River stage
Chester, Mississippi River
- River level
- 15.17 ft
- Status
- Below flood stage
- 7-day change
- -9.28 ft
- Recent high
- 28.63 ft
- Recent low
- 2.29 ft
Last reported 2026-10-13 | NWS CHSI2
- 30-day change
- +10.49 ft
- Average
- 14.24 ft
- Readings
- 122
- Data span
- 122 days
- Record crest
- 49.74 ft
In brief
The Mississippi River at Chester, IL read 15.17 ft on Oct 13, 2026, 9.83 ft below action stage. That is 10.49 ft higher than 30 days earlier.
Source: National Weather Service gauge CHSI2
River level timeline
Stage threshold profile
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Crest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 49.74 ft | 1993-08-07 |
| 2 | 46.52 ft | 2019-06-10 |
| 3 | 45.99 ft | 2016-01-02 |
| 4 | 44.66 ft | 2017-05-06 |
| 5 | 44.00 ft | 1995-05-23 |
| 6 | 43.32 ft | 1973-04-30 |
| 7 | 42.41 ft | 2013-06-05 |
| 8 | 41.02 ft | 1983-05-05 |
Flood crests recorded at this gauge by the National Weather Service.
What happens at each level
- 25.00 ft
Degognia Fountain Bluff Levee gates are closed.
- 27.00 ft
Flood Stage. Unprotected farmland on right bank begins to flood.
- 28.00 ft
Unleveed islands near Chester and the prison farm floods.
- 31.50 ft
In Perry County, Highway E is closed between County Road 322 and Levee Road (County Road 354) at Bois Brule Creek.
- 32.50 ft
The Road at Fort Gage Farm begins flooding at Menard Correctional Center.
- 33.00 ft
Within a foot of this height, Highway A is closed between County Roads 448 and 460 at Wittenberg in southern Perry County.
- 33.50 ft
Water Street in Chester begins flooding.
- 34.70 ft
The north parking lot at Menard Correctional Center begins flooding.
- 34.79 ft
Kaskaskia Street near the Menard Prison begins flooding near this height.
- 35.00 ft
Ste. Genevieve flood gates are closed at this level.
Written by the local National Weather Service forecast office for this exact gauge.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Mississippi River flooding at Chester?
No. The Mississippi River at Chester is at 15.17 ft, 9.83 ft below action stage.
What is the flood stage at Chester?
The National Weather Service sets action stage 25 ft, minor flooding 27 ft, moderate flooding 35 ft and major flooding 40 ft.
What is the highest the Mississippi River has been at Chester?
The highest crest on record is 49.74 ft, on 1993-08-07.
Is the Mississippi River high or low right now at Chester?
At 15.17 ft it is higher than 53% of readings over the last 122 days.
Stage and flood information from the NOAA National Weather Service (gauge CHSI2); daily history from the U.S. Geological Survey (site 07020500). Last reading 2026-10-13. For flood safety decisions always follow official National Weather Service warnings.