Skokie River at Lake Forest, IL
River level and flood forecast · Lake County
Normal2.0 ftas of Mon 3:55 PM
The river is 4.0 ft below flood stage (6 ft).
Flow: 3 cubic feet per second (USGS).
The last 7 days and the forecast
NWS forecast issued Sun, Dec 31, 6 PM. Forecasts change as rain falls and as upstream water arrives.
Flood stages
| Major flood stage | 10.5 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 8.5 ft |
| Flood stage | 6 ft |
| Action stage | 4 ft |
| Record crest (July 12, 2017) | 9.09 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 13 ftWidespread inundation of structures and roadways in the floodplain reaches multiple blocks from the river in Highland Park. Numerous residences may be threatened near the creek off Onwentsia Road and Westleight Road in Lake Forest.
- 11.5 ftLake Forest Police Department may be threatened. Numerous commercial structures may be threatened along US-41 (Skokie Highway) in Highland Park.
- 11 ftNumerous residences are threatened off Half Day Road near Sleepy Hollow Park, near Central Avenue and Beverly Place in Highland Park, and near Highland Park High School. Structures are threatened at Highland Park High School. Half Day Road is threatened in Highland Park.
- 10.5 ftUS-41 (Skokie Highway) is threatened near Rockland Road in Lake Bluff.
- 10 ftOnwentsia Road, Deerpath Road, and Old Elm Road are threatened in Lake Forest. Numerous residential streets are threatened off Onwentsia Road and Westleigh Road in Lake Forest.
- 9 ftA few residences are threatened off Half Day Road near Sleepy Hollow Park, and near Central Avenue and Beverly Place in Highland Park. Roadways and parking areas are threatened near Centennial Ice Arena in Highland Park. Athletic fields are threatened at Cunniff Park in Highland Park.
- 7 ftAthletic fields are threatened at Highland Park High School.
- 6.5 ftNumerous residential streets are threatened off Half Day Road near Sleepy Hollow Park in Highland Park. Parking lots threatened off Park Avenue near Skokie Highway (US-41) in Highland Park.
- 6 ftTrail Way threatened near Sleepy Hollow Park in Highland Park.
- 5.5 ftLow-lying sections of Deerpath Golf Course and Onwentsia Golf Course are inundated in Lake Forest. Low-lying sections of Highland Park Country Club are inundated.
Highest crests on record
- 9.09 ft — July 12, 2017
- 8.35 ft — July 22, 1982
- 8.27 ft — September 26, 1986
- 7.94 ft — December 3, 1982
- 7.78 ft — October 13, 2001
Recent crests: 6.98 ft (May 17, 2020) · 5.25 ft (April 29, 2020) · 5.11 ft (March 28, 2020) · 6.72 ft (September 13, 2019) · 5.54 ft (December 1, 2018)
Up and down the river, and nearby
- DownstreamSkokie River at Highland Park, IL
- Des Plaines River at Lincolnshire, IL
- West Fork North Branch Chicago River at Deerfield, IL
- North Branch Chicago River at Deerfield, IL
- West Fork North Branch Chicago River at Northbrook, IL
- Buffalo Creek (IL) at Wheeling, IL
- Des Plaines River near Gurnee, IL
- McDonald Creek near Mount Prospect, IL
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (LAFI2); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.