North Branch Chicago River at Chicago (Pulaski Rd), IL
River level and flood forecast · Cook County
Normal10.8 ftas of Mon 4 PM
The river is 7.2 ft below flood stage (18 ft).
Flow: 25 cubic feet per second (USGS).
The last 7 days and the forecast
NWS forecast issued Sun, Sep 20, 8:55 AM. Forecasts change as rain falls and as upstream water arrives.
Flood stages
| Major flood stage | 21 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 20 ft |
| Flood stage | 18 ft |
| Action stage | 16.5 ft |
| Record crest (August 14, 1987) | 22.5 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 27.5 ftStructures are threatened at North Park University.
- 26 ftLow-lying property at North Park University is threatened. Low-lying areas in River Park are threatened.
- 24 ftWidespread inundation of structures and roadways reaches up to 1 block from the river in the Albany Park neighborhood. Low-lying sections of St. Luke Cemetery are inundated.
- 23 ftIntersection of Pulaski Road and Foster Avenue is threatened.
- 22 ftLow-lying sections of Bohemian National Cemetery are inundated.
- 21 ftNumerous structures and roadways impacted in the Albany Park neighborhood.
- 20 ftWater begins to impact structures in the Albany Park neighborhood. Foster Avenue is threatened east of Pulaski Road.
- 19 ftWater may impact the Eugene Field Park foot bridge. Foster Avenue flow diversion tunnel reaches capacity.
- 18 ftPortions of Eugene Field Park are inundated.
- 17 ftTrails in Gompers Park are inundated.
- 16.5 ftWater impacts low-lying trails in Eugene Field Park.
- 16 ftLow-lying areas of Gompers Park are inundated.
- 14.5 ftWater begins to be diverted through the Foster Avenue flow diversion tunnel.
Highest crests on record
- 22.5 ft — August 14, 1987
- 17.9 ft — May 18, 2020
- 17.03 ft — May 22, 2018
Recent crests: 17.9 ft (May 18, 2020) · 17.03 ft (May 22, 2018) · 22.5 ft (August 14, 1987)
Up and down the river, and nearby
- UpstreamNorth Branch Chicago River at Niles, IL
- DownstreamNorth Branch Chicago River at Chicago (Grand Ave), IL
- Des Plaines River at River Forest, IL
- Chicago River at Chicago (Columbus Dr), IL
- Lake Michigan at Chicago (Chicago Lock), IL
- Des Plaines River at Des Plaines (Algonquin Road), IL
- Addison Creek at Bellwood, IL
- Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal at Chicago (Western Ave), IL
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (NBPI2); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.