Des Plaines River at Riverside
No watches, warnings or advisories are in effect for this area.
Future / Actual / Minor
OWP 2.0 WWA Modal Title
01/11/2021, 10:04 PM UTC through 01/11/2021, 10:04 PM UTC
Sender
Sent
- Warning: no valid ratings curve available. Transformations to and from FEET/CFS/KCFS will not happen.
Traces and Thresholds Click to turn on/off display
Observed (OBS) 04/12/2025 11:45 PM CDTRecord: 11.3 ftLow Threshold: 1.5 ftCATEGORY STAGE 
Major Flooding 9 ft Moderate Flooding 8 ft Minor Flooding 7.5 ft Action 7 ft Reliability of the Forecast:
NOTE: 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.
National Water Model Hydrograph
Official NWS streamflow forecasts are produced by NWS hydrologic forecasters for river gauge locations using hydrologic models which are calibrated to that location. This process considers additional guidance and information, including local expertise and experience, to produce the best forecast possible. The NWM output provides supplemental guidance to NWS forecasters and should not be considered an official NWS river forecast.
Flood Impacts
- 11.5 - Widespread inundation of industrial property and structures north of the river in McCook. Numerous residences threatened near the river in Lyons.
- 11 - Water reaches the top of the levees in Lyons and McCook. Structures threatened at Brookfield Zoo.
- 10.5 - Residences threatened between river and 39th Street in Riverside. Water reaches the top of the levee in Forest View. Without flood protection from levees, widespread inundation of industrial property and structures would occur north of the river in McCook.
Gauge Location
Recent Crests
| 1. | 10.00 ft | on 05-18-2020 |
| 2. | 7.33 ft | on 04-30-2020 |
| 3. | 8.37 ft | on 05-01-2019 |
| 4. | 7.03 ft | on 02-04-2019 |
| 5. | 7.73 ft | on 06-23-2018 |
Recent Crests
| 1. | 10.00 ft | on 05-18-2020 |
| 2. | 7.33 ft | on 04-30-2020 |
| 3. | 8.37 ft | on 05-01-2019 |
| 4. | 7.03 ft | on 02-04-2019 |
| 5. | 7.73 ft | on 06-23-2018 |
| 6. | 8.05 ft | on 02-21-2018 |
| 7. | 8.60 ft | on 10-15-2017 |
| 8. | 8.07 ft | on 07-22-2017 |
| 9. | 7.71 ft | on 07-15-2017 |
| 10. | 7.50 ft | on 05-01-2017 |
| 11. | 7.37 ft | on 02-15-2016 |
| 12. | 8.10 ft | on 06-16-2015 |
| 13. | 9.15 ft | on 02-21-2014 |
| 14. | 8.15 ft | on 01-11-2014 |
| 15. | 11.28 ft | on 04-18-2013 |
| 16. | 8.47 ft | on 07-24-2011 |
| 17. | 9.24 ft | on 07-24-2010 |
| 18. | 9.87 ft | on 09-14-2008 |
| 19. | 7.71 ft | on 08-24-2007 |
| 20. | 6.50 ft | on 01-13-2005 |
| 21. | 7.08 ft | on 06-01-2004 |
| 22. | 6.44 ft | on 05-02-2003 |
| 23. | 7.89 ft | on 10-14-2001 |
| 24. | 6.58 ft | on 09-21-2001 |
| 25. | 7.00 ft | on 04-21-2000 |
| 26. | 7.66 ft | on 04-24-1999 |
| 27. | 6.86 ft | on 05-08-1998 |
| 28. | 8.45 ft | on 02-22-1997 |
| 29. | 7.40 ft | on 05-29-1996 |
| 30. | 7.04 ft | on 04-28-1995 |
| 31. | 7.15 ft | on 02-21-1994 |
| 32. | 7.02 ft | on 04-02-1993 |
| 33. | 7.40 ft | on 11-28-1990 |
| 34. | 8.01 ft | on 05-10-1990 |
| 35. | 6.62 ft | on 08-05-1989 |
| 36. | 6.16 ft | on 04-06-1988 |
| 37. | 9.90 ft | on 08-15-1987 |
| 38. | 8.80 ft | on 10-04-1986 |
| 39. | 6.87 ft | on 11-20-1985 |
| 40. | 7.94 ft | on 03-05-1985 |
| 41. | 6.02 ft | on 02-14-1984 |
| 42. | 8.01 ft | on 12-05-1982 |
| 43. | 6.52 ft | on 07-24-1982 |
| 44. | 5.96 ft | on 06-13-1981 |
| 45. | 7.91 ft | on 03-05-1979 |
| 46. | 6.14 ft | on 09-19-1978 |
| 47. | 7.24 ft | on 03-05-1976 |
| 48. | 7.09 ft | on 04-19-1975 |
| 49. | 7.64 ft | on 02-09-1974 |
| 50. | 6.77 ft | on 01-27-1974 |
| 51. | 6.80 ft | on 04-23-1973 |
| 52. | 7.58 ft | on 08-27-1972 |
| 53. | 6.19 ft | on 02-20-1971 |
| 54. | 7.23 ft | on 06-04-1970 |
| 55. | 6.90 ft | on 07-17-1969 |
| 56. | 9.82 ft | on 01-26-1969 |
| 57. | 6.36 ft | on 08-17-1968 |
| 58. | 7.05 ft | on 06-12-1967 |
| 59. | 7.43 ft | on 05-12-1966 |
| 60. | 8.30 ft | on 02-20-1966 |
| 61. | 6.05 ft | on 06-08-1965 |
| 62. | 6.81 ft | on 03-22-1962 |
| 63. | 6.98 ft | on 09-14-1961 |
| 64. | 7.46 ft | on 04-03-1960 |
| 65. | 8.89 ft | on 01-25-1960 |
| 66. | 8.00 ft | on 07-14-1957 |
| 67. | 8.15 ft | on 10-11-1954 |
| 68. | 6.78 ft | on 04-26-1954 |
| 69. | 6.52 ft | on 04-15-1952 |
| 70. | 5.95 ft | on 02-27-1951 |
| 71. | 8.15 ft | on 04-26-1950 |
| 72. | 8.28 ft | on 03-20-1948 |
| 73. | 6.85 ft | on 04-06-1947 |
| 74. | 6.44 ft | on 03-07-1946 |
| 75. | 6.70 ft | on 05-17-1945 |
| 76. | 7.40 ft | on 03-16-1944 |
Historic Crests
| 1. | 11.28 ft | on 04-18-2013 |
| 2. | 10.00 ft | on 05-18-2020 |
| 3. | 9.90 ft | on 08-15-1987 |
| 4. | 9.87 ft | on 09-14-2008 |
| 5. | 9.82 ft | on 01-26-1969 |
Historic Crests
| 1. | 11.28 ft | on 04-18-2013 |
| 2. | 10.00 ft | on 05-18-2020 |
| 3. | 9.90 ft | on 08-15-1987 |
| 4. | 9.87 ft | on 09-14-2008 |
| 5. | 9.82 ft | on 01-26-1969 |
| 6. | 9.24 ft | on 07-24-2010 |
| 7. | 9.15 ft | on 02-21-2014 |
| 8. | 8.89 ft | on 01-25-1960 |
| 9. | 8.80 ft | on 10-04-1986 |
| 10. | 8.60 ft | on 10-15-2017 |
| 11. | 8.47 ft | on 07-24-2011 |
| 12. | 8.45 ft | on 02-22-1997 |
| 13. | 8.37 ft | on 05-01-2019 |
| 14. | 8.30 ft | on 02-20-1966 |
| 15. | 8.28 ft | on 03-20-1948 |
| 16. | 8.15 ft | on 04-26-1950 |
| 17. | 8.15 ft | on 10-11-1954 |
| 18. | 8.15 ft | on 01-11-2014 |
| 19. | 8.10 ft | on 06-16-2015 |
| 20. | 8.07 ft | on 07-22-2017 |
| 21. | 8.05 ft | on 02-21-2018 |
| 22. | 8.01 ft | on 05-10-1990 |
| 23. | 8.01 ft | on 12-05-1982 |
| 24. | 8.00 ft | on 07-14-1957 |
| 25. | 7.94 ft | on 03-05-1985 |
| 26. | 7.91 ft | on 03-05-1979 |
| 27. | 7.89 ft | on 10-14-2001 |
| 28. | 7.73 ft | on 06-23-2018 |
| 29. | 7.71 ft | on 08-24-2007 |
| 30. | 7.71 ft | on 07-15-2017 |
| 31. | 7.66 ft | on 04-24-1999 |
| 32. | 7.64 ft | on 02-09-1974 |
| 33. | 7.58 ft | on 08-27-1972 |
| 34. | 7.50 ft | on 05-01-2017 |
| 35. | 7.46 ft | on 04-03-1960 |
| 36. | 7.43 ft | on 05-12-1966 |
| 37. | 7.40 ft | on 03-16-1944 |
| 38. | 7.40 ft | on 05-29-1996 |
| 39. | 7.40 ft | on 11-28-1990 |
| 40. | 7.37 ft | on 02-15-2016 |
| 41. | 7.33 ft | on 04-30-2020 |
| 42. | 7.24 ft | on 03-05-1976 |
| 43. | 7.23 ft | on 06-04-1970 |
| 44. | 7.15 ft | on 02-21-1994 |
| 45. | 7.09 ft | on 04-19-1975 |
| 46. | 7.08 ft | on 06-01-2004 |
| 47. | 7.05 ft | on 06-12-1967 |
| 48. | 7.04 ft | on 04-28-1995 |
| 49. | 7.03 ft | on 02-04-2019 |
| 50. | 7.02 ft | on 04-02-1993 |
| 51. | 7.00 ft | on 04-21-2000 |
| 52. | 6.98 ft | on 09-14-1961 |
| 53. | 6.90 ft | on 07-17-1969 |
| 54. | 6.87 ft | on 11-20-1985 |
| 55. | 6.86 ft | on 05-08-1998 |
| 56. | 6.85 ft | on 04-06-1947 |
| 57. | 6.81 ft | on 03-22-1962 |
| 58. | 6.80 ft | on 04-23-1973 |
| 59. | 6.78 ft | on 04-26-1954 |
| 60. | 6.77 ft | on 01-27-1974 |
| 61. | 6.70 ft | on 05-17-1945 |
| 62. | 6.62 ft | on 08-05-1989 |
| 63. | 6.58 ft | on 09-21-2001 |
| 64. | 6.52 ft | on 07-24-1982 |
| 65. | 6.52 ft | on 04-15-1952 |
| 66. | 6.50 ft | on 01-13-2005 |
| 67. | 6.44 ft | on 05-02-2003 |
| 68. | 6.44 ft | on 03-07-1946 |
| 69. | 6.36 ft | on 08-17-1968 |
| 70. | 6.19 ft | on 02-20-1971 |
| 71. | 6.16 ft | on 04-06-1988 |
| 72. | 6.14 ft | on 09-19-1978 |
| 73. | 6.05 ft | on 06-08-1965 |
| 74. | 6.02 ft | on 02-14-1984 |
| 75. | 5.96 ft | on 06-13-1981 |
| 76. | 5.95 ft | on 02-27-1951 |
Low Water Records
Low Water Records
Vertical Datum Table
| type | NAVD88 |
|---|---|
| major Flooding | 603.38 ft |
| moderate Flooding | 602.38 ft |
| minor Flooding | 601.88 ft |
| action | 601.38 ft |
| Latest Value | 597.46 ft |
| Gauge Zero | 594.38 ft |
Gauge Photos
No Images Found
Collaborative Agencies
The National Weather Service prepares its forecasts and other services in collaboration with agencies like the US Geological Survey, US Bureau of Reclamation, US Army Corps of Engineers, Natural Resource Conservation Service, National Park Service, ALERT Users Group, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and many state and local emergency managers across the country. For details, please click here.