River Conditions
Illustrated map of Lake Michigan at Chicago

River stage

Morris, Illinois River

River level
5.46 ft
Status
Below flood stage
7-day change
-0.91 ft
Recent high
13.23 ft
Recent low
4.57 ft

Last reported 2026-10-13 | NWS MORI2

30-day change
+0.60 ft
Average
7.10 ft
Readings
122
Data span
122 days
Record crest
24.91 ft

In brief

The Illinois River at Morris, IL read 5.46 ft on Oct 13, 2026, 7.54 ft below action stage. That is 0.60 ft higher than 30 days earlier.

Source: National Weather Service gauge MORI2

River level timeline

3691114SEP 13SEP 18SEP 23SEP 28OCT 03OCT 08OCT 13ACTION 13.00 ftHIGH 9.62LOW 4.575.21 ftLAST READING

Stage threshold profile

Action stage 13.00 ftMinor flooding 16.00 ftModerate flooding 18.00 ftMajor flooding 22.00 ft CURRENT 5.46 ft

Highest crests on record

RankCrestDate
1 24.91 ft 2013-04-19
2 24.84 ft 2008-09-16
3 24.80 ft 2020-05-19
4 23.91 ft 1957-07-14
5 23.90 ft 1916-02-21
6 23.71 ft 2018-02-22
7 23.13 ft 1990-11-29
8 23.10 ft 1982-12-04

Flood crests recorded at this gauge by the National Weather Service.

What happens at each level

  1. 12.50 ft

    Low-lying portions of Stratton Park inundated near IL-47 in Morris.

  2. 16.00 ft

    Pine Bluff Road threatened west of IL-47 south of Morris. Dwight Road threatened south of Morris. High water levels begin to impact shipping interests along the river.

  3. 18.00 ft

    A few roads threatened near Morris. Low-lying portions of Illini Park inundated near Marseilles.

  4. 18.50 ft

    A few residences threatened along Cemetery Road in Morris.

  5. 19.50 ft

    Old Stage Road threatened near the Illinois and Michigan Canal between Morris and Seneca.

  6. 20.00 ft

    Low-lying residences threatened in Morris.

  7. 21.00 ft

    Morris Public Works property is threatened. West River Road is threatened.

  8. 22.00 ft

    Multiple residences threatened between Morris and Marseilles. Numerous roadways threatened along the river between Morris and Marseilles.

  9. 27.00 ft

    High water levels cause Dresden Lock to shut down.

Written by the local National Weather Service forecast office for this exact gauge.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Illinois River flooding at Morris?

No. The Illinois River at Morris is at 5.46 ft, 7.54 ft below action stage.

What is the flood stage at Morris?

The National Weather Service sets action stage 13 ft, minor flooding 16 ft, moderate flooding 18 ft and major flooding 22 ft.

What is the highest the Illinois River has been at Morris?

The highest crest on record is 24.91 ft, on 2013-04-19.

Is the Illinois River high or low right now at Morris?

At 5.46 ft it is higher than 24% of readings over the last 122 days.

Stage and flood information from the NOAA National Weather Service (gauge MORI2); daily history from the U.S. Geological Survey (site 05542500). Last reading 2026-10-13. For flood safety decisions always follow official National Weather Service warnings.