Little Blue River near Fairbury
Observed Wed, Sep 23, 4:45 AM CDT
- Flood stage
- 18.50 ft
- Record crest
- 25.48 ft2015
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 23.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 20.00 ft |
| Minor flood | 18.50 ft |
| Action | 17.00 ft |
- 27.00 ftThe top of the levee protecting Fairbury is overtopped. In addition, water may begin to impact the bottom of the Highway 136 bridge.
- 25.50 ftHighway 136 begins to flood east of the bridge.
- 23.00 ftWater will begin to overflow the stop log gate at the railroad tracks near the Highway 136 bridge. At this point water will flow into the town of Fairbury if additional flood protection measures are not taken.
- 21.50 ftWater starts going over the railroad tracks on the west end of Fairbury.
- 18.50 ftFrederick Street, located in the southwest corner of Fairbury, is closed due to high water.
- 17.50 ftWater overtops the right bank at the Highway 136 location, just west of town.
Flood outlook
Chance of flooding, September to November
| Category | Chance |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | 11% |
| Moderate flooding | 5% |
| Major flooding | Under 5% |
The three-month chances are the River Forecast Centers’ long-range flood outlook, issued September 23, 2026.
Crest history
68 crests on NOAA’s list since 1957.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | May 7, 2015 | 25.48 ft |
| 2 | July 25, 1992 | 24.33 ft |
| 3 | October 12, 1973 | 23.96 ft |
| 4 | June 24, 2003 | 23.17 ft |
| 5 | June 13, 1984 | 21.98 ft |
| 6 | July 27, 1993 | 21.17 ft |
| 7 | March 28, 1960 | 20.80 ft |
| 8 | March 24, 1987 | 20.59 ft |
| 9 | June 19, 1957 | 20.17 ft |
| 10 | September 29, 1983 | 19.87 ft |
| 11 | August 2, 2007 | 19.60 ft |
| 12 | October 2, 2019 | 19.52 ft |
| 13 | July 4, 1982 | 19.42 ft |
| 14 | June 14, 2001 | 19.34 ft |
| 15 | June 5, 2008 | 19.24 ft |
| 16 | August 6, 1985 | 18.55 ft |
| 17 | June 25, 1997 | 18.35 ft |
| 18 | August 19, 1968 | 17.90 ft |
| 19 | July 27, 2020 | 17.85 ft |
| 20 | September 3, 1969 | 17.80 ft |
| 21 | July 25, 1958 | 17.78 ft |
| 22 | May 24, 1961 | 17.78 ft |
| 23 | March 14, 1978 | 17.66 ft |
| 24 | May 27, 1996 | 17.61 ft |
| 25 | May 20, 2011 | 17.56 ft |
Most recent crests
- June 8, 2024: 9.73 ft
- July 8, 2023: 10.74 ft
- July 8, 2022: 10.39 ft
- March 16, 2021: 12.88 ft
- July 27, 2020: 17.85 ft
- October 2, 2019: 19.52 ft
- September 5, 2018: 17.47 ft
- May 20, 2017: 17.20 ft
- May 28, 2016: 17.00 ft
- May 7, 2015: 25.48 ft
Nearby
Upstream, downstream and the gauges around this one.
What this means
Forecasts by the Missouri Basin River Forecast Center. Forecasts are issued as needed during times of high water, but are not routinely available. River forecasts for this location take into account past precipitation and the precipitation amounts expected approximately 48 hours into the future from the forecast issuance time. River forecasts for this location take into account past precipitation and the precipitation amounts expected approximately 24 hours into the future from the forecast issuance time. Stage may be affected by ice.
Sources
Stage, flood stages, impacts and crest history from NOAA’s National Water Prediction Service. Streamflow and the daily record from the U.S. Geological Survey.