Des Plaines River near Des Plaines, IL

Cook County, Illinois · USGS gauge 05529000 · NWS DSPI2 · Des Plaines River flood status · Illinois river levels

Nearby: river levels near Des Plaines

Is Des Plaines River near Des Plaines, IL flooding right now?

Des Plaines River near Des Plaines, IL measured 12.85 ft on 2026-09-22 20:45:00 UTC. That observation was 2.2 ft below its 15 ft flood stage. This is the latest available reading, not a guarantee of current conditions.

Gauge height
12.85 ft
as of 62 min ago
Streamflow
1,120 cfs
data refreshed 16 min ago

Minor flooding here begins at 15 ft, with major flooding at 19 ft. The highest crest on record was 20.92 ft on Fri, Apr 19, 2013.

Flood forecast

flood stage 15 ft

NWS forecast, issued 7 hours ago. Forecasts are issued for select river points and update through the day.

Flood stages at this gauge

CategoryStageCurrent distance
Action13.5 ft0.7 ft below
Minor flood15 ft2.2 ft below
Moderate flood18 ft5.2 ft below
Major flood19 ft6.2 ft below

New to these numbers? What does flood stage mean? · How to read a river gauge · Why is the river rising?

Highest crests on record

StageDate
20.92 ft2013-04-19
20.880000000000003 ft1986-10-01
20 ft2008-09-14
19.92 ft2017-07-14
19.77 ft2020-05-18

Nearby gauges

GaugeDistanceCounty
Mc Donald Creek near Mount Prospect, IL1.4 miCook County
Weller Creek at Des Plaines, IL3.0 miCook County
Des Plaines River at Algonquin Rd at Des Plaines, IL3.9 miCook County
Wf of Nb Chicago River at Northbrook IL4.4 miCook County
North Branch Chicago River at Deerfield, IL5.7 miLake County
Provisional data: Real-time readings are provisional and subject to revision by the USGS — sensors can be affected by ice, debris, or equipment malfunction. Do not rely on this site for decisions involving personal safety; follow official guidance from the National Weather Service and local authorities.

Sources: USGS monitoring location · NWS gauge & forecast