River stage
Riverside, Des Plaines River
- River level
- 2.79 ft
- Status
- Below flood stage
- 7-day change
- -0.96 ft
- Recent high
- 6.08 ft
- Recent low
- 1.63 ft
Last reported 2026-10-13 | NWS RVRI2
- 30-day change
- +0.83 ft
- Average
- 3.17 ft
- Readings
- 122
- Data span
- 122 days
- Record crest
- 11.28 ft
In brief
The Des Plaines River at Riverside, IL read 2.79 ft on Oct 13, 2026, 4.21 ft below action stage. That is 0.83 ft higher than 30 days earlier.
Source: National Weather Service gauge RVRI2
River level timeline
Stage threshold profile
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Crest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11.28 ft | 2013-04-18 |
| 2 | 10.00 ft | 2020-05-18 |
| 3 | 9.90 ft | 1987-08-15 |
| 4 | 9.87 ft | 2008-09-14 |
| 5 | 9.82 ft | 1969-01-26 |
| 6 | 9.24 ft | 2010-07-24 |
| 7 | 9.15 ft | 2014-02-21 |
| 8 | 8.89 ft | 1960-01-25 |
Flood crests recorded at this gauge by the National Weather Service.
What happens at each level
- 4.00 ft
Without flood protection from levees, water would begin to bypass the main river channel through Chicago Portage toward the Chicago River Basin and areas once covered by Mud Lake.
- 7.00 ft
Water begins to overflow banks in adjacent forest preserve areas.
- 7.50 ft
Low-lying sections of Miller Meadow, Indian Gardens, Cermak Woods, Ottawa Trail Woods, and other forest land along the river are inundated.
- 8.00 ft
Park areas are inundated near the confluence of Des Plaines River and Salt Creek.
- 8.50 ft
IL-171 (1st Avenue) threatened near Brookfield Zoo. Water may begin to overflow into the Chicago Sanitary & Ship Canal near Willow Springs.
- 9.00 ft
Residences threatened near the confluence of Des Plaines River and Salt Creek.
- 9.50 ft
Parking areas at Brookfield Zoo threatened. Industrial parking area near the river and I-55 is threatened.
- 10.00 ft
US-34 (Ogden Avenue) threatened along the River in Lyons.
- 10.50 ft
Residences threatened between river and 39th Street in Riverside. Without flood protection from levees, widespread inundation of industrial property and structures would occur north of the river in McCook.
- 11.00 ft
Structures threatened at Brookfield Zoo.
Written by the local National Weather Service forecast office for this exact gauge.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Des Plaines River flooding at Riverside?
No. The Des Plaines River at Riverside is at 2.79 ft, 4.21 ft below action stage.
What is the flood stage at Riverside?
The National Weather Service sets action stage 7 ft, minor flooding 7.5 ft, moderate flooding 8 ft and major flooding 9 ft.
What is the highest the Des Plaines River has been at Riverside?
The highest crest on record is 11.28 ft, on 2013-04-18.
Is the Des Plaines River high or low right now at Riverside?
At 2.79 ft it is higher than 39% of readings over the last 122 days.
Stage and flood information from the NOAA National Weather Service (gauge RVRI2); daily history from the U.S. Geological Survey (site 05532500). Last reading 2026-10-13. For flood safety decisions always follow official National Weather Service warnings.