Rivers in Illinois
Des Plaines River near Russell
Moderate flooding
9.01ftStage
Observed Tue, Sep 22, 4:30 AM CDT
- Flood stage
- 7.00 ft
- Forecast crest
- 8.70 ftTue, Sep 22, 7:00 AM CDT
- Record crest
- 12.11 ft2017
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 10.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 9.00 ft |
| Minor flood | 7.00 ft |
| Action | 6.50 ft |
- 16.00 ftCommercial parking lots threatened along Skokie Highway (US-41).
- 15.00 ftKilbourne Road threatened. Commercial parking lots threatened along Dilleys Road.
- 13.50 ftWadsworth Road threatened in Wadsworth.
- 13.00 ftSkokie Highway (US-41) threatened south of Wadsworth Road in Wadsworth. Widespread inundation reaches up to a half mile from the river in Russell and Wadsworth.
- 12.50 ftRosecrans Road (IL-173) threatened near Wadsworth.
- 12.00 ftResidential structures threatened along Ingram Drive. Russell Road threatened. Roadways and trails threatened at Van Patten Woods Forest Preserve.
- 9.50 ftResidential structures threatened along Russell Road between the river and Kilbourne Road. Industrial parking lots threatened along Kilbourne Road.
- 8.00 ftAgricultural and park land is inundated near the river. Residential property is threatened near the river.
- 7.00 ftLow-lying wetlands and agricultural land is inundated near the river.
Flood outlook
Chance of flooding, September to November
| Category | Chance |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | 35% |
| Moderate flooding | Under 5% |
| Major flooding | Under 5% |
The three-month chances are the River Forecast Centers’ long-range flood outlook, issued August 28, 2026.
Crest history
70 crests on NOAA’s list since 1948.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | July 14, 2017 | 12.11 ft |
| 2 | May 23, 2004 | 11.09 ft |
| 3 | September 27, 1986 | 10.75 ft |
| 4 | March 6, 1976 | 10.75 ft |
| 5 | August 24, 2007 | 10.51 ft |
| 6 | September 15, 2019 | 10.48 ft |
| 7 | August 21, 1978 | 10.31 ft |
| 8 | June 21, 2009 | 10.01 ft |
| 9 | April 19, 2013 | 9.99 ft |
| 10 | February 23, 1994 | 9.95 ft |
| 11 | June 14, 2000 | 9.95 ft |
| 12 | April 4, 1983 | 9.89 ft |
| 13 | March 21, 1979 | 9.69 ft |
| 14 | April 2, 1960 | 9.69 ft |
| 15 | June 11, 2008 | 9.47 ft |
| 16 | September 22, 1972 | 9.40 ft |
| 17 | March 5, 1974 | 9.30 ft |
| 18 | May 1, 2020 | 9.03 ft |
| 19 | March 15, 1990 | 8.96 ft |
| 20 | May 20, 2020 | 8.90 ft |
| 21 | April 21, 1993 | 8.89 ft |
| 22 | March 5, 1985 | 8.69 ft |
| 23 | February 23, 1971 | 8.61 ft |
| 24 | October 9, 2018 | 8.50 ft |
| 25 | October 6, 2019 | 8.43 ft |
Most recent crests
- March 12, 2021: 7.10 ft
- May 20, 2020: 8.90 ft
- May 1, 2020: 9.03 ft
- March 31, 2020: 7.87 ft
- October 31, 2019: 7.00 ft
- October 6, 2019: 8.43 ft
- September 15, 2019: 10.48 ft
- May 11, 2019: 7.31 ft
- March 15, 2019: 8.06 ft
- February 8, 2019: 8.23 ft
Nearby
Upstream, downstream and the gauges around this one.
What this means
Forecasts by the North Central 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 and future precipitation. The stages/flows that will occur may be different if future rainfall is different than forecast.
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.