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Des Plaines River at Russell water level

River gauge, Des Plaines River, Illinois, United States

Directions

High for mid-October

Water level

4.70ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Flow
54.4 cfs
5 10 Highest onrecord 12.11 ft Minor floodstage 7.00 ft

History

246ftOct 12Oct 13Oct 15Oct 16Oct 18Minor flood stage246ftOct 12Oct 15Oct 18Minor flood stage
358ftSep 19Sep 26Oct 3Oct 11Oct 18Minor flood stage358ftSep 19Oct 3Oct 18Minor flood stage
35810ftNov 2025Feb 2026May 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage35810ftNov 2025May 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage
35810ftJanMarMayJulSepNov202635810ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %) Minor flood stage

What this means

The Des Plaines River at Russell is above normal at 4.70 ft.

That puts it 2.35 ft above the median of 2.35 ft for mid-October, based on 36 years of readings. It is 2.30 ft below the flood stage of 7.00 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 4.32 ft and 9.31 ft.

That stands out in fall, when many rivers are usually near their lowest.

Compared with 36 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
2.35 ft2.35 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date
1.66 ft – 5.56 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (36 years of records)
Lowest and highest in 30 days
4.32 ft – 9.31 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
2.22 ft – 9.59 ft
Highest on record
12.11 ftJuly 14, 2017

Floating and fishing near Des Plaines River at Russell

Experienced paddlers may enjoy higher water, but many outfitters stop rentals once a river runs this high.

Flood stage here is 7.00 ft, 2.30 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

16.00 ft
Commercial parking lots threatened along Skokie Highway (US-41).
15.00 ft
Kilbourne Road threatened. Commercial parking lots threatened along Dilleys Road.
13.50 ft
Wadsworth Road threatened in Wadsworth.
13.00 ft
Skokie Highway (US-41) threatened south of Wadsworth Road in Wadsworth. Widespread inundation reaches up to a half mile from the river in Russell and Wadsworth.
12.50 ft
Rosecrans Road (IL-173) threatened near Wadsworth.
12.00 ft
Residential structures threatened along Ingram Drive. Russell Road threatened. Roadways and trails threatened at Van Patten Woods Forest Preserve.
9.50 ft
Residential structures threatened along Russell Road between the river and Kilbourne Road. Industrial parking lots threatened along Kilbourne Road.
8.00 ft
Agricultural and park land is inundated near the river. Residential property is threatened near the river.
7.00 ft
Low-lying wetlands and agricultural land is inundated near the river.
4.70 ft
Right now

Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.

Highest crests on record

Chance of at least minor flooding in October to December: 62 %.

RankLevelDate
112.11 ftJuly 14, 2017
211.09 ftMay 23, 2004
310.75 ftSeptember 27, 1986
410.75 ftMarch 6, 1976
510.51 ftAugust 24, 2007
610.48 ftSeptember 15, 2019
710.31 ftAugust 21, 1978
810.01 ftJune 21, 2009
99.99 ftApril 19, 2013
109.95 ftFebruary 23, 1994

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.16 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

17 Sat 58° 36° – Wind 12 mph
18 Sun 60° 39° – Wind 17 mph
19 Mon 65° 38° – Wind 7 mph
20 Tue 64° 47° – Wind 7 mph
21 Wed 67° 49° – Wind 6 mph
22 Thu 68° 52° 0.00 in Wind 5 mph
23 Fri 68° 53° – Wind 9 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:09 AM Sunset 06:06 PM Daylight 10 hr, 58 min First quarter 49%

Map

Other gauges on the Des Plaines River

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Des Plaines River near GurneeRiver gauge, Des Plaines River 2.99 ft Normal −0.02 ft 10 mi
Des Plaines River at LincolnshireRiver gauge, Des Plaines River 7.59 ft Normal −0.05 ft 20 mi
Des Plaines River near Des PlainesRiver gauge, Des Plaines River 9.32 ft High −0.10 ft 28 mi
Des Plaines River at Algonquin Road at Des PlainesRiver gauge, Des Plaines River 8.96 ft Normal −0.21 ft 32 mi
Des Plaines River at River ForestRiver gauge, Des Plaines River 4.99 ft Normal −0.51 ft 42 mi
Des Plaines River at RiversideRiver gauge, Des Plaines River 2.75 ft Normal −0.34 ft 46 mi
Des Plaines River at LyonsRiver gauge, Des Plaines River 11.30 ft Normal −0.67 ft 48 mi
Des Plaines River near LemontRiver gauge, Des Plaines River 6.59 ft Normal −0.54 ft 57 mi
Des Plaines River at Route 53 at JolietRiver gauge, Des Plaines River 538.97 ft Normal ±0 66 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Mill Creek at Old Mill CreekRiver gauge, Mill Creek 6.88 ft Normal −0.15 ft 5.6 mi
Fox Lake near Lake VillaLake, Fox Lake 4.09 ft Normal −0.04 ft 11 mi
Channel Lake near AntiochLake, Channel Lake 4.23 ft Normal +0.05 ft 11 mi
Pike River near RacineRiver gauge, Pike River 35.1 cfs Normal −6.7 cfs 11 mi
Nippersink Lake at Fox LakeLake, Nippersink Lake 4.05 ft Low −0.06 ft 14 mi
Nippersink Creek near Spring GroveRiver gauge, Nippersink Creek 4.79 ft Very high −0.09 ft 17 mi
Fox River near New MunsterRiver gauge, Fox River 6.65 ft Below flood stage −0.44 ft 17 mi
Fox River at JohnsburgRiver gauge, Fox River 3.94 ft Low −0.12 ft 18 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Des Plaines River at Russell?

The official flood stage is 7.00 ft. The level is currently 2.30 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Des Plaines River at Russell in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 2.35 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.66 ft and 5.56 ft, based on 36 years of records.

Is gage height the same as water depth?

No. Gage height is measured from a fixed reference point chosen by the agency, so a reading of 10 ft does not mean the river is 10 ft deep.

What is the water level of Des Plaines River at Russell today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 07:30 AM CDT, the water level was 4.70 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Des Plaines River at Russell rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.98 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Des Plaines River at Russell normal?

High for mid-October. Compared with 36 years of daily readings for this time of year.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Des Plaines River at Russell?

The highest level on record is 12.11 ft on July 14, 2017.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
Operator
U.S. Geological Survey
Station code
usgs:05527800 (Agency page)
Coordinates
42.48939, -87.92592 (WGS84)
Vertical datum
NAVD88
Update interval
every 15 minutes
Licence
Public domain. Data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), provisional data subject to revision

Published series

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Water level 4.70 ft 2026-10-18 12:30 Provisional
Flow 54.4 cfs 2026-10-18 12:30 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Des Plaines River at Russell (usgs:05527800). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/illinois/des-plaines-river-at-russell

How we check values

Each reading is stored as published. We hold back values that jump faster than physically plausible and show the measurement time with every value.

Readings are provisional, can be delayed or wrong and are not a flood warning. Read the disclaimer