Rivers in Illinois
Illinois River at Beardstown
Below flood stage
9.96ftStage
Observed Mon, Sep 21, 8:45 PM CDT
- Flood stage
- 14.00 ft
- Forecast crest
- 11.20 ftFri, Sep 25, 7:00 AM CDT
- Record crest
- 29.81 ft2013
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 28.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 18.00 ft |
| Minor flood | 14.00 ft |
| Action | 13.00 ft |
- 35.10 ftLost Creek Levee is overtopped.
- 35.00 ftWater overtops the seawall in Beardstown and the South Beardstown levee.
- 31.00 ftCrane Creek Levee is overtopped.
- 30.00 ftHager Slough is overtopped.
- 28.00 ftPortions of Route 100 are closed due to floodwaters. When down, the BNSF railroad bridge across the Illinois River acts as dam. Big Lake levee is overtopped.
- 27.00 ftCoal Creek Levee overtops at boat landing. Damage begins at Frederick and Browning.
- 20.00 ftSeepage problems begin in the South Beardstown Drainage and Levee District.
- 18.00 ftSeepage problems begin in the Lost Creek Drainage and Levee District.
- 14.40 ftSeepage problems begin in the Coal Creek Drainage and Levee District.
- 14.00 ftMinor flooding begins to agricultural areas not protected by levees.
- 12.00 ftPumping begins in drainage and levee districts protecting about 59000 acres.
Flood outlook
Chance of flooding, September to November
| Category | Chance |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | 48% |
| Moderate flooding | 29% |
| Major flooding | 9% |
The three-month chances are the River Forecast Centers’ long-range flood outlook, issued August 28, 2026.
Crest history
164 crests on NOAA’s list since 1883.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | April 27, 2013 | 29.81 ft |
| 2 | July 2, 2015 | 29.75 ft |
| 3 | May 26, 1943 | 29.60 ft |
| 4 | May 30, 1995 | 29.41 ft |
| 5 | January 5, 2016 | 29.23 ft |
| 6 | June 3, 2019 | 28.75 ft |
| 7 | May 9, 2019 | 28.74 ft |
| 8 | May 19, 2002 | 28.71 ft |
| 9 | March 10, 1985 | 28.50 ft |
| 10 | April 18, 1979 | 28.10 ft |
| 11 | December 12, 1982 | 27.40 ft |
| 12 | May 22, 2009 | 27.36 ft |
| 13 | August 29, 1973 | 27.10 ft |
| 14 | April 30, 1973 | 27.00 ft |
| 15 | July 28, 1993 | 26.66 ft |
| 16 | May 26, 2020 | 26.66 ft |
| 17 | October 12, 1926 | 26.30 ft |
| 18 | June 29, 1974 | 26.20 ft |
| 19 | April 29, 1944 | 26.20 ft |
| 20 | October 27, 1985 | 25.80 ft |
| 21 | June 29, 2010 | 25.71 ft |
| 22 | May 23, 1933 | 25.50 ft |
| 23 | March 18, 2009 | 25.20 ft |
| 24 | April 26, 1927 | 25.15 ft |
| 25 | April 20, 1922 | 25.10 ft |
Most recent crests
- August 23, 2026: 16.35 ft
- June 27, 2026: 21.42 ft
- May 2, 2026: 18.05 ft
- April 13, 2025: 13.23 ft
- July 20, 2024: 13.53 ft
- May 6, 2024: 19.77 ft
- April 12, 2024: 16.56 ft
- March 18, 2024: 12.68 ft
- February 5, 2024: 20.15 ft
- May 14, 2023: 13.24 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 24 hours into the future from the forecast issuance time.
Sources
Stage, flood stages, impacts and crest history from NOAA’s National Water Prediction Service.