Des Plaines River at Riverside

The past week

What floods at each level

• 13.5 ft

  Water reaches the top of the west bank levees in Lyons and McCook.

• 12 ft

  Water reaches the top of the levees in Lyons and McCook.

• 11.5 ft

  Widespread inundation of industrial property and structures north of the river in McCook. Numerous residences threatened near the river in Lyons.

• 11 ft

  Structures threatened at Brookfield Zoo.

• 10.5 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.

• 10 ft

  US-34 (Ogden Avenue) threatened along the River in Lyons.

• 9.5 ft

  Parking areas at Brookfield Zoo threatened. Industrial parking area near the river and I-55 is threatened.

• 9 ft

  Residences threatened near the confluence of Des Plaines River and Salt Creek.

• 8.5 ft

  IL-171 (1st Avenue) threatened near Brookfield Zoo. Water may begin to overflow into the Chicago Sanitary & Ship Canal near Willow Springs.

• 8 ft

  Park areas are inundated near the confluence of Des Plaines River and Salt Creek.

• 7.5 ft

  Low-lying sections of Miller Meadow, Indian Gardens, Cermak Woods, Ottawa Trail Woods, and other forest land along the river are inundated.

• 7 ft

  Water begins to overflow banks in adjacent forest preserve areas.

• 4 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.

Highest crests on record

When the water runs low

• 1.5

  Approximate stage of the 1-in-10 annual chance flow (7-day average).

• 1.0

  River nears zero flow.

More on Des Plaines River