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Rock River near Joslin

Highest listed crest 19.24 ftFlood stage 12.0 ft118 crests since 1940

The Rock River near Joslin crested at major flood stage 24 times among the 118 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1940 to 2026. The highest, 19.24 ft on June 7, 2002, was major flooding, 7.24 feet above flood stage. 2 other gauges on the Rock River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
19.24 ft
June 7, 2002; 47,700 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
12.0 ft
Major flooding from 16.5 ft
Crests at major
24
5th of 177 gauges in Illinois
Most recent flood crest
April 22, 2026
16.16 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Rock Island County
Near East Moline (10.8 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 near Joslin
Action stage11.06Dec 24, 1981The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)12.030Mar 2, 2023Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage14.038Apr 22, 2026Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage16.524Jun 1, 2019Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

118 crests from 1940 to 2026. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Rock River near Joslin, 1940 to 2026 5101520ft Flood stage 12.0 ftMajor 16.5 ft Aug 30, 1940: 10.41 ft, below flood stage; 15,700 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 1941: 11.61 ft, action stage; 20,600 cubic feet per secondOct 24, 1941: 9.73 ft, below flood stage; 13,800 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 1943: 14.20 ft, moderate flooding; 36,400 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 1944: 14.00 ft, moderate flooding; 34,800 cubic feet per secondMay 19, 1945: 9.88 ft, below flood stage; 14,200 cubic feet per secondJan 11, 1946: 14.98 ft, moderate floodingJun 3, 1947: 10.51 ft, below flood stage; 15,900 cubic feet per secondMar 3, 1948: 16.23 ft, moderate floodingMar 22, 1948: 14.46 ft, moderate flooding; 46,200 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 1949: 14.55 ft, moderate flooding; 27,000 cubic feet per secondMar 8, 1950: 13.02 ft, minor flooding; 27,500 cubic feet per secondFeb 28, 1951: 13.51 ft, minor flooding; 32,800 cubic feet per secondJul 11, 1951: 13.76 ft, minor floodingMar 15, 1952: 13.15 ft, minor flooding; 29,500 cubic feet per secondJul 22, 1952: 13.37 ft, minor floodingFeb 22, 1953: 11.26 ft, action stage; 17,800 cubic feet per secondJun 6, 1954: 9.58 ft, below flood stage; 13,000 cubic feet per secondOct 13, 1954: 15.02 ft, moderate flooding; 28,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 26, 1956: 10.32 ft, below flood stageMay 12, 1956: 8.26 ft, below flood stage; 9,710 cubic feet per secondFeb 13, 1957: 8.64 ft, below flood stageJun 18, 1957: 7.07 ft, below flood stage; 7,480 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 1958: 13.60 ft, minor floodingApr 7, 1959: 14.36 ft, moderate flooding; 26,000 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 1960: 16.08 ft, moderate flooding; 36,400 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 1961: 10.44 ft, below flood stage; 15,400 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 1962: 15.86 ft, moderate flooding; 32,500 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 1963: 11.09 ft, action stageMar 28, 1963: 10.03 ft, below flood stage; 13,700 cubic feet per secondApr 9, 1964: 8.10 ft, below flood stage; 9,610 cubic feet per secondFeb 12, 1965: 14.87 ft, moderate floodingApr 8, 1965: 13.12 ft, minor flooding; 21,700 cubic feet per secondFeb 13, 1966: 16.25 ft, moderate floodingApr 4, 1967: 10.57 ft, below flood stage; 15,100 cubic feet per secondJul 2, 1968: 8.44 ft, below flood stage; 10,300 cubic feet per secondJun 5, 1970: 11.43 ft, action stage; 16,900 cubic feet per secondFeb 23, 1971: 17.69 ft, major flooding; 40,000 cubic feet per secondAug 27, 1972: 14.20 ft, moderate flooding; 25,300 cubic feet per secondApr 23, 1973: 17.74 ft, major flooding; 41,500 cubic feet per secondMay 18, 1974: 17.18 ft, major flooding; 38,700 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 1975: 15.95 ft, moderate flooding; 33,800 cubic feet per secondMar 8, 1976: 14.86 ft, moderate flooding; 29,400 cubic feet per secondFeb 25, 1977: 8.84 ft, below flood stage; 10,000 cubic feet per secondJul 6, 1978: 16.00 ft, moderate flooding; 33,100 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 1979: 17.81 ft, major flooding; 41,600 cubic feet per secondJan 18, 1980: 12.75 ft, minor floodingSep 19, 1980: 10.61 ft, below flood stage; 14,600 cubic feet per secondJun 15, 1981: 11.05 ft, action stage; 16,200 cubic feet per secondDec 24, 1981: 11.26 ft, action stageMar 18, 1982: 14.42 ft, moderate flooding; 26,800 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1983: 15.18 ft, moderate flooding; 29,800 cubic feet per secondFeb 18, 1984: 15.35 ft, moderate flooding; 25,100 cubic feet per secondMar 3, 1985: 16.64 ft, major flooding; 35,200 cubic feet per secondFeb 7, 1986: 14.76 ft, moderate floodingMar 13, 1986: 13.76 ft, minor flooding; 23,900 cubic feet per secondOct 3, 1986: 13.61 ft, minor flooding; 23,400 cubic feet per secondFeb 4, 1988: 14.21 ft, moderate flooding; 24,000 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 1989: 10.88 ft, below flood stageJul 1, 1990: 15.37 ft, moderate flooding; 27,100 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 1991: 12.73 ft, minor flooding; 19,400 cubic feet per secondDec 15, 1991: 9.77 ft, below flood stage; 12,700 cubic feet per secondMar 26, 1993: 18.35 ft, major flooding; 46,500 cubic feet per secondFeb 22, 1994: 18.01 ft, major flooding; 39,700 cubic feet per secondMay 11, 1995: 13.33 ft, minor flooding; 22,400 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 1996: 18.73 ft, major flooding; 44,800 cubic feet per secondFeb 23, 1997: 18.88 ft, major flooding; 41,000 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 1998: 13.03 ft, minor flooding; 22,600 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 1999: 15.45 ft, moderate flooding; 30,400 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 2000: 18.55 ft, major flooding; 44,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 27, 2001: 18.02 ft, major flooding; 27,000 cubic feet per secondJun 7, 2002: 19.24 ft, major flooding; 47,700 cubic feet per secondMay 16, 2003: 8.86 ft, below flood stage; 10,900 cubic feet per secondJun 3, 2004: 15.04 ft, moderate flooding; 28,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 16, 2005: 12.50 ft, minor flooding; 21,000 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 2006: 9.95 ft, below flood stage; 14,000 cubic feet per secondAug 28, 2007: 17.24 ft, major flooding; 36,100 cubic feet per secondJan 30, 2008: 13.76 ft, minor floodingFeb 20, 2008: 13.04 ft, minor floodingMar 6, 2008: 17.39 ft, major floodingApr 14, 2008: 15.69 ft, moderate floodingJun 21, 2008: 16.61 ft, major flooding; 34,000 cubic feet per secondJul 21, 2008: 15.28 ft, moderate floodingDec 15, 2008: 12.12 ft, minor floodingJan 1, 2009: 16.93 ft, major floodingFeb 15, 2009: 14.14 ft, moderate floodingMar 1, 2009: 14.09 ft, moderate floodingMar 11, 2009: 16.98 ft, major flooding; 35,600 cubic feet per secondMay 2, 2009: 14.54 ft, moderate floodingMay 15, 2009: 13.23 ft, minor floodingJun 23, 2009: 14.73 ft, moderate floodingNov 1, 2009: 12.31 ft, minor floodingDec 28, 2009: 13.09 ft, minor floodingJan 26, 2010: 15.53 ft, moderate floodingMar 15, 2010: 13.29 ft, minor floodingMay 16, 2010: 14.52 ft, moderate floodingJun 29, 2010: 12.24 ft, minor floodingJul 27, 2010: 17.45 ft, major flooding; 37,500 cubic feet per secondFeb 23, 2011: 13.47 ft, minor flooding; 22,900 cubic feet per secondMar 25, 2011: 12.11 ft, minor floodingApr 29, 2011: 12.11 ft, minor floodingMay 31, 2011: 12.81 ft, minor floodingApr 21, 2013: 19.11 ft, major flooding; 47,000 cubic feet per secondJul 3, 2014: 14.13 ft, moderate flooding; 26,300 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 2015: 14.46 ft, moderate flooding; 25,489 cubic feet per secondDec 16, 2015: 12.97 ft, minor flooding; 22,400 cubic feet per secondJul 25, 2017: 18.51 ft, major floodingFeb 23, 2018: 18.36 ft, major floodingFeb 27, 2019: 16.57 ft, major flooding; 33,367 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 2019: 18.51 ft, major flooding; 39,444 cubic feet per secondMay 4, 2019: 15.22 ft, moderate flooding; 27,098 cubic feet per secondMay 18, 2019: 12.30 ft, minor flooding; 18,028 cubic feet per secondJun 1, 2019: 17.32 ft, major flooding; 34,637 cubic feet per secondMay 3, 2020: 12.01 ft, minor flooding; 18,595 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 2020: 15.08 ft, moderate flooding; 29,059 cubic feet per secondMar 2, 2023: 12.30 ft, minor flooding; 19,213 cubic feet per secondJul 19, 2024: 15.94 ft, moderate flooding; 31,068 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 2026: 16.16 ft, moderate flooding; 31,860 cubic feet per second Highest, 19.24 ft, Jun 7, 2002 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Rock River near Joslin 1940s: 6 1950s: 8 1960s: 5 1970s: 8 1980s: 9 1990s: 9 2000s: 22 22 2010s: 20 2020s: 5 1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 118 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Rock River near Joslin
1Jun 7, 200219.24+7.24Major47,700
2Apr 21, 201319.11+7.11Major47,000
3Feb 23, 199718.88+6.88Major41,000
4May 31, 199618.73+6.73Major44,800
5Jun 16, 200018.55+6.55Major44,000
6Jul 25, 201718.51+6.51Major—
7Mar 16, 201918.51+6.51Major39,444
8Feb 23, 201818.36+6.36Major—
9Mar 26, 199318.35+6.35Major46,500
10Feb 27, 200118.02+6.02Major27,000
11Feb 22, 199418.01+6.01Major39,700
12Mar 22, 197917.81+5.81Major41,600
13Apr 23, 197317.74+5.74Major41,500
14Feb 23, 197117.69+5.69Major40,000
15Jul 27, 201017.45+5.45Major37,500
16Mar 6, 200817.39+5.39Major—
17Jun 1, 201917.32+5.32Major34,637
18Aug 28, 200717.24+5.24Major36,100
19May 18, 197417.18+5.18Major38,700
20Mar 11, 200916.98+4.98Major35,600
21Jan 1, 200916.93+4.93Major—
22Mar 3, 198516.64+4.64Major35,200
23Jun 21, 200816.61+4.61Major34,000
24Feb 27, 201916.57+4.57Major33,367
25Feb 13, 196616.25+4.25Moderate—
26Mar 3, 194816.23+4.23Moderate—
27Apr 22, 202616.16+4.16Moderate31,860
28Apr 3, 196016.08+4.08Moderate36,400
29Jul 6, 197816.00+4.00Moderate33,100
30Mar 28, 197515.95+3.95Moderate33,800
31Jul 19, 202415.94+3.94Moderate31,068
32Mar 22, 196215.86+3.86Moderate32,500
33Apr 14, 200815.69+3.69Moderate—
34Jan 26, 201015.53+3.53Moderate—
35Jun 17, 199915.45+3.45Moderate30,400
36Jul 1, 199015.37+3.37Moderate27,100
37Feb 18, 198415.35+3.35Moderate25,100
38Jul 21, 200815.28+3.28Moderate—
39May 4, 201915.22+3.22Moderate27,098
40Apr 5, 198315.18+3.18Moderate29,800
41May 21, 202015.08+3.08Moderate29,059
42Jun 3, 200415.04+3.04Moderate28,600
43Oct 13, 195415.02+3.02Moderate28,000
44Jan 11, 194614.98+2.98Moderate—
45Feb 12, 196514.87+2.87Moderate—
46Mar 8, 197614.86+2.86Moderate29,400
47Feb 7, 198614.76+2.76Moderate—
48Jun 23, 200914.73+2.73Moderate—
49Mar 7, 194914.55+2.55Moderate27,000
50May 2, 200914.54+2.54Moderate—

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.

June 7, 2002: 19.24 ft here, major flooding

  • MolineIL · Jun 8, 2002 · 15.79 ft · Major
  • ByronIL · Jun 5, 2002 · 14.67 ft · Moderate

April 21, 2013: 19.11 ft here, major flooding

  • Fort AtkinsonWI · Apr 22, 2013 · 18.12 ft · Major
  • ByronIL · Apr 20, 2013 · 17.08 ft · Major
  • MolineIL · Apr 22, 2013 · 16.53 ft · Major · its highest
  • Lake KoshkonongWI · Apr 22, 2013 · 12.35 ft · Major
  • NewvilleWI · Apr 23, 2013 · 8.51 ft · Major · its highest
  • DixonIL · Apr 20, 2013 · 18.16 ft · Moderate
  • RocktonIL · Apr 21, 2013 · 13.46 ft · Moderate
  • Latham ParkIL · Apr 22, 2013 · 12.82 ft · Moderate
  • Lebanon-3 E-Hwy MM bridgeWI · Apr 21, 2013 · 12.54 ft · Moderate
  • JeffersonWI · Apr 20, 2013 · 12.31 ft · Moderate

February 23, 1997: 18.88 ft here, major flooding

  • MolineIL · Feb 24, 1997 · 15.31 ft · Major
  • RocktonIL · Feb 24, 1997 · 11.79 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 ParkIL9.014.70 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
Joslin this gaugeIL12.019.24 ft, Jun 7, 200224

Other gauges in Rock Island County

Flood gauges in Rock Island County
Rock Island15.022.70 ft, May 2, 201920
Moline12.016.53 ft, Apr 22, 201334

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge JOSI2, 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.