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage18.020Jul 10, 2024Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

37 crests from 1960 to 2026. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Mississippi River at Rock Island, 1960 to 2026 12141618202224ft Flood stage 15.0 ftMajor 18.0 ft Apr 3, 1960: 15.30 ft, minor floodingApr 28, 1965: 22.48 ft, major floodingFeb 22, 1966: 19.00 ft, major floodingApr 15, 1967: 17.40 ft, moderate floodingApr 26, 1969: 19.30 ft, major floodingMar 26, 1973: 18.84 ft, major floodingJun 24, 1974: 17.00 ft, moderate floodingMay 9, 1975: 19.16 ft, major floodingApr 4, 1979: 16.30 ft, moderate floodingOct 7, 1986: 19.22 ft, major floodingJul 1, 1990: 14.10 ft, action stageApr 25, 1993: 18.59 ft, major floodingJul 9, 1993: 22.63 ft, major floodingMay 2, 1996: 16.60 ft, moderate floodingApr 20, 1997: 19.66 ft, major floodingApr 12, 1998: 17.34 ft, moderate floodingApr 25, 2001: 22.33 ft, major floodingApr 26, 2002: 15.83 ft, minor floodingJun 7, 2002: 16.65 ft, moderate floodingMay 23, 2003: 15.23 ft, minor floodingMay 27, 2004: 15.05 ft, minor floodingJun 22, 2004: 17.08 ft, moderate floodingApr 29, 2008: 19.24 ft, major floodingJun 16, 2008: 21.49 ft, major floodingApr 22, 2011: 20.71 ft, major flooding; 263,957 cubic feet per secondApr 21, 2013: 19.12 ft, major flooding; 234,404 cubic feet per secondJul 4, 2014: 20.90 ft, major flooding; 268,536 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 2015: 13.75 ft, action stageSep 30, 2016: 15.82 ft, minor floodingMay 31, 2017: 17.07 ft, moderate floodingMay 11, 2018: 17.41 ft, moderate floodingApr 8, 2019: 20.68 ft, major floodingMay 2, 2019: 22.70 ft, major floodingJun 1, 2019: 21.68 ft, major floodingMay 1, 2023: 21.51 ft, major floodingJul 10, 2024: 20.16 ft, major flooding; 253,694 cubic feet per secondApr 23, 2026: 16.08 ft, moderate flooding; 176,533 cubic feet per second Highest, 22.70 ft, May 2, 2019 1960197019801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Mississippi River at Rock Island 1960s: 5 1970s: 4 1980s: 1 1990s: 5 2000s: 8 2010s: 9 9 2020s: 3 1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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.
  3. 21 crests measured on an earlier gauge datum are left out: 15.20 ft on May 4, 1862; 22.00 ft on Mar 10, 1868; 16.30 ft on Apr 12, 1881; 19.40 ft on Jun 27, 1892; 15.10 ft on Mar 13, 1893; 15.10 ft on Apr 17, 1897; and more.

Highest crests

Highest listed crests, Mississippi River at Rock Island
1May 2, 201922.70+7.70Major—
2Jul 9, 199322.63+7.63Major—
3Apr 28, 196522.48+7.48Major—
4Apr 25, 200122.33+7.33Major—
5Jun 1, 201921.68+6.68Major—
6May 1, 202321.51+6.51Major—
7Jun 16, 200821.49+6.49Major—
8Jul 4, 201420.90+5.90Major268,536
9Apr 22, 201120.71+5.71Major263,957
10Apr 8, 201920.68+5.68Major—
11Jul 10, 202420.16+5.16Major253,694
12Apr 20, 199719.66+4.66Major—
13Apr 26, 196919.30+4.30Major—
14Apr 29, 200819.24+4.24Major—
15Oct 7, 198619.22+4.22Major—
16May 9, 197519.16+4.16Major—
17Apr 21, 201319.12+4.12Major234,404
18Feb 22, 196619.00+4.00Major—
19Mar 26, 197318.84+3.84Major—
20Apr 25, 199318.59+3.59Major—
21May 11, 201817.41+2.41Moderate—
22Apr 15, 196717.40+2.40Moderate—
23Apr 12, 199817.34+2.34Moderate—
24Jun 22, 200417.08+2.08Moderate—
25May 31, 201717.07+2.07Moderate—
26Jun 24, 197417.00+2.00Moderate—
27Jun 7, 200216.65+1.65Moderate—
28May 2, 199616.60+1.60Moderate—
29Apr 4, 197916.30+1.30Moderate—
30Apr 23, 202616.08+1.08Moderate176,533
31Apr 26, 200215.83+0.83Minor—
32Sep 30, 201615.82+0.82Minor—
33Apr 3, 196015.30+0.30Minor—
34May 23, 200315.23+0.23Minor—
35May 27, 200415.05+0.05Minor—
36Jul 1, 199014.10−0.90Action—
37Jun 17, 201513.75−1.25Action—

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.

May 2, 2019: 22.70 ft here, major flooding

  • GraftonIL · May 7, 2019 · 32.10 ft · Major
  • AltonIL · May 7, 2019 · 31.60 ft · Major
  • QuincyIL · May 3, 2019 · 31.16 ft · Major
  • LaGrangeMO · May 3, 2019 · 25.91 ft · Major
  • Gregory LandingMO · May 3, 2019 · 25.16 ft · Major
  • MuscatineIA · May 3, 2019 · 24.33 ft · Major
  • New BostonIL · May 3, 2019 · 23.59 ft · Major
  • BurlingtonIL · May 3, 2019 · 23.54 ft · Major
  • KeokukIA · May 2, 2019 · 23.50 ft · Major
  • Illinois CityIA · May 3, 2019 · 23.23 ft · Major

July 9, 1993: 22.63 ft here, major flooding

  • QuincyIL · Jul 13, 1993 · 32.13 ft · Major · its highest
  • HannibalMO · Jul 15, 1993 · 31.80 ft · Major · its highest
  • Quincy Lock and Dam 21IL · Jul 13, 1993 · 31.30 ft · Major · its highest
  • LaGrangeMO · Jul 13, 1993 · 30.00 ft · Major · its highest
  • Gregory LandingMO · Jul 9, 1993 · 28.49 ft · Major · its highest
  • Canton Lock and Dam 20MO · Jul 9, 1993 · 27.88 ft · Major · its highest
  • KeokukIA · Jul 10, 1993 · 27.58 ft · Major · its highest
  • New BostonIL · Jul 9, 1993 · 25.90 ft · Major · its highest
  • MuscatineIA · Jul 9, 1993 · 25.61 ft · Major · its highest
  • BurlingtonIL · Jul 10, 1993 · 25.10 ft · Major

April 28, 1965: 22.48 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
BellevueIL17.023.51 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 Island this gaugeIL15.022.70 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

Other gauges in Rock Island County

Flood gauges in Rock Island County
Moline12.016.53 ft, Apr 22, 201334
Joslin12.019.24 ft, Jun 7, 200224

Rock Island County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Illinois

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge RCKI2, 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.