River stage
Gurnee, Des Plaines River
- River level
- 3.53 ft
- Status
- Below flood stage
- 7-day change
- -1.98 ft
- Recent high
- 8.28 ft
- Recent low
- 1.97 ft
Last reported 2026-10-13 | NWS GUNI2
- 30-day change
- +0.44 ft
- Average
- 3.98 ft
- Readings
- 122
- Data span
- 122 days
- Record crest
- 12.09 ft
In brief
The Des Plaines River at Gurnee, IL read 3.53 ft on Oct 13, 2026, 2.97 ft below action stage. That is 0.44 ft higher than 30 days earlier.
Source: National Weather Service gauge GUNI2
River level timeline
Stage threshold profile
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Crest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12.09 ft | 2017-07-16 |
| 2 | 11.95 ft | 1986-09-27 |
| 3 | 11.76 ft | 2004-05-25 |
| 4 | 11.20 ft | 2013-04-20 |
| 5 | 10.64 ft | 1960-04-03 |
| 6 | 10.52 ft | 2019-09-15 |
| 7 | 10.30 ft | 2000-06-16 |
| 8 | 10.29 ft | 1979-03-22 |
Flood crests recorded at this gauge by the National Weather Service.
What happens at each level
- 6.00 ft
Water overtops low-lying banks in Gurnee.
- 6.50 ft
Low-lying sections of the Des Plaines River trail inundated.
- 7.00 ft
Forest land inundated near the river in Gurnee.
- 9.00 ft
Kilbourne Road and Emerald Avenue threatened near Grand Avenue in Gurnee.
- 10.00 ft
Residences threatened along Kilbourne Road and near O'Plaine Road and McClure Avenue in Gurnee. Businesses threatened along Old Grand Avenue near IL-132 in Gurnee. IL-132 (Grand Avenue) is threatened east of the river in Gurnee.
- 11.00 ft
US-41 (Skokie Highway) threatened near the river in Gurnee. Mundelein Water Reclamation Facility property is threatened near Libertyville.
- 12.00 ft
Libertyville Wastewater Treatment Plant property is threatened.
- 12.50 ft
Structures are threatened at Mundelein Water Reclamation Facility near Libertyville.
- 13.50 ft
Structures are threatened at Libertyville Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Written by the local National Weather Service forecast office for this exact gauge.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Des Plaines River flooding at Gurnee?
No. The Des Plaines River at Gurnee is at 3.53 ft, 2.97 ft below action stage.
What is the flood stage at Gurnee?
The National Weather Service sets action stage 6.5 ft, minor flooding 7 ft, moderate flooding 9 ft and major flooding 11 ft.
What is the highest the Des Plaines River has been at Gurnee?
The highest crest on record is 12.09 ft, on 2017-07-16.
Is the Des Plaines River high or low right now at Gurnee?
At 3.53 ft it is higher than 53% of readings over the last 122 days.
Stage and flood information from the NOAA National Weather Service (gauge GUNI2); daily history from the U.S. Geological Survey (site 05528000). Last reading 2026-10-13. For flood safety decisions always follow official National Weather Service warnings.