Rivers in Illinois
Kankakee River at Momence
Below flood stage
2.70ftStage
Observed Tue, Sep 22, 11:45 AM CDT
- Flood stage
- 5.00 ft
- Record crest
- 10.51 ft1979
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 9.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 6.50 ft |
| Minor flood | 5.00 ft |
| Action | 4.50 ft |
- 11.00 ftWidespread inundation of roadways and structures up to 2 blocks from the river in Momence.
- 10.50 ftNumerous structures threatened north of the river, south of the river, and on Momence Island in Momence. IL-17/Dixie Highway threatened south of the river in Momence.
- 10.00 ftIL-17 threatened near the river in Sun River Terrace.
- 8.50 ftWater begins to bypass the main channel along IL-17 west of Sun River Terrace toward Baker Creek.
- 8.00 ftResidences threatened along Shadow Lawn Lane east of Momence.
- 7.00 ftLow-lying structures threatened north of the river in Momence. Residences threatened in the River Isle subdivision upstream of Momence. Residences threatened along Blackhawk Trail upstream of Momence. Widespread inundation of the floodplain reaches up to 2 miles from the river.
- 6.50 ftResidences threatened along Serpentine Drive at Garden of Eden east of Momence. 15500E Road and 3500N Road threatened. River North Road and River South Road threatened west of Momence.
- 6.00 ftCampgrounds threatened east of Momence.
- 5.50 ftLow-lying areas of Island Park inundated in Momence. River Isle Road threatened east of Momence. Eagle Island Road threatened near Sun River Terrace.
- 5.00 ftLow-lying wetlands, forest land, and agricultural land inundated along the river.
- 4.00 ftWater overtops low-lying banks at River Isle upstream from Momence.
Flood outlook
Chance of flooding, September to November
| Category | Chance |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | 12% |
| Moderate flooding | 10% |
| Major flooding | Under 5% |
The three-month chances are the River Forecast Centers’ long-range flood outlook, issued August 28, 2026.
Crest history
133 crests on NOAA’s list since 1916.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | March 6, 1979 | 10.51 ft |
| 2 | January 25, 1930 | 9.09 ft |
| 3 | January 4, 1928 | 8.90 ft |
| 4 | January 4, 1919 | 8.90 ft |
| 5 | February 24, 1959 | 8.82 ft |
| 6 | January 21, 1916 | 8.60 ft |
| 7 | January 30, 1965 | 8.23 ft |
| 8 | February 11, 1988 | 8.08 ft |
| 9 | February 19, 1951 | 8.06 ft |
| 10 | January 24, 1929 | 8.06 ft |
| 11 | January 3, 1974 | 7.99 ft |
| 12 | February 13, 1984 | 7.96 ft |
| 13 | January 6, 1924 | 7.90 ft |
| 14 | January 28, 1972 | 7.73 ft |
| 15 | February 25, 1936 | 7.66 ft |
| 16 | December 22, 1985 | 7.62 ft |
| 17 | January 14, 1917 | 7.60 ft |
| 18 | January 29, 1938 | 7.56 ft |
| 19 | December 18, 1951 | 7.44 ft |
| 20 | February 24, 1982 | 7.25 ft |
| 21 | February 21, 2018 | 7.19 ft |
| 22 | December 24, 1932 | 7.12 ft |
| 23 | February 12, 1977 | 7.12 ft |
| 24 | March 9, 1963 | 7.09 ft |
| 25 | June 27, 2015 | 7.09 ft |
Most recent crests
- May 18, 2020: 6.87 ft
- April 30, 2020: 5.07 ft
- January 12, 2020: 5.52 ft
- June 27, 2019: 5.71 ft
- May 1, 2019: 6.28 ft
- January 27, 2019: 6.79 ft
- February 21, 2018: 7.19 ft
- December 30, 2017: 5.46 ft
- April 6, 2017: 5.19 ft
- June 27, 2015: 7.09 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.