River stage
River Forest, Des Plaines River
- River level
- 5.42 ft
- Status
- Below flood stage
- 7-day change
- -1.98 ft
- Recent high
- 10.44 ft
- Recent low
- 3.27 ft
Last reported 2026-10-13 | NWS RVFI2
- 30-day change
- +1.73 ft
- Average
- 5.72 ft
- Readings
- 122
- Data span
- 122 days
- Record crest
- 18.98 ft
In brief
The Des Plaines River at River Forest, IL read 5.42 ft on Oct 13, 2026, 7.58 ft below action stage. That is 1.73 ft higher than 30 days earlier.
Source: National Weather Service gauge RVFI2
River level timeline
Stage threshold profile
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Crest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 18.98 ft | 2013-04-19 |
| 2 | 18.30 ft | 2008-09-14 |
| 3 | 17.50 ft | 2020-05-18 |
| 4 | 15.55 ft | 2017-07-22 |
| 5 | 14.42 ft | 2019-05-01 |
| 6 | 14.12 ft | 2017-10-15 |
| 7 | 14.05 ft | 2018-05-22 |
| 8 | 14.03 ft | 2019-09-15 |
Flood crests recorded at this gauge by the National Weather Service.
What happens at each level
- 10.00 ft
Forest preserve property threatend along the river.
- 13.00 ft
Parking lots threatened at Trailside Museum.
- 16.00 ft
Chicago Avenue is threatened.
- 17.50 ft
North Avenue (IL-64) threatened in River Grove and Melrose Park. Residential property threatened along River Oaks Drive.
- 18.00 ft
Portions of Forest Home Cemetery and Concordia Cemetery are inundated in Forest Park.
- 20.00 ft
Multiple residential structures threatened in River Forest. 1st Avenue threatened in Maywood. Backwater causes Silver Creek to threaten multiple residential structures in Melrose Park.
Written by the local National Weather Service forecast office for this exact gauge.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Des Plaines River flooding at River Forest?
No. The Des Plaines River at River Forest is at 5.42 ft, 7.58 ft below action stage.
What is the flood stage at River Forest?
The National Weather Service sets action stage 13 ft, minor flooding 16 ft, moderate flooding 17.5 ft and major flooding 18.5 ft.
What is the highest the Des Plaines River has been at River Forest?
The highest crest on record is 18.98 ft, on 2013-04-19.
Is the Des Plaines River high or low right now at River Forest?
At 5.42 ft it is higher than 47% of readings over the last 122 days.
Stage and flood information from the NOAA National Weather Service (gauge RVFI2); daily history from the U.S. Geological Survey (site 05530750). Last reading 2026-10-13. For flood safety decisions always follow official National Weather Service warnings.