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Vermilion River at Pontiac

Highest listed crest 19.18 ftFlood stage 14.0 ft55 crests since 1933

The Vermilion River at Pontiac crested at major flood stage 3 times among the 55 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1933 to 2020. The highest, 19.18 ft on January 9, 2008, was major flooding, 5.18 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
19.18 ft
January 9, 2008; 13,200 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
14.0 ft
Major flooding from 18.0 ft
Crests at major
3
72nd of 177 gauges in Illinois
Most recent flood crest
May 19, 2020
16.66 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Livingston County
Near Pontiac (0.8 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Vermilion River at Pontiac
Action stage13.08Apr 30, 2020The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)14.010Jul 12, 2015Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage15.027May 19, 2020Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage18.03Jan 9, 2008Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

55 crests from 1933 to 2020. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Vermilion River at Pontiac, 1933 to 2020 1214161820ft Flood stage 14.0 ftMajor 18.0 ft May 1, 1933: 17.00 ft, moderate flooding; 11,000 cubic feet per secondAug 5, 1943: 15.90 ft, moderate flooding; 8,170 cubic feet per secondApr 24, 1944: 15.45 ft, moderate flooding; 7,770 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 1950: 12.92 ft, below flood stage; 6,120 cubic feet per secondJul 10, 1951: 17.90 ft, moderate flooding; 11,000 cubic feet per secondApr 28, 1957: 17.20 ft, moderate flooding; 9,970 cubic feet per secondJul 15, 1958: 15.84 ft, moderate flooding; 8,670 cubic feet per secondFeb 11, 1959: 13.00 ft, action stageApr 28, 1959: 12.54 ft, below flood stage; 5,820 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 1962: 13.37 ft, action stage; 6,460 cubic feet per secondMay 5, 1965: 15.70 ft, moderate flooding; 8,340 cubic feet per secondJun 26, 1968: 15.56 ft, moderate flooding; 8,170 cubic feet per secondMay 14, 1970: 17.46 ft, moderate flooding; 10,300 cubic feet per secondDec 31, 1972: 14.35 ft, minor flooding; 7,350 cubic feet per secondJun 23, 1974: 13.88 ft, action stage; 6,900 cubic feet per secondJan 11, 1975: 12.90 ft, below flood stage; 6,160 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 1976: 13.66 ft, action stage; 6,810 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 1979: 16.27 ft, moderate flooding; 7,970 cubic feet per secondJun 3, 1980: 18.12 ft, major flooding; 11,300 cubic feet per secondMay 15, 1981: 14.36 ft, minor flooding; 7,080 cubic feet per secondFeb 22, 1982: 15.15 ft, moderate floodingApr 10, 1982: 14.88 ft, minor flooding; 7,500 cubic feet per secondDec 4, 1982: 19.16 ft, major flooding; 13,100 cubic feet per secondMay 2, 1983: 14.10 ft, minor floodingFeb 24, 1985: 16.07 ft, moderate flooding; 8,770 cubic feet per secondNov 20, 1985: 15.48 ft, moderate flooding; 8,080 cubic feet per secondOct 4, 1986: 15.69 ft, moderate flooding; 8,330 cubic feet per secondSep 10, 1989: 12.29 ft, below flood stage; 5,580 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 1990: 16.64 ft, moderate flooding; 9,340 cubic feet per secondDec 30, 1990: 15.62 ft, moderate flooding; 8,230 cubic feet per secondJan 5, 1993: 16.21 ft, moderate flooding; 9,390 cubic feet per secondOct 18, 1993: 15.98 ft, moderate flooding; 9,130 cubic feet per secondMay 25, 1995: 14.14 ft, minor flooding; 6,920 cubic feet per secondMay 29, 1996: 15.71 ft, moderate flooding; 8,340 cubic feet per secondMay 8, 1998: 16.19 ft, moderate flooding; 8,940 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1999: 13.35 ft, action stage; 6,870 cubic feet per secondJun 7, 2001: 14.94 ft, minor flooding; 8,440 cubic feet per secondMay 13, 2002: 16.35 ft, moderate flooding; 9,930 cubic feet per secondJan 14, 2005: 17.23 ft, moderate flooding; 10,900 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 2006: 12.51 ft, below flood stage; 6,090 cubic feet per secondJan 9, 2008: 19.18 ft, major flooding; 13,200 cubic feet per secondOct 31, 2009: 14.83 ft, minor flooding; 8,330 cubic feet per secondDec 31, 2009: 14.83 ft, minor flooding; 8,330 cubic feet per secondApr 23, 2011: 12.02 ft, below flood stage; 5,650 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 2013: 14.26 ft, minor flooding; 7,760 cubic feet per secondJun 1, 2013: 15.04 ft, moderate flooding; 8,540 cubic feet per secondFeb 22, 2014: 12.51 ft, below flood stage; 6,090 cubic feet per secondJul 12, 2015: 14.59 ft, minor flooding; 8,090 cubic feet per secondDec 29, 2015: 17.27 ft, moderate flooding; 11,200 cubic feet per secondFeb 22, 2018: 15.68 ft, moderate flooding; 9,560 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 2018: 13.87 ft, action stage; 7,840 cubic feet per secondMay 2, 2019: 17.16 ft, moderate flooding; 11,100 cubic feet per secondJan 12, 2020: 13.80 ft, action stage; 7,770 cubic feet per secondApr 30, 2020: 13.92 ft, action stage; 7,380 cubic feet per secondMay 19, 2020: 16.66 ft, moderate flooding; 9,880 cubic feet per second Highest, 19.18 ft, Jan 9, 2008 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Vermilion River at Pontiac 1930s: 1 1940s: 2 1950s: 3 1960s: 2 1970s: 3 1980s: 9 9 1990s: 7 2000s: 6 2010s: 6 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 55 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Vermilion River at Pontiac
1Jan 9, 200819.18+5.18Major13,200
2Dec 4, 198219.16+5.16Major13,100
3Jun 3, 198018.12+4.12Major11,300
4Jul 10, 195117.90+3.90Moderate11,000
5May 14, 197017.46+3.46Moderate10,300
6Dec 29, 201517.27+3.27Moderate11,200
7Jan 14, 200517.23+3.23Moderate10,900
8Apr 28, 195717.20+3.20Moderate9,970
9May 2, 201917.16+3.16Moderate11,100
10May 1, 193317.00+3.00Moderate11,000
11May 19, 202016.66+2.66Moderate9,880
12Mar 12, 199016.64+2.64Moderate9,340
13May 13, 200216.35+2.35Moderate9,930
14Mar 5, 197916.27+2.27Moderate7,970
15Jan 5, 199316.21+2.21Moderate9,390
16May 8, 199816.19+2.19Moderate8,940
17Feb 24, 198516.07+2.07Moderate8,770
18Oct 18, 199315.98+1.98Moderate9,130
19Aug 5, 194315.90+1.90Moderate8,170
20Jul 15, 195815.84+1.84Moderate8,670
21May 29, 199615.71+1.71Moderate8,340
22May 5, 196515.70+1.70Moderate8,340
23Oct 4, 198615.69+1.69Moderate8,330
24Feb 22, 201815.68+1.68Moderate9,560
25Dec 30, 199015.62+1.62Moderate8,230
26Jun 26, 196815.56+1.56Moderate8,170
27Nov 20, 198515.48+1.48Moderate8,080
28Apr 24, 194415.45+1.45Moderate7,770
29Feb 22, 198215.15+1.15Moderate—
30Jun 1, 201315.04+1.04Moderate8,540
31Jun 7, 200114.94+0.94Minor8,440
32Apr 10, 198214.88+0.88Minor7,500
33Oct 31, 200914.83+0.83Minor8,330
34Dec 31, 200914.83+0.83Minor8,330
35Jul 12, 201514.59+0.59Minor8,090
36May 15, 198114.36+0.36Minor7,080
37Dec 31, 197214.35+0.35Minor7,350
38Apr 19, 201314.26+0.26Minor7,760
39May 25, 199514.14+0.14Minor6,920
40May 2, 198314.10+0.10Minor—
41Apr 30, 202013.92−0.08Action7,380
42Jun 23, 197413.88−0.12Action6,900
43Jun 22, 201813.87−0.13Action7,840
44Jan 12, 202013.80−0.20Action7,770
45Mar 6, 197613.66−0.34Action6,810
46Mar 21, 196213.37−0.63Action6,460
47Apr 17, 199913.35−0.65Action6,870
48Feb 11, 195913.00−1.00Action—
49Apr 26, 195012.92−1.08Below flood stage6,120
50Jan 11, 197512.90−1.10Below flood stage6,160

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge PNTI2, 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.