Rivers in Illinois
Rock River near Joslin
Action stage
11.16ftStage
Observed Tue, Sep 22, 1:45 AM CDT
- Flood stage
- 12.00 ft
- Forecast crest
- 12.00 ftTue, Sep 22, 1:00 PM CDT
- Record crest
- 19.24 ft2002
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 16.50 ft |
| Moderate flood | 14.00 ft |
| Minor flood | 12.00 ft |
| Action | 11.00 ft |
- 21.00 ftWater affects most of Hillsdale and much of Erie. Water also reaches the bottom of the Illinois Highway 92 bridge at Joslin.
- 20.00 ftWater affects several homes in Erie and affects the railroad tracks east of town.
- 19.50 ftWater affects much of Barstow Road between Barstow and Illinois Highway 5.
- 19.20 ftWater affects Barstow Road between Barstow and Illinois Highway 5.
- 19.00 ftWater affects several homes in Hillsdale on Docia Street and on the county road south of town. Water also affects most houses in Osborn.
- 18.50 ftWater affects the lowest sections of Moline Road east of Erie, as well as River Road.
- 18.39 ftWater affects Osborn Road at Osborn.
- 18.30 ftWater affects the railroad tracks near Osborn.
- 18.00 ftWater reaches the top of the Zuma Creek levee upstream of Barstow. Water also affects a few homes in Erie and Moline Road east of town. Water affects a few homes on Docia Street in Hillsdale and on the county road south of town. Water also affects a few homes in Shady Beach.
- 17.70 ftWater affects the railroad tracks south of Prophetstown.
- 17.50 ftWater is across Broadway at Jackson Street in Cleveland.
- 16.50 ftWater affects the lowest sections of Broadway and Main Street in Cleveland and affects a few homes.
- 16.00 ftWater affects much of Barstow Road between Barstow and Osborn. Water also affects homes in Osborn.
- 15.00 ftWater affects residences in the Thompson addition.
- 14.00 ftWater affects residences in outlying areas immediately along the river including basements, yards, driveways, and access roads.
- 13.70 ftWater affects Barstow Road between Barstow and Osborn.
- 13.00 ftFlooding of unprotected agricultural land occurs. Water also affects Lundeens Landing Campground.
- 12.50 ftWater affects some summer cottages along the river.
- 12.00 ftWater affects low lying agricultural land.
Flood outlook
Chance of flooding, September to November
| Category | Chance |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | 19% |
| Moderate flooding | 11% |
| Major flooding | Under 5% |
The three-month chances are the River Forecast Centers’ long-range flood outlook, issued August 28, 2026.
Crest history
118 crests on NOAA’s list since 1940.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | June 7, 2002 | 19.24 ft |
| 2 | April 21, 2013 | 19.11 ft |
| 3 | February 23, 1997 | 18.88 ft |
| 4 | May 31, 1996 | 18.73 ft |
| 5 | June 16, 2000 | 18.55 ft |
| 6 | July 25, 2017 | 18.51 ft |
| 7 | March 16, 2019 | 18.51 ft |
| 8 | February 23, 2018 | 18.36 ft |
| 9 | March 26, 1993 | 18.35 ft |
| 10 | February 27, 2001 | 18.02 ft |
| 11 | February 22, 1994 | 18.01 ft |
| 12 | March 22, 1979 | 17.81 ft |
| 13 | April 23, 1973 | 17.74 ft |
| 14 | February 23, 1971 | 17.69 ft |
| 15 | July 27, 2010 | 17.45 ft |
| 16 | March 6, 2008 | 17.39 ft |
| 17 | June 1, 2019 | 17.32 ft |
| 18 | August 28, 2007 | 17.24 ft |
| 19 | May 18, 1974 | 17.18 ft |
| 20 | March 11, 2009 | 16.98 ft |
| 21 | January 1, 2009 | 16.93 ft |
| 22 | March 3, 1985 | 16.64 ft |
| 23 | June 21, 2008 | 16.61 ft |
| 24 | February 27, 2019 | 16.57 ft |
| 25 | February 13, 1966 | 16.25 ft |
Most recent crests
- April 22, 2026: 16.16 ft
- July 19, 2024: 15.94 ft
- March 2, 2023: 12.30 ft
- May 21, 2020: 15.08 ft
- May 3, 2020: 12.01 ft
- June 1, 2019: 17.32 ft
- May 18, 2019: 12.30 ft
- May 4, 2019: 15.22 ft
- March 16, 2019: 18.51 ft
- February 27, 2019: 16.57 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 during the warm season, and as needed at other times of the year. 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. Streamflow and the daily record from the U.S. Geological Survey.