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North Branch Chicago River at Niles

Highest listed crest 12.13 ftFlood stage 10.0 ft70 crests since 1938

The North Branch Chicago River at Niles crested at major flood stage 2 times among the 70 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1938 to 2020. The highest, 12.13 ft on September 14, 2008, was major flooding, 2.13 feet above flood stage. 2 other gauges on the North Branch Chicago River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
12.13 ft
September 14, 2008; 3,340 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
10.0 ft
Major flooding from 12.0 ft
Crests at major
2
82nd of 177 gauges in Illinois
Most recent flood crest
May 18, 2020
10.26 ft, minor flooding
Location
Cook County
Near Niles (1.4 mi), Morton Grove (2.3 mi), Park Ridge (2.4 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, North Branch Chicago River at Niles
Action stage7.058Apr 30, 2020The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)10.04May 18, 2020Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage11.01Aug 14, 1987Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage12.02Apr 18, 2013Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

70 crests from 1938 to 2020. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the North Branch Chicago River at Niles, 1938 to 2020 68101214ft Flood stage 10.0 ftMajor 12.0 ft Jun 7, 1938: 10.50 ft, minor floodingMar 19, 1948: 8.50 ft, action stageApr 14, 1952: 7.89 ft, action stage; 870 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 1954: 8.56 ft, action stage; 1,510 cubic feet per secondOct 11, 1954: 9.01 ft, action stage; 1,700 cubic feet per secondApr 29, 1956: 7.26 ft, action stage; 1,030 cubic feet per secondJul 13, 1957: 9.28 ft, action stage; 1,850 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 1960: 8.15 ft, action stage; 1,340 cubic feet per secondSep 25, 1961: 8.12 ft, action stage; 1,290 cubic feet per secondMar 20, 1962: 7.38 ft, action stage; 1,010 cubic feet per secondApr 30, 1963: 7.14 ft, action stage; 905 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1964: 6.82 ft, below flood stage; 810 cubic feet per secondMay 12, 1966: 8.25 ft, action stage; 1,360 cubic feet per secondJun 11, 1967: 9.83 ft, action stage; 2,210 cubic feet per secondAug 17, 1968: 6.96 ft, below flood stage; 858 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 1969: 8.87 ft, action stage; 1,300 cubic feet per secondJun 2, 1970: 8.14 ft, action stage; 1,170 cubic feet per secondFeb 20, 1971: 7.56 ft, action stage; 1,070 cubic feet per secondJun 15, 1972: 8.87 ft, action stage; 1,440 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 1973: 7.73 ft, action stage; 1,050 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 1974: 7.80 ft, action stage; 1,070 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 1975: 8.09 ft, action stage; 1,160 cubic feet per secondApr 25, 1976: 9.14 ft, action stage; 1,550 cubic feet per secondSep 17, 1978: 8.07 ft, action stage; 1,150 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 1979: 7.80 ft, action stage; 1,150 cubic feet per secondAug 15, 1981: 8.45 ft, action stage; 1,160 cubic feet per secondJul 23, 1982: 8.78 ft, action stage; 1,420 cubic feet per secondDec 3, 1982: 8.99 ft, action stage; 1,480 cubic feet per secondOct 23, 1983: 8.05 ft, action stage; 1,210 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 1985: 8.56 ft, action stage; 1,350 cubic feet per secondSep 29, 1986: 9.47 ft, action stage; 1,800 cubic feet per secondAug 14, 1987: 11.35 ft, moderate flooding; 2,590 cubic feet per secondJan 20, 1988: 6.47 ft, below flood stage; 831 cubic feet per secondAug 4, 1989: 9.45 ft, action stage; 1,780 cubic feet per secondMay 10, 1990: 8.99 ft, action stage; 1,600 cubic feet per secondNov 28, 1990: 8.29 ft, action stage; 1,360 cubic feet per secondOct 4, 1991: 6.73 ft, below flood stage; 893 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 1993: 7.97 ft, action stage; 1,250 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 1994: 8.80 ft, action stage; 1,530 cubic feet per secondApr 27, 1995: 8.22 ft, action stage; 1,330 cubic feet per secondMay 9, 1996: 7.61 ft, action stage; 1,220 cubic feet per secondFeb 21, 1997: 10.63 ft, minor flooding; 2,260 cubic feet per secondMay 8, 1998: 7.12 ft, action stage; 993 cubic feet per secondApr 23, 1999: 9.51 ft, action stage; 1,800 cubic feet per secondApr 21, 2000: 8.10 ft, action stage; 1,290 cubic feet per secondAug 31, 2001: 8.37 ft, action stage; 1,380 cubic feet per secondAug 22, 2002: 9.86 ft, action stage; 1,940 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 2003: 7.59 ft, action stage; 1,130 cubic feet per secondMay 23, 2004: 7.79 ft, action stage; 1,130 cubic feet per secondJan 13, 2005: 7.85 ft, action stage; 1,210 cubic feet per secondSep 23, 2006: 7.02 ft, action stage; 965 cubic feet per secondAug 24, 2007: 9.61 ft, action stage; 1,730 cubic feet per secondSep 14, 2008: 12.13 ft, major flooding; 3,340 cubic feet per secondJun 19, 2009: 9.81 ft, action stage; 1,980 cubic feet per secondJul 24, 2010: 8.95 ft, action stage; 1,560 cubic feet per secondJul 23, 2011: 10.08 ft, minor flooding; 2,100 cubic feet per secondMay 3, 2012: 6.71 ft, below flood stage; 770 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 2013: 12.12 ft, major flooding; 3,330 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 2017: 8.98 ft, action stage; 1,572 cubic feet per secondJul 15, 2017: 8.46 ft, action stage; 1,368 cubic feet per secondOct 15, 2017: 9.05 ft, action stage; 1,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 21, 2018: 9.20 ft, action stage; 1,670 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 2018: 8.27 ft, action stage; 1,420 cubic feet per secondMay 3, 2018: 8.19 ft, action stage; 1,380 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 2018: 8.46 ft, action stage; 1,500 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 2018: 8.11 ft, action stage; 1,350 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 2019: 9.28 ft, action stage; 1,710 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 2020: 8.14 ft, action stage; 1,220 cubic feet per secondApr 30, 2020: 8.89 ft, action stage; 1,530 cubic feet per secondMay 18, 2020: 10.26 ft, minor flooding; 2,250 cubic feet per second Highest, 12.13 ft, Sep 14, 2008 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, North Branch Chicago River at Niles 1930s: 1 1940s: 0 1950s: 0 1960s: 0 1970s: 0 1980s: 1 1990s: 1 2000s: 1 2010s: 2 2 2020s: 1 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 70 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, North Branch Chicago River at Niles
1Sep 14, 200812.13+2.13Major3,340
2Apr 18, 201312.12+2.12Major3,330
3Aug 14, 198711.35+1.35Moderate2,590
4Feb 21, 199710.63+0.63Minor2,260
5Jun 7, 193810.50+0.50Minor—
6May 18, 202010.26+0.26Minor2,250
7Jul 23, 201110.08+0.08Minor2,100
8Aug 22, 20029.86−0.14Action1,940
9Jun 11, 19679.83−0.17Action2,210
10Jun 19, 20099.81−0.19Action1,980
11Aug 24, 20079.61−0.39Action1,730
12Apr 23, 19999.51−0.49Action1,800
13Sep 29, 19869.47−0.53Action1,800
14Aug 4, 19899.45−0.55Action1,780
15Jul 13, 19579.28−0.72Action1,850
16May 1, 20199.28−0.72Action1,710
17Feb 21, 20189.20−0.80Action1,670
18Apr 25, 19769.14−0.86Action1,550
19Oct 15, 20179.05−0.95Action1,600
20Oct 11, 19549.01−0.99Action1,700
21Dec 3, 19828.99−1.01Action1,480
22May 10, 19908.99−1.01Action1,600
23May 1, 20178.98−1.02Action1,572
24Jul 24, 20108.95−1.05Action1,560
25Apr 30, 20208.89−1.11Action1,530
26Jun 9, 19698.87−1.13Action1,300
27Jun 15, 19728.87−1.13Action1,440
28Jun 24, 19948.80−1.20Action1,530
29Jul 23, 19828.78−1.22Action1,420
30Apr 26, 19548.56−1.44Action1,510
31Mar 4, 19858.56−1.44Action1,350
32Mar 19, 19488.50−1.50Action—
33Jul 15, 20178.46−1.54Action1,368
34May 21, 20188.46−1.54Action1,500
35Aug 15, 19818.45−1.55Action1,160
36Aug 31, 20018.37−1.63Action1,380
37Nov 28, 19908.29−1.71Action1,360
38Apr 16, 20188.27−1.73Action1,420
39May 12, 19668.25−1.75Action1,360
40Apr 27, 19958.22−1.78Action1,330
41May 3, 20188.19−1.81Action1,380
42Mar 31, 19608.15−1.85Action1,340
43Jun 2, 19708.14−1.86Action1,170
44Mar 28, 20208.14−1.86Action1,220
45Sep 25, 19618.12−1.88Action1,290
46Jun 22, 20188.11−1.89Action1,350
47Apr 21, 20008.10−1.90Action1,290
48Apr 19, 19758.09−1.91Action1,160
49Sep 17, 19788.07−1.93Action1,150
50Oct 23, 19838.05−1.95Action1,210

The worst floods along the North Branch Chicago River

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

September 14, 2008: 12.13 ft here, major flooding

April 18, 2013: 12.12 ft here, major flooding

August 14, 1987: 11.35 ft here, moderate flooding

Gauges on the North Branch Chicago River

In USGS station-number order, which runs downstream within a river basin.

Flood gauges on the North Branch Chicago River
DeerfieldIL9.512.75 ft, Jul 13, 20170
Niles this gaugeIL10.012.13 ft, Sep 14, 20082
Chicago (Pulaski Rd)IL18.022.50 ft, Aug 14, 19871
Chicago (Grand Ave)IL3.05.70 ft, Oct 10, 19543

Other gauges in Cook County

Flood gauges in Cook County
Bellwood9.013.57 ft, Jul 24, 20104
Wheeling5.08.46 ft, Jun 26, 20136
Flossmoor9.013.08 ft, Apr 17, 20060
Markham10.012.00 ft, Oct 11, 19542
Chicago (Columbus Dr)3.05.50 ft, Oct 10, 19542
Chicago (Western Ave)4.05.26 ft, May 17, 20200
Chicago Heights10.012.87 ft, Sep 15, 20080
Des Plaines (Algonquin Road)13.021.00 ft, Sep 14, 20082
Lyons18.022.87 ft, Apr 18, 20132
River Forest16.018.98 ft, Apr 19, 20131
Riverside7.511.28 ft, Apr 18, 20137
Des Plaines15.020.92 ft, Apr 19, 20135
Lemont10.013.24 ft, May 18, 20200
Willow Springs10.010.57 ft, Apr 18, 20130
Lake Michigan at Calumet Harbor5.06.07 ft, Aug 11, 20200
Lake Michigan at Chicago (Chicago Lock)4.05.98 ft, Apr 29, 20200
Lansing7.010.18 ft, Oct 11, 19540
South Holland16.020.50 ft, Nov 28, 19905
Lemont6.011.10 ft, Jul 18, 19961
Mount Prospect5.08.08 ft, Aug 14, 19872
Oak Forest6.09.50 ft, Apr 5, 19472
Midlothian8.59.98 ft, Feb 2, 20160
Chicago (Grand Ave)3.05.70 ft, Oct 10, 19543
Chicago (Pulaski Rd)18.022.50 ft, Aug 14, 19871
Elgin5.57.69 ft, Sep 13, 20080
Elk Grove Village17.020.80 ft, May 18, 20200
Rolling Meadows8.514.03 ft, Aug 14, 19870
Western Springs7.510.65 ft, Apr 18, 20130
Worth31.036.50 ft, Oct 11, 19542
Glenwood8.511.14 ft, Jul 13, 19570
Thornton9.017.06 ft, Jun 14, 19816
Palos Park9.010.30 ft, Oct 10, 19540
Des Plaines9.015.09 ft, Jun 10, 19677
Northbrook7.010.10 ft, Aug 14, 19877

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge NILI2, 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.