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Rock River at Latham Park

Highest listed crest 14.70 ftFlood stage 9.0 ft37 crests since 1959

The Rock River at Latham Park crested at major flood stage 3 times among the 37 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1959 to 2024. The highest, 14.70 ft on March 26, 1975, was major flooding, 5.70 feet above flood stage. 8 other gauges on the Rock River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
14.70 ft
March 26, 1975
Flood stage
9.0 ft
Major flooding from 13.5 ft
Crests at major
3
72nd of 177 gauges in Illinois
Most recent flood crest
July 17, 2024
10.27 ft, minor flooding
Location
Winnebago County
Near Machesney Park (1.7 mi), Loves Park (3.7 mi), Roscoe (4.6 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Rock River at Latham Park
Action stage8.011Jun 23, 2024The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)9.08Jul 17, 2024Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage11.012Oct 7, 2019Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage13.53Mar 17, 2019Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

37 crests from 1959 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Rock River at Latham Park, 1959 to 2024 46810121416ft Flood stage 9.0 ftMajor 13.5 ft Apr 5, 1959: 12.10 ft, moderate floodingApr 23, 1973: 13.30 ft, moderate floodingMar 26, 1975: 14.70 ft, major floodingApr 3, 1979: 12.30 ft, moderate floodingAug 29, 2002: 5.74 ft, below flood stageMay 16, 2003: 6.28 ft, below flood stageJun 4, 2004: 10.61 ft, minor floodingFeb 19, 2005: 8.91 ft, action stageMar 13, 2006: 6.63 ft, below flood stageAug 26, 2007: 10.74 ft, minor floodingJun 18, 2008: 14.30 ft, major floodingMar 29, 2009: 10.90 ft, minor floodingJul 29, 2010: 12.91 ft, moderate floodingJan 8, 2011: 8.57 ft, action stageMar 28, 2011: 8.50 ft, action stageMar 18, 2013: 8.41 ft, action stageApr 22, 2013: 12.82 ft, moderate floodingJun 27, 2013: 11.55 ft, moderate floodingDec 24, 2015: 8.04 ft, action stageJan 14, 2016: 11.83 ft, moderate floodingJul 28, 2017: 12.55 ft, moderate floodingFeb 26, 2018: 12.80 ft, moderate floodingSep 9, 2018: 11.48 ft, moderate floodingOct 7, 2018: 13.22 ft, moderate floodingFeb 5, 2019: 10.22 ft, minor floodingMar 17, 2019: 14.46 ft, major floodingMay 30, 2019: 8.93 ft, action stageSep 13, 2019: 9.58 ft, minor floodingOct 7, 2019: 12.23 ft, moderate floodingMar 29, 2020: 9.29 ft, minor floodingMay 24, 2020: 8.34 ft, action stageDec 29, 2022: 8.50 ft, action stageApr 5, 2023: 8.08 ft, action stageApr 9, 2024: 9.20 ft, minor floodingJun 6, 2024: 8.12 ft, action stageJun 23, 2024: 8.78 ft, action stageJul 17, 2024: 10.27 ft, minor flooding Highest, 14.70 ft, Mar 26, 1975 1960197019801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Rock River at Latham Park 1950s: 1 1960s: 0 1970s: 3 1980s: 0 1990s: 0 2000s: 4 2010s: 12 12 2020s: 3 1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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, Rock River at Latham Park
1Mar 26, 197514.70+5.70Major—
2Mar 17, 201914.46+5.46Major—
3Jun 18, 200814.30+5.30Major—
4Apr 23, 197313.30+4.30Moderate—
5Oct 7, 201813.22+4.22Moderate—
6Jul 29, 201012.91+3.91Moderate—
7Apr 22, 201312.82+3.82Moderate—
8Feb 26, 201812.80+3.80Moderate—
9Jul 28, 201712.55+3.55Moderate—
10Apr 3, 197912.30+3.30Moderate—
11Oct 7, 201912.23+3.23Moderate—
12Apr 5, 195912.10+3.10Moderate—
13Jan 14, 201611.83+2.83Moderate—
14Jun 27, 201311.55+2.55Moderate—
15Sep 9, 201811.48+2.48Moderate—
16Mar 29, 200910.90+1.90Minor—
17Aug 26, 200710.74+1.74Minor—
18Jun 4, 200410.61+1.61Minor—
19Jul 17, 202410.27+1.27Minor—
20Feb 5, 201910.22+1.22Minor—
21Sep 13, 20199.58+0.58Minor—
22Mar 29, 20209.29+0.29Minor—
23Apr 9, 20249.20+0.20Minor—
24May 30, 20198.93−0.07Action—
25Feb 19, 20058.91−0.09Action—
26Jun 23, 20248.78−0.22Action—
27Jan 8, 20118.57−0.43Action—
28Mar 28, 20118.50−0.50Action—
29Dec 29, 20228.50−0.50Action—
30Mar 18, 20138.41−0.59Action—
31May 24, 20208.34−0.66Action—
32Jun 6, 20248.12−0.88Action—
33Apr 5, 20238.08−0.92Action—
34Dec 24, 20158.04−0.96Action—
35Mar 13, 20066.63−2.37Below flood stage—
36May 16, 20036.28−2.72Below flood stage—
37Aug 29, 20025.74−3.26Below flood stage—

The worst floods along the Rock River

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

March 26, 1975: 14.70 ft here, major flooding

  • RocktonIL · Mar 25, 1975 · 15.54 ft · Major · its highest
  • MolineIL · Mar 29, 1975 · 14.00 ft · Major
  • DixonIL · Mar 25, 1975 · 18.50 ft · Moderate
  • JoslinIL · Mar 28, 1975 · 15.95 ft · Moderate
  • ByronIL · Mar 25, 1975 · 15.00 ft · Moderate
  • AftonWI · Apr 1, 1975 · 11.25 ft · Moderate
  • Rockford (Fordam Dam)IL · Mar 26, 1975 · 5.50 ft · Moderate
  • Rockford (Auburn Street)IL · Mar 26, 1975 · 7.80 ft · Minor

March 17, 2019: 14.46 ft here, major flooding

June 18, 2008: 14.30 ft here, major flooding

  • Fort AtkinsonWI · Jun 15, 2008 · 20.90 ft · Major · its highest
  • JoslinIL · Jun 21, 2008 · 16.61 ft · Major
  • JeffersonWI · Jun 19, 2008 · 15.64 ft · Major · its highest
  • Lake KoshkonongWI · Jun 21, 2008 · 15.13 ft · Major · its highest
  • MolineIL · Jun 17, 2008 · 14.91 ft · Major
  • RocktonIL · Jun 17, 2008 · 14.72 ft · Major
  • Lebanon-3 E-Hwy MM bridgeWI · Jun 15, 2008 · 14.01 ft · Major · its highest
  • AftonWI · Jun 21, 2008 · 13.51 ft · Major · its highest
  • WatertownWI · Jun 13, 2008 · 7.81 ft · Major · its highest
  • ByronIL · Jun 15, 2008 · 14.81 ft · Moderate

Gauges on the Rock River

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

Flood gauges on the Rock River
AftonWI9.013.51 ft, Jun 21, 20083
ByronIL13.017.80 ft, Apr 20, 19735
ComoIL12.515.64 ft, Jul 23, 20170
DixonIL16.020.50 ft, Apr 20, 19731
Fort AtkinsonWI16.020.90 ft, Jun 15, 20082
JeffersonWI10.015.64 ft, Jun 19, 20081
Lake KoshkonongWI10.015.13 ft, Jun 21, 20086
Latham Park this gaugeIL9.014.70 ft, Mar 26, 19753
Lebanon-3 E-Hwy MM bridgeWI10.014.01 ft, Jun 15, 20081
MolineIL12.016.53 ft, Apr 22, 201334
NewvilleWI6.58.51 ft, Apr 23, 20131
Rockford (Auburn Street)IL6.010.00 ft, Apr 20, 18811
Rockford (Fordam Dam)IL4.06.50 ft, Apr 20, 18811
RocktonIL10.015.54 ft, Mar 25, 19754
WatertownWI5.57.81 ft, Jun 13, 20082
JoslinIL12.019.24 ft, Jun 7, 200224

Other gauges in Winnebago County

Flood gauges in Winnebago County
Perryville12.023.54 ft, Jul 18, 19961
Shirland12.018.08 ft, Mar 25, 197511
Rockford (Auburn Street)6.010.00 ft, Apr 20, 18811
Rockford (Fordam Dam)4.06.50 ft, Apr 20, 18811
Rockton10.015.54 ft, Mar 25, 19754

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge LATI2, 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.