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

    
                        

235

FGUS83 KLOT 161548

RVSLOT



HYDROLOGIC STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO

0933 AM CST MON DEC 16 2024



WEEKLY RIVER ICE CONDITIONS



REPORTED BY RIVER ICE SPOTTERS

ID        LOCATION            RIVER             ICE              PCT ICE

                              CONDITION         STATUS             COVER

CHICAGO RIVER...

CH-02     DEERFIELD           OPEN              ICE MELTING           10

          :PRAIRIE WOLF FOREST PRESERVE



CALUMET RIVER...

CL-01     MUNSTER             OPEN              ICE MELTING            0

          :NORTHCOTE AVENUE



SALT CREEK...

SL-02     BROOKFIELD          OPEN              NO CHANGE              0

          :WASHINGTON AVENUE



DES PLAINES RIVER...

DP-03     LINCOLNSHIRE        OPEN              ICE MELTING            0

          :RYERSON CONSERVATION AREA

DP-28     VERNON HILLS        OPEN              NO CHANGE              0

          :HALF DAY FOREST PRESERVE



DU PAGE RIVER...

DU-02     NAPERVILLE          OPEN              ICE MELTING           10

          :LINCOLN GREENWAY

DU-03     SHOREWOOD           OPEN              NO CHANGE              0

          :SEIL ROAD



FOX RIVER...

FX-01     CARPENTERSVILLE     OPEN              ICE MELTING           10

          :NEAR MAIN STREET

FX-02     WEST DUNDEE         FROZEN OVER       NO CHANGE             90

          :SOUTH END PARK

FX-05     AURORA              OPEN              ICE MELTING            0

          :DOWNSTREAM OF STOLP ISLAND

FX-06     ALGONQUIN           OPEN              ICE MELTING           10

          :NEAR IL-62 (ALGONQUIN ROAD)

FX-16     MONTGOMERY          OPEN              NO CHANGE              0

          :MILL STREET

FX-17     WEST DUNDEE         OPEN              ICE MELTING           10

          :ALDIS PARK

FX-36     YORKVILLE           OPEN              NO CHANGE              0

          :IL-47

FX-40     AURORA              PARTLY FROZEN     ICE MELTING            0

          :SOUTH END OF STOLP ISLAND

FX-41     AURORA              OPEN              ICE MELTING            0

          :GREGORY ISLAND



ILLINOIS RIVER...

IL-02     OTTAWA              OPEN              ICE MELTING           10

          :STARVED ROCK STATE PARK 2 MILES UPSTREAM STARVED ROCK DAM



KANKAKEE RIVER...

KK-06     WILMINGTON          OPEN              ICE MELTING            0

          :WILMINGTON DAM

KK-07     AROMA PARK          OPEN              ICE MELTING            0

          :2 MILES DOWNSTREAM IL-17

KK-01     WILMINGTON          PARTLY FROZEN     ICE MELTING           30

          :2 MILES DOWNSTREAM IL-53

KK-45     SHELBY              OPEN              ICE MELTING            0

          :NEAR IN-55

KK-47     CUSTER PARK         PARTLY FROZEN     ICE MELTING           10

          :NEAR WAUPONSEE GLACIAL TRAIL

KK-49     SHELBY              OPEN              NO CHANGE              0

          :JUST DOWNSTREAM OF IN-55



KISHWAUKEE RIVER...



ROCK RIVER...

RK-30     STERLING            PARTLY FROZEN     ICE MELTING           50

          :NEAR NELSON RAILROAD BRIDGE

RK-02     MACHESNEY PARK      PARTLY FROZEN     ICE MELTING           40

          :NEAR BAUER PARKWAY

RK-04     ROSCOE              OPEN              NO CHANGE              0

          :NEAR CHICORY RIDGE PARK

RK-11     MACHESNEY PARK      OPEN              ICE MELTING           10

          :NEAR RALSTON ROAD

RK-28     MACHESNEY PARK      OPEN              ICE MELTING           10

          :1 MILE DOWNSTREAM RALSTON ROAD

RK-03     LOVES PARK          FROZEN OVER       NO CHANGE            100

          :NEAR RIVERSIDE BOULEVARD

RK-08     DIXON               FROZEN OVER       NO CHANGE            100

          :4 MILES DOWNSTREAM IL-2

RK-09     MACHESNEY PARK      OPEN              ICE MELTING            0

          :NEAR RALSTON ROAD





$$