Fox River (Tailwater) near Mchenry, IL

McHenry County, Illinois · USGS gauge 05549501 · NWS MHYI2 · Fox River (Tailwater) flood status · Illinois river levels

Nearby: river levels near Mchenry

Is Fox River (Tailwater) near Mchenry, IL flooding right now?

Fox River (Tailwater) near Mchenry, IL measured 3.58 ft on 2026-09-22 20:15:00 UTC. That observation was 0.4 ft below its 4 ft flood stage. This is the latest available reading, not a guarantee of current conditions.

Gauge height
3.58 ft
as of 2 hours ago
Streamflow
2,670 cfs
data refreshed just now

Minor flooding here begins at 4 ft, with major flooding at 7 ft. The highest crest on record was 9 ft on Tue, Jul 5, 1938.

Flood stages at this gauge

CategoryStageCurrent distance
Action3 ft0.6 ft ABOVE
Minor flood4 ft0.4 ft below
Moderate flood6 ft2.4 ft below
Major flood7 ft3.4 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
9 ft1938-07-05
7.65 ft2017-07-22
7.64 ft2013-04-23
7.2 ft1986-10-02
7.04 ft1979-04-02

Nearby gauges

GaugeDistanceCounty
Fox River near Mchenry, IL0.1 miMcHenry County
Fox River at Miller Bridge near Mchenry, IL1.0 miMcHenry County
Boone Creek near Mc Henry, IL3.2 miMcHenry County
Fox River at Johnsburg, IL4.7 miMcHenry County
Flint Creek near Fox River Grove, IL7.8 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