River stage
Des Plaines, Des Plaines River
- River level
- 9.80 ft
- Status
- Below flood stage
- 7-day change
- -1.73 ft
- Recent high
- 13.52 ft
- Recent low
- 8.56 ft
Last reported 2026-10-13 | NWS DSPI2
- 30-day change
- +0.40 ft
- Average
- 10.30 ft
- Readings
- 122
- Data span
- 122 days
- Record crest
- 20.92 ft
In brief
The Des Plaines River at Des Plaines, IL read 9.80 ft on Oct 13, 2026, 3.70 ft below action stage. That is 0.40 ft higher than 30 days earlier.
Source: National Weather Service gauge DSPI2
River level timeline
Stage threshold profile
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Crest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20.92 ft | 2013-04-19 |
| 2 | 20.88 ft | 1986-10-01 |
| 3 | 20.00 ft | 2008-09-14 |
| 4 | 19.92 ft | 2017-07-14 |
| 5 | 19.77 ft | 2020-05-18 |
| 6 | 19.00 ft | 1938-07-04 |
| 7 | 18.77 ft | 1987-08-14 |
| 8 | 18.67 ft | 1996-05-21 |
Flood crests recorded at this gauge by the National Weather Service.
What happens at each level
- 12.00 ft
Low-lying sections of the Des Plaines River Trail threatened near Des Plaines.
- 13.00 ft
Camp Ground Road and Des Plaines River Trail threatened near Miner Street in Des Plaines.
- 14.00 ft
Low-lying Methodist Campground property and forest preserve property threatened near Des Plaines.
- 15.00 ft
Structures threatened at Methodist Campground in Des Plaines. Forest preserve roadways are threatened.
- 17.00 ft
Central Road and Golf Road are threatened in Des Plaines.
- 18.50 ft
Big Bend Road threatened in Des Plaines.
- 20.00 ft
Water reaches the top of the floodwall along Miner Street causing numerous structures and roadways to be threatened near Miner Street and Busse Highway in Des Plaines. Structures threatened along Prairie Avenue near South River Road in Des Plaines.
- 21.00 ft
Inundation of structures and roadways reaches up to 1 block from the river in Des Plaines, Mount Prospect, and Prospect Heights. Milwaukee Avenue threatened at Palatine Road in Prospect Heights. Algonquin Road threatened east of the river in Des Plaines.
- 21.50 ft
Taxiways and runways threatened at Chicago Executive Airport in Prospect Heights.
- 22.50 ft
Structures threatened at Chicago Executive Airport in Prospect Heights.
Written by the local National Weather Service forecast office for this exact gauge.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Des Plaines River flooding at Des Plaines?
No. The Des Plaines River at Des Plaines is at 9.8 ft, 3.7 ft below action stage.
What is the flood stage at Des Plaines?
The National Weather Service sets action stage 13.5 ft, minor flooding 15 ft, moderate flooding 18 ft and major flooding 19 ft.
What is the highest the Des Plaines River has been at Des Plaines?
The highest crest on record is 20.92 ft, on 2013-04-19.
Is the Des Plaines River high or low right now at Des Plaines?
At 9.8 ft it is higher than 48% of readings over the last 122 days.
Stage and flood information from the NOAA National Weather Service (gauge DSPI2); daily history from the U.S. Geological Survey (site 05529000). Last reading 2026-10-13. For flood safety decisions always follow official National Weather Service warnings.