Rivers in Illinois
Kishwaukee River at Belvidere
Below flood stage
4.49ftStage
Observed Tue, Sep 22, 3:30 AM CDT
- Flood stage
- 9.00 ft
- Record crest
- 16.90 ft1938
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 12.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 10.00 ft |
| Minor flood | 9.00 ft |
| Action | 6.00 ft |
- 21.00 ftI-90 may be threatened west of Belvidere.
- 19.00 ftUnion Pacific Railroad tracks threatened in Cherry Valley.
- 16.50 ftNewburg Road threatened west of Belvidere.
- 16.00 ftInundation of structures and roadways reaches 1-2 blocks from the river in downtown Belvidere. Roadways and structures threatened at Bel Mo Mobile Home Park in Belvidere. US-20 Business and Appleton Road threatened in Belvidere. Residences threatened along East Street and Van Buren Street in Cherry Valley.
- 15.50 ftBelvidere Sewage Treatment Plant threatened. US-20 and Union Pacific Railroad tracks threatened east of Belvidere. Main Street threatened in Belvidere.
- 15.00 ftCommercial structures threatened in downtown Belvidere. Widespread inundation of agricultural land and woodland near Belvidere. Water reaches the top of the levee along River Drive in Belvidere. Residential structures threatened along Grove Street and Cherry Street in Cherry Valley. Athletic fields threatened and overflow begins into lake at Baumann Park in Cherry Valley.
- 14.00 ftParking lots threatened in downtown Belvidere.
- 12.00 ftParking lots threatened at Baumann Park in Cherry Valley.
- 11.50 ftLawrenceville Road threatened east of Belvidere. Structures in Belvidere Park are threatened. Without flood protection, multiple residential structures threatened along Gaynor Street, Gladys Court, Burgess Road, and River Drive.
- 11.00 ftIndustrial structures threatened along Pleasant Street and Meadow Street in Belvidere. Epworth Road threatened east of Belvidere. Widespread inundation in Belvidere Park.
- 10.50 ftWater begins to bypass the main channel east of Belvidere toward Coon Creek and Belmar Golf Club. Without flood protection, Gaynor Street threatened in Belvidere. Trails threatened at Baumann Park in Cherry Valley.
- 10.00 ftTrails in Spencer Park threatened. Parking lots threatened in Belvidere Park.
- 9.50 ftHoliday Acres Campground threatened east of Belvidere. Northwoods RV Resort is threatened in Garden Prairie.
- 9.00 ftBoone-McHenry County Line Road threatened. Low-lying areas are threatened in Belvidere Park.
- 8.00 ftTrails in Belvidere Park threatened.
- 6.00 ftWater overtops low-lying banks along the river in and near Belvidere.
Flood outlook
Chance of flooding, September to November
| Category | Chance |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | Under 5% |
| 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
72 crests on NOAA’s list since 1938.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | January 24, 1938 | 16.90 ft |
| 2 | February 20, 1994 | 14.19 ft |
| 3 | June 14, 1999 | 13.97 ft |
| 4 | March 16, 1943 | 13.10 ft |
| 5 | January 6, 1946 | 12.90 ft |
| 6 | July 3, 1978 | 12.88 ft |
| 7 | March 20, 1979 | 12.76 ft |
| 8 | February 20, 1971 | 12.74 ft |
| 9 | March 31, 1960 | 12.70 ft |
| 10 | March 15, 1944 | 12.56 ft |
| 11 | April 19, 2013 | 12.31 ft |
| 12 | March 20, 1948 | 12.00 ft |
| 13 | September 4, 2018 | 12.00 ft |
| 14 | July 1, 1993 | 11.91 ft |
| 15 | September 19, 1972 | 11.80 ft |
| 16 | February 22, 1997 | 11.74 ft |
| 17 | August 21, 2007 | 11.60 ft |
| 18 | May 17, 1974 | 11.42 ft |
| 19 | March 12, 1952 | 11.24 ft |
| 20 | September 14, 2019 | 11.21 ft |
| 21 | April 22, 1973 | 11.07 ft |
| 22 | February 26, 1951 | 11.00 ft |
| 23 | March 5, 1976 | 10.92 ft |
| 24 | December 3, 1982 | 10.92 ft |
| 25 | October 24, 1941 | 10.89 ft |
Most recent crests
- July 15, 2024: 7.53 ft
- April 4, 2024: 8.43 ft
- March 1, 2023: 6.19 ft
- July 8, 2022: 8.62 ft
- March 11, 2021: 5.90 ft
- May 19, 2020: 10.59 ft
- September 14, 2019: 11.21 ft
- March 14, 2019: 10.37 ft
- October 7, 2018: 8.93 ft
- September 4, 2018: 12.00 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 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. Streamflow and the daily record from the U.S. Geological Survey.