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
Most Recent Weekly River Ice Summary
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FGUS83 KLOT 121845
RVSLOT
Hydrologic Statement
National Weather Service Chicago IL
1229 PM CST Mon Jan 12 2026 /0129 PM EST Mon Jan 12 2026/
Summary of recent river ice conditions based upon spotter reports.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Forecaster Comments
Little to no ice coverage is found on area rivers currently. Cooler
weather later this week may lead to ice development.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The following are river ice reports submitted to the
National Weather Service during the preceding 30 hours.
Du Page River...
*US-52, Shorewood
Time: 2026/01/11 15:15 UTC | Source: Trained spotter DU-7
Open (0% ice cover) No Change
*Lincoln Greenway
Time: 2026/01/12 14:34 UTC | Source: Trained spotter DU-02
Open (0% ice cover) No Change
Rock River...
*Queen Oaks Drive, Machesney Park
Time: 2026/01/12 10:29 UTC | Source: Trained spotter RK-09
Open (0% ice cover) No Change
*Park Ridge Road, Loves Park
Time: 2026/01/12 12:31 UTC | Source: Trained spotter RK-03
Open (0% ice cover) No Change
*4 miles downstream of IL-2, near Grand Detour
Time: 2026/01/12 12:59 UTC | Source: Trained spotter RK-8
Open (0% ice cover) No Change
*Bergstrom Drive, near Machesney Park
Time: 2026/01/12 13:42 UTC | Source: Trained spotter RK-11
Open (0% ice cover)
*Baldwin Drive, Machesney Park
Time: 2026/01/12 14:02 UTC | Source: Trained spotter RK-28
Open (0% ice cover) No Change
*Shore Drive, Machesney Park
Time: 2026/01/12 14:38 UTC | Source: Trained spotter RK-02
Open (0% ice cover) No Change
*Near IL-2, Rockton
Time: 2026/01/12 14:54 UTC | Source: Trained spotter RK-13
Open (5% ice cover) No Change
Kankakee River...
*IN-55, Shelby
Time: 2026/01/12 12:15 UTC | Source: Trained spotter KK-49
Open (0% ice cover) No Change
*IN-55, Shelby
Time: 2026/01/12 13:14 UTC | Source: Trained spotter KK-45
Open (0% ice cover) No Change
*Riverside Medical Center, Kankakee
Time: 2026/01/12 13:46 UTC | Source: Trained spotter KK-05
Open (0% ice cover) No Change
*Custer Park
Time: 2026/01/12 13:49 UTC | Source: Trained spotter KK-47
Open (0% ice cover) No Change
*Wilmington dam
Time: 2026/01/12 14:47 UTC | Source: Trained spotter Kk-06
Open (0% ice cover) No Change
*2 miles east of Momence
Time: 2026/01/12 16:33 UTC | Source: Trained spotter Kk-03
Open (0% ice cover) No Change
Fox River...
*Downstream of Stolp Island
Time: 2026/01/12 12:44 UTC | Source: Trained spotter FX-05
Open (0% ice cover) Melting or Breaking Slowly
*Mill Street Bridge, Montgomery
Time: 2026/01/12 13:02 UTC | Source: Trained spotter FX-16
Open (5% ice cover) No Change
*Fox River Park, Ottawa
Time: 2026/01/12 13:33 UTC | Source: Trained spotter FX-18
Open (0% ice cover)
*0.25 mi south of Main Street Carpentersville
Time: 2026/01/12 13:42 UTC | Source: Trained spotter FX-01
Open (0% ice cover)
*Bennett Park, Geneva
Time: 2026/01/12 14:58 UTC | Source: Trained spotter FX-30
Open (0% ice cover) No Change
*South End Park, West Dundee
Time: 2026/01/12 14:30 UTC | Source: Trained spotter FX-02
Open (0% ice cover) No Change
Des Plaines River...
*Continental Bridge, Half Day/Daniel Wright Preserve, near Vernon Hills
Time: 2026/01/12 13:52 UTC | Source: Trained spotter DP-28
Open (0% ice cover) No Change
*Trail along DP River
Time: 2026/01/12 14:14 UTC | Source: Trained spotter DP-28
Partly Frozen (30% ice cover) Forming Slowly
*Continental Bridge at Half Day/Daniel Wright
Time: 2026/01/12 14:18 UTC | Source: Trained spotter DP-28
Open (0% ice cover) No Change
*Continental Bridge at Half Day/Daniel Wright
Time: 2026/01/12 14:21 UTC | Source: Trained spotter DP-28
Open (0% ice cover) No Change
*Tributary from Duck Pond to DP
Time: 2026/01/12 14:24 UTC | Source: Trained spotter DP-28
Open (5% ice cover) Melting or Breaking Slowly
*Duck Pond that leads to DP
Time: 2026/01/12 14:29 UTC | Source: Trained spotter DP-28
Partly Frozen (40% ice cover) Melting or Breaking Slowly
*Ryerson Conservation Area
Time: 2026/01/12 14:40 UTC | Source: Trained spotter CH-02
Open (0% ice cover) Melting or Breaking Quickly
*Little Bridge Trail
Time: 2026/01/12 14:40 UTC | Source: Trained spotter DP-28
Mostly Frozen (50% ice cover) Forming Slowly
*Little Bridge
Time: 2026/01/12 14:44 UTC | Source: Trained spotter DP-28
Open (0% ice cover) Forming Slowly
*Upstream of Ogden bridge
Time: 2026/01/12 14:49 UTC | Source: Trained spotter DP-38
Open (0% ice cover) No Change
*BNSF trestle, Riverside
Time: 2026/01/12 14:49 UTC | Source: Trained spotter DP-34
Open (0% ice cover) No Change
North Branch Chicago River...
*Prairie Wolf Forest Preserve
Time: 2026/01/12 14:20 UTC | Source: Trained spotter CH-02
Open (5% ice cover) Melting or Breaking Quickly
Little Calumet River...
*Northcote Bridge
Time: 2026/01/12 14:44 UTC | Source: Trained spotter CL-01
Open (0% ice cover) No Change
Vermilion River...
*County Highway 23, Oglesby
Time: 2026/01/12 14:44 UTC | Source: Trained spotter IL-02
Open (0% ice cover) No Change
Illinois River...
*Hwy 71 Starved Rock State Park
Time: 2026/01/12 14:57 UTC | Source: Trained spotter IL-02
Open (0% ice cover) No Change
$$
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