Volunteer River Ice Spotter Network

The National Weather Service (NWS) Chicago/Rockford, IL, office uses information from volunteer spotters along area rivers to monitor the development of river ice which may lead to flooding. Ice jams are often localized and may occur away from river gauges. River ice spotters share important information such as extent of ice cover, ice cover trends, and location of ice jams which is very important for issuing timely warnings.

River ice can be a serious problem during some winters. Chronic ice jam locations on the Rock, Fox, and Kankakee Rivers have up to a 1-in-2 chance of experiencing an ice jam in any given year, and almost a 1-in-3 chance of experiencing ice jam flooding in a given year.
 

Qualifications

No special qualifications are required other than living near the river and a willingness to report river and ice conditions.

Reporting Ice Observations

A Google form is used to enter routine reports. For time-sensitive information such as ice jam formation, ice jam break-up, or flooding, we provide a non-public number to call. Reports are requested from all spotters at the same time - weekly on Monday from December through March. Reports are requested by 9AM. Reports may also be sent at other times especially when changes are observed in river ice.

How to Volunteer

For more information, contact the NWS Chicago office.

Email: nws.chicago@noaa.gov
Phone: 815-834-1435 or 815-963-5913

Reference/Training Materials

River Ice Guide

River Ice Spotter Training

Most Recent Weekly River Ice Summary

    
                        

941

FGUS83 KLOT 201649

RVSLOT



HYDROLOGIC STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO

0933 AM CST MON JAN 20 2025



WEEKLY RIVER ICE CONDITIONS



REPORTED BY RIVER ICE SPOTTERS

ID        LOCATION            RIVER             ICE              PCT ICE

                              CONDITION         STATUS             COVER

CHICAGO RIVER...

CH-02     DEERFIELD           FROZEN OVER       NO CHANGE            100

          :PRAIRIE WOLF FOREST PRESERVE



CALUMET RIVER...



SALT CREEK...

SL-02     BROOKFIELD          FROZEN OVER       ICE FORMING          100

          :WASHINGTON AVENUE



DES PLAINES RIVER...

DP-03     LINCOLNSHIRE        FROZEN OVER       ICE FORMING           90

          :RYERSON CONSERVATION AREA

DP-10     RUSSELL             FROZEN OVER       ICE FORMING          100

          :RUSSELL ROAD

DP-11     WADSWORTH           FROZEN OVER       ICE FORMING          100

          :(IL-173) ROSECRANS ROAD

DP-12     WADSWORTH           FROZEN OVER       ICE FORMING          100

          :COUNTY 17 (WADSWORTH ROAD)

DP-13     GURNEE              FROZEN OVER       ICE FORMING          100

          :US-41 (SKOKIE HIGHWAY)

DP-14     GURNEE              OPEN              NO CHANGE              0

          :IL-132 (GRAND AVENUE)

DP-15     GURNEE              OPEN              ICE FORMING           10

          :COUNTY A22 (WASHINGTON STREET)

DP-19     LIBERTYVILLE        OPEN              ICE FORMING           10

          :ROCKLAND ROAD

DP-20     LIBERTYVILLE        OPEN              NO CHANGE             10

          :INDEPENDENCE GROVE FOREST PRESERVE

DP-28     VERNON HILLS        OPEN              ICE FORMING            0

          :HALF DAY FOREST PRESERVE



DU PAGE RIVER...

DU-02     NAPERVILLE          FROZEN OVER       ICE FORMING          100

          :LINCOLN GREENWAY

DU-03     SHOREWOOD           PARTLY FROZEN     ICE FORMING           80

          :SEIL ROAD

DU-11     CHANNAHON           PARTLY FROZEN     ICE FORMING           70

          :US-6 BRIDGE



FOX RIVER...

FX-05     AURORA              PARTLY FROZEN     ICE FORMING           40

          :DOWNSTREAM OF STOLP ISLAND

FX-10     MILLINGTON          FROZEN OVER       ICE FORMING          100

          :BRIDGE STREET

FX-16     MONTGOMERY          PARTLY FROZEN     ICE FORMING           30

          :MILL STREET

FX-40     AURORA              FROZEN OVER       ICE FORMING          100

          :SOUTH END OF STOLP ISLAND

FX-41     AURORA              FROZEN OVER       ICE FORMING           80

          :GREGORY ISLAND



ILLINOIS RIVER...



KANKAKEE RIVER...

KK-02     SHELBY              PARTLY FROZEN     ICE FORMING           30

          :JUST DOWNSTREAM OF IN-55

KK-04     WILMINGTON          FROZEN OVER       ICE FORMING          100

          :PHELAN ACRES

KK-05     KANKAKEE            PARTLY FROZEN     ICE FORMING           10

          :RIVERSIDE MEDICAL CENTER

KK-06     WILMINGTON          FROZEN OVER       ICE FORMING          100

          :WILMINGTON DAM

KK-07     AROMA PARK          FROZEN OVER       ICE FORMING          100

          :2 MILES DOWNSTREAM IL-17

KK-14     KANKAKEE            PARTLY FROZEN     ICE FORMING           20

          :NEAR RIVER BEND SUBDIVISION

KK-45     SHELBY              OPEN              ICE FORMING           60

          :NEAR IN-55

KK-47     CUSTER PARK         PARTLY FROZEN     NO CHANGE             40

          :NEAR WAUPONSEE GLACIAL TRAIL



KISHWAUKEE RIVER...



ROCK RIVER...

RK-02     MACHESNEY PARK      FROZEN OVER       NO CHANGE            100

          :NEAR BAUER PARKWAY

RK-03     LOVES PARK          FROZEN OVER       NO CHANGE            100

          :NEAR RIVERSIDE BOULEVARD

RK-04     ROSCOE              OPEN              ICE FORMING           50

          :NEAR CHICORY RIDGE PARK

RK-08     DIXON               FROZEN OVER       NO CHANGE            100

          :4 MILES DOWNSTREAM IL-2

RK-11     MACHESNEY PARK      FROZEN OVER       NO CHANGE            100

          :NEAR RALSTON ROAD

RK-13     ROCKTON             PARTLY FROZEN     ICE FORMING           30

          :NEAR IL-2

RK-28     MACHESNEY PARK      FROZEN OVER       NO CHANGE            100

          :1 MILE DOWNSTREAM RALSTON ROAD

RK-30     STERLING            FROZEN OVER       ICE FORMING          100

          :NEAR NELSON RAILROAD BRIDGE





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