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Kankakee River at Shelby

Highest listed crest 13.04 ftFlood stage 10.5 ft87 crests since 1924

The Kankakee River at Shelby crested at major flood stage 4 times among the 87 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1924 to 2019. The highest, 13.04 ft on September 18, 2008, was major flooding, 2.54 feet above flood stage. 5 other gauges on the Kankakee River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
13.04 ft
September 18, 2008; 6,230 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
10.5 ft
Major flooding from 12.5 ft
Crests at major
4
40th of 206 gauges in Indiana
Most recent flood crest
May 3, 2019
11.93 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Lake County
Near Lowell (8.5 mi), Cedar Lake (14.1 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Kankakee River at Shelby
Action stage9.526Jan 21, 2018The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)10.519Apr 7, 2017Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage11.517May 3, 2019Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage12.54Jun 16, 2015Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

87 crests from 1924 to 2019. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Kankakee River at Shelby, 1924 to 2019 8101214ft Flood stage 10.5 ftMajor 12.5 ft Apr 9, 1924: 8.56 ft, below flood stage; 4,000 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 1926: 9.10 ft, below flood stage; 4,630 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 1927: 8.77 ft, below flood stage; 4,120 cubic feet per secondDec 28, 1927: 11.40 ft, minor flooding; 7,200 cubic feet per secondJan 13, 1930: 10.00 ft, action stage; 4,270 cubic feet per secondMay 13, 1933: 9.49 ft, below flood stage; 4,480 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 1939: 8.95 ft, below flood stage; 4,020 cubic feet per secondFeb 10, 1942: 9.22 ft, below flood stage; 4,260 cubic feet per secondMar 25, 1943: 10.02 ft, action stage; 6,350 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 1944: 9.35 ft, below flood stage; 4,820 cubic feet per secondMay 23, 1945: 8.50 ft, below flood stage; 3,550 cubic feet per secondMay 2, 1947: 8.90 ft, below flood stage; 3,970 cubic feet per secondMay 16, 1948: 9.25 ft, below flood stage; 4,420 cubic feet per secondFeb 23, 1949: 8.57 ft, below flood stage; 3,500 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 1950: 10.91 ft, minor flooding; 5,910 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 1951: 9.06 ft, below flood stage; 3,890 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 1952: 9.36 ft, below flood stage; 4,200 cubic feet per secondMay 3, 1954: 9.05 ft, below flood stage; 3,620 cubic feet per secondOct 27, 1954: 10.60 ft, minor flooding; 5,040 cubic feet per secondMay 12, 1956: 10.10 ft, action stage; 4,540 cubic feet per secondApr 30, 1957: 9.85 ft, action stage; 4,240 cubic feet per secondJun 14, 1958: 9.18 ft, below flood stage; 3,480 cubic feet per secondFeb 16, 1959: 11.25 ft, minor flooding; 5,100 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 1960: 9.68 ft, action stage; 4,160 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 1961: 10.22 ft, action stage; 4,640 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 1962: 10.37 ft, action stage; 4,840 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 1963: 8.70 ft, below flood stage; 3,410 cubic feet per secondMay 9, 1963: 9.88 ft, action stage; 3,300 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 1966: 10.04 ft, action stage; 4,270 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 1967: 10.48 ft, action stage; 4,770 cubic feet per secondFeb 9, 1968: 10.73 ft, minor flooding; 5,020 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 1968: 9.16 ft, below flood stage; 3,590 cubic feet per secondJan 21, 1969: 10.48 ft, action stage; 4,770 cubic feet per secondMay 16, 1970: 10.12 ft, action stage; 4,030 cubic feet per secondMar 20, 1971: 9.01 ft, below flood stage; 3,590 cubic feet per secondApr 24, 1972: 9.94 ft, action stage; 4,220 cubic feet per secondJan 6, 1973: 10.75 ft, minor flooding; 5,060 cubic feet per secondMay 24, 1974: 10.82 ft, minor flooding; 4,700 cubic feet per secondJun 26, 1975: 10.82 ft, minor flooding; 4,720 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 1976: 11.32 ft, minor flooding; 5,200 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1977: 10.08 ft, action stage; 4,250 cubic feet per secondApr 9, 1978: 11.24 ft, minor flooding; 5,490 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 1979: 11.60 ft, moderate flooding; 5,420 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 1980: 9.78 ft, action stage; 4,030 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 1982: 12.98 ft, major flooding; 7,650 cubic feet per secondMay 8, 1983: 11.44 ft, minor flooding; 5,120 cubic feet per secondMar 27, 1984: 10.33 ft, action stage; 4,290 cubic feet per secondMar 9, 1985: 12.25 ft, moderate flooding; 6,340 cubic feet per secondNov 21, 1985: 10.59 ft, minor flooding; 4,700 cubic feet per secondOct 7, 1986: 10.33 ft, action stage; 4,450 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 1988: 10.17 ft, action stage; 4,300 cubic feet per secondJun 4, 1989: 11.01 ft, minor flooding; 4,830 cubic feet per secondAug 23, 1990: 11.92 ft, moderate flooding; 5,150 cubic feet per secondJan 2, 1991: 11.91 ft, moderate flooding; 5,660 cubic feet per secondJan 8, 1993: 11.80 ft, moderate floodingOct 22, 1993: 11.71 ft, moderate flooding; 5,480 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 1994: 9.24 ft, below flood stageJun 16, 1994: 9.17 ft, below flood stageJul 1, 1994: 8.59 ft, below flood stageApr 15, 1995: 10.45 ft, action stage; 4,430 cubic feet per secondJul 25, 1996: 12.23 ft, moderate flooding; 5,480 cubic feet per secondMar 2, 1997: 12.11 ft, moderate flooding; 5,850 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 1998: 11.43 ft, minor flooding; 5,220 cubic feet per secondApr 23, 1999: 11.43 ft, minor flooding; 5,220 cubic feet per secondApr 29, 1999: 11.78 ft, moderate flooding; 5,160 cubic feet per secondJun 26, 2000: 10.87 ft, minor flooding; 4,480 cubic feet per secondFeb 17, 2002: 11.03 ft, minor flooding; 4,600 cubic feet per secondMay 19, 2002: 11.72 ft, moderate flooding; 5,110 cubic feet per secondJul 22, 2003: 10.90 ft, minor flooding; 4,510 cubic feet per secondJun 19, 2004: 9.53 ft, action stage; 3,570 cubic feet per secondJan 14, 2005: 12.32 ft, moderate flooding; 5,570 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 2006: 9.56 ft, action stage; 3,500 cubic feet per secondAug 25, 2007: 12.23 ft, moderate flooding; 5,500 cubic feet per secondSep 18, 2008: 13.04 ft, major flooding; 6,230 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 2009: 12.63 ft, major flooding; 6,460 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 2010: 9.88 ft, action stage; 3,710 cubic feet per secondApr 29, 2011: 12.24 ft, moderate flooding; 5,510 cubic feet per secondApr 25, 2013: 12.05 ft, moderate flooding; 5,330 cubic feet per secondJun 25, 2014: 11.91 ft, moderate flooding; 5,220 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 2015: 12.90 ft, major floodingApr 7, 2017: 11.25 ft, minor flooding; 4,760 cubic feet per secondMay 6, 2017: 10.08 ft, action stage; 3,930 cubic feet per secondJul 24, 2017: 9.69 ft, action stage; 3,670 cubic feet per secondNov 23, 2017: 9.54 ft, action stage; 3,570 cubic feet per secondJan 21, 2018: 10.40 ft, action stage; 2,310 cubic feet per secondFeb 6, 2019: 12.04 ft, moderate floodingMay 3, 2019: 11.93 ft, moderate flooding; 5,270 cubic feet per second Highest, 13.04 ft, Sep 18, 2008 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Kankakee River at Shelby 1920s: 1 1930s: 0 1940s: 0 1950s: 3 1960s: 1 1970s: 6 1980s: 5 1990s: 9 9 2000s: 8 2010s: 7 1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s
  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 87 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Kankakee River at Shelby
1Sep 18, 200813.04+2.54Major6,230
2Mar 24, 198212.98+2.48Major7,650
3Jun 16, 201512.90+2.40Major—
4Mar 11, 200912.63+2.13Major6,460
5Jan 14, 200512.32+1.82Moderate5,570
6Mar 9, 198512.25+1.75Moderate6,340
7Apr 29, 201112.24+1.74Moderate5,510
8Jul 25, 199612.23+1.73Moderate5,480
9Aug 25, 200712.23+1.73Moderate5,500
10Mar 2, 199712.11+1.61Moderate5,850
11Apr 25, 201312.05+1.55Moderate5,330
12Feb 6, 201912.04+1.54Moderate—
13May 3, 201911.93+1.43Moderate5,270
14Aug 23, 199011.92+1.42Moderate5,150
15Jan 2, 199111.91+1.41Moderate5,660
16Jun 25, 201411.91+1.41Moderate5,220
17Jan 8, 199311.80+1.30Moderate—
18Apr 29, 199911.78+1.28Moderate5,160
19May 19, 200211.72+1.22Moderate5,110
20Oct 22, 199311.71+1.21Moderate5,480
21Mar 5, 197911.60+1.10Moderate5,420
22May 8, 198311.44+0.94Minor5,120
23Mar 23, 199811.43+0.93Minor5,220
24Apr 23, 199911.43+0.93Minor5,220
25Dec 28, 192711.40+0.90Minor7,200
26Mar 6, 197611.32+0.82Minor5,200
27Feb 16, 195911.25+0.75Minor5,100
28Apr 7, 201711.25+0.75Minor4,760
29Apr 9, 197811.24+0.74Minor5,490
30Feb 17, 200211.03+0.53Minor4,600
31Jun 4, 198911.01+0.51Minor4,830
32Apr 16, 195010.91+0.41Minor5,910
33Jul 22, 200310.90+0.40Minor4,510
34Jun 26, 200010.87+0.37Minor4,480
35May 24, 197410.82+0.32Minor4,700
36Jun 26, 197510.82+0.32Minor4,720
37Jan 6, 197310.75+0.25Minor5,060
38Feb 9, 196810.73+0.23Minor5,020
39Oct 27, 195410.60+0.10Minor5,040
40Nov 21, 198510.59+0.09Minor4,700
41Apr 18, 196710.48−0.02Action4,770
42Jan 21, 196910.48−0.02Action4,770
43Apr 15, 199510.45−0.05Action4,430
44Jan 21, 201810.40−0.10Action2,310
45Mar 23, 196210.37−0.13Action4,840
46Mar 27, 198410.33−0.17Action4,290
47Oct 7, 198610.33−0.17Action4,450
48May 1, 196110.22−0.28Action4,640
49Apr 7, 198810.17−0.33Action4,300
50May 16, 197010.12−0.38Action4,030

The worst floods along the Kankakee River

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

September 18, 2008: 13.04 ft here, major flooding

  • DavisIN · Sep 15, 2008 · 13.74 ft · Major
  • KoutsIN · Sep 17, 2008 · 13.59 ft · Moderate
  • Dunns BridgeIN · Sep 18, 2008 · 12.02 ft · Moderate
  • WilmingtonIL · Sep 15, 2008 · 8.68 ft · Moderate
  • MomenceIL · Sep 15, 2008 · 6.98 ft · Moderate

March 24, 1982: 12.98 ft here, major flooding

  • KoutsIN · Mar 24, 1982 · 14.52 ft · Major · its highest
  • Dunns BridgeIN · Mar 20, 1982 · 13.38 ft · Major
  • MomenceIL · Mar 20, 1982 · 6.03 ft · Minor

June 16, 2015: 12.90 ft here, major flooding

  • WilmingtonIL · Jun 23, 2015 · 8.92 ft · Moderate
  • KoutsIN · Jun 21, 2015 · 12.65 ft · Minor
  • Dunns BridgeIN · Jun 21, 2015 · 11.87 ft · Minor
  • DavisIN · Jun 17, 2015 · 10.45 ft · Minor

Gauges on the Kankakee River

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

Flood gauges on the Kankakee River
DavisIN10.013.80 ft, Mar 11, 20099
Dunns BridgeIN10.013.65 ft, Feb 26, 20186
KoutsIN11.014.52 ft, Mar 24, 19823
Shelby this gaugeIN10.513.04 ft, Sep 18, 20084
MomenceIL5.010.51 ft, Mar 6, 19792
WilmingtonIL6.516.70 ft, Feb 5, 188317
LorenzoIL508.0508.54 ft, May 18, 20200

Other gauges in Lake County

Flood gauges in Lake County
Hobart13.022.18 ft, Sep 15, 20081
Liverpool17.523.00 ft, Sep 14, 20081
Merrillville8.511.80 ft, Feb 21, 20180
Dyer12.016.76 ft, Sep 14, 20084
Munster6.010.93 ft, Feb 20, 20189
East Chicago (Lake Michigan outlet)13.014.35 ft, Apr 30, 20200
Gary (Burr Street)11.014.50 ft, Sep 14, 20080
Gary (Grant St)11.016.00 ft, Sep 14, 20080
Hammond (Indianapolis Boulevard)14.015.50 ft, Sep 14, 20080
Highland (Kennedy Avenue)15.017.50 ft, Sep 14, 20080
Munster12.017.29 ft, Sep 14, 20082
Munster (Northcote Avenue)18.020.00 ft, Sep 14, 20080
Lake Station13.017.50 ft, Sep 14, 20081
Merrillville11.017.50 ft, Sep 14, 20081
Schererville7.511.00 ft, Sep 14, 20081

Lake County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Indiana

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge SLBI3, 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.