About this river
Des Plaines River is an 11.5 mile river near Kayak Morris Campground in Illinois. Streamflow is measured at the USGS gauge Des Plaines River at Route 53 at Joliet, IL (site 05537980). The National Hydrography Dataset places it at stream order 9. Reach geometry comes from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset.
Typical flow by month
2005 to 2026
Des Plaines River typically runs highest in March, at a median 4,060 cfs, and lowest in November, at 2,080 cfs. The highest flow on record for any single day is 30,800 cfs, in 2020.
| Month | Typical (cfs) | Usual range (cfs) | Relative level |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 2,630 | 2,020 to 3,960 | |
| February | 2,740 | 1,950 to 4,160 | |
| March | 4,060 | 3,050 to 5,680 | |
| April | 4,050 | 2,935 to 6,035 | |
| May | 3,840 | 2,570 to 6,220 | |
| June | 3,515 | 2,610 to 5,760 | |
| July | 3,450 | 2,720 to 4,720 | |
| August | 3,190 | 2,470 to 4,370 | |
| September | 2,775 | 2,090 to 4,180 | |
| October | 2,300 | 1,890 to 3,660 | |
| November | 2,080 | 1,595 to 3,125 | |
| December | 2,390 | 1,950 to 3,470 |
Typical is the median of each month’s daily median values, and the usual range runs from the median 25th to the median 75th percentile, across about 21 years of record. Statistics published by the US Geological Survey for Des Plaines River at Route 53 at Joliet, IL (site 05537980). Conditions on any given day can fall well outside the usual range. Check the current reading before you go.
Boat access nearby
3 mapped launches sit in the mapped area of Des Plaines River. Ramp data comes from the USGS national boat-ramp inventory.
- Three Rivers Marina ServiceIllinois RiverRestricted
- Rock Run RookeryPublic
- Lake Chaminwood PerservePublic
Embed this gauge on your site
Paste this snippet anywhere, an outfitter page, a club site, a trip report, to show Des Plaines River's live streamflow, water level and 7-day trend. It reads the USGS gauge directly, updates itself, and links back here.
See every free widget you can put on your site, including live conditions and a 7 day forecast.
