Rivers in Illinois
Mississippi River at Illinois City
Below flood stage
6.62ftStage
Observed Mon, Sep 28, 4:30 AM CDT
- Flood stage
- 15.00 ft
- Forecast crest
- 6.80 ftMon, Sep 28, 7:00 AM CDT
- Record crest
- 24.10 ft1993
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 18.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 16.00 ft |
| Minor flood | 15.00 ft |
| Action | 14.00 ft |
- 29.00 ftWater reaches the top of the Milan levee.
- 24.50 ftWater reaches the top of the Andalusia levee.
- 22.50 ftWater affects the entire state park at Fairport and is at the foundations of facilities there.
- 21.50 ftWater affects the Post Office and several commercial buildings in Buffalo.
- 20.50 ftWater affects Front Street and several homes in Buffalo. Water also affects the fish hatchery at Fairport.
- 20.00 ftWater affects Buffalos Front Street at Franklin and on Iowa Highway 22 west of town. Water affects Illinois Highway 92 west of Andalusia.
- 19.50 ftWater affects Buffalos Franklin Street and into some yards from seepage. At Buffalo Shores, water is at the foundations of several homes.
- 19.00 ftWater affects the Clarks Ferry Recreational Area at Montpelier.
- 18.50 ftWater floods Andalusias Second Street in the unprotected area. Water is also at the foundations of several homes in Midway Beach.
- 18.00 ftWater affects the state park campground at Fairport.
- 17.00 ftWater affects the Buffalo Shores Access Area. Lock and Dam 16 is closed.
- 16.98 ftLock and Dam 16 is closed.
- 16.00 ftWater affects the park at Andalusia.
- 13.00 ftWater affects residents on Smiths Island.
Flood outlook
Chance of flooding, September to November
| Category | Chance |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | 6% |
| Moderate flooding | Under 5% |
| Major flooding | Under 5% |
The three-month chances are the River Forecast Centers’ long-range flood outlook, issued September 25, 2026.
Crest history
42 crests on NOAA’s list since 1938.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | July 9, 1993 | 24.10 ft |
| 2 | April 28, 1965 | 23.27 ft |
| 3 | May 3, 2019 | 23.23 ft |
| 4 | June 17, 2008 | 22.96 ft |
| 5 | June 2, 2019 | 22.81 ft |
| 6 | April 25, 2001 | 22.41 ft |
| 7 | July 5, 2014 | 22.23 ft |
| 8 | May 2, 2023 | 21.22 ft |
| 9 | April 10, 2019 | 20.83 ft |
| 10 | April 23, 2011 | 20.74 ft |
| 11 | April 22, 2013 | 20.30 ft |
| 12 | July 11, 2024 | 20.11 ft |
| 13 | April 25, 1973 | 20.05 ft |
| 14 | May 1, 2008 | 19.94 ft |
| 15 | April 26, 1969 | 19.69 ft |
| 16 | April 20, 1997 | 19.57 ft |
| 17 | April 28, 1952 | 19.50 ft |
| 18 | May 9, 1975 | 19.45 ft |
| 19 | April 28, 1951 | 19.43 ft |
| 20 | October 13, 2018 | 19.39 ft |
| 21 | October 7, 1986 | 19.36 ft |
| 22 | April 16, 1967 | 17.76 ft |
| 23 | June 26, 1974 | 17.62 ft |
| 24 | June 30, 1944 | 17.50 ft |
| 25 | May 12, 2018 | 17.22 ft |
Most recent crests
- April 24, 2026: 15.97 ft
- July 11, 2024: 20.11 ft
- May 2, 2023: 21.22 ft
- June 2, 2019: 22.81 ft
- May 3, 2019: 23.23 ft
- April 10, 2019: 20.83 ft
- October 13, 2018: 19.39 ft
- May 12, 2018: 17.22 ft
- June 1, 2017: 16.76 ft
- September 30, 2016: 15.87 ft
Nearby
Upstream, downstream and the gauges around this one.
What this means
Forecasts by the North Central River Forecast Center. Forecasts are issued routinely year-round. 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.
Sources
Stage, flood stages, impacts and crest history from NOAA’s National Water Prediction Service.