DES PLAINES RIVER AT RIVER FOREST, IL

DES PLAINES RIVER IL USGS

DES PLAINES RIVER AT RIVER FOREST, IL (05530750) is a real-time river monitoring station on the DES PLAINES RIVER in IL, operated by the U.S. Geological Survey. Riverbot tracks its river conditions, including water level and keeps recent, datum-labelled water-level history for anglers. 35 fish species are associated with this station in public fish records.

USGS site number: 05530750
Operated by: U.S. Geological Survey
State: IL
Coordinates: 41.8883, -87.8328

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Fish recorded near this station

Community observations nearby

Des Plaines River At River Forest, Il has 35 fish species documented via iNaturalist research-grade observations within 10 km. These community-sourced records indicate fish presence in the vicinity.

Species include: Rock Bass (Ambloplites rupestris), Bullheads (Ameiurus), Black Bullhead (Ameiurus melas), Yellow Bullhead (Ameiurus natalis), American Eel (Anguilla rostrata), and 30 others.

Rock Bass Ambloplites rupestris
Bullheads Ameiurus
Black Bullhead Ameiurus melas
Yellow Bullhead Ameiurus natalis
American Eel Anguilla rostrata
Central Stoneroller Campostoma anomalum
Goldfish Carassius auratus non-native
White Sucker Catostomus commersonii
Spotfin Shiner Cyprinella spiloptera
Typical Carps Cyprininae
European Carp Cyprinus carpio non-native
Amur Carp Cyprinus rubrofuscus
Bigmouth Shiner Ericymba dorsalis
Northern Pike Esox lucius
Banded Killifish Fundulus diaphanus
Blackstripe Topminnow Fundulus notatus
Western Mosquitofish Gambusia affinis
Spottail Shiner Hudsonius hudsonius
Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus
Green Sunfish Lepomis cyanellus
Pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus
Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus
Greengill Sunfish Lepomis macrochirus × cyanellus
Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu
Largemouth Bass Micropterus nigricans
Sand Shiner Miniellus stramineus
Yellow Bass Morone mississippiensis
Round Goby Neogobius melanostomus non-native
Hornyhead Chub Nocomis biguttatus
Common Logperch Percina caprodes
Blackside Darter Percina maculata
White Crappie Pomoxis annularis
Black Crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus
Walleye Sander vitreus
Creek Chub Semotilus atromaculatus

3 species above are flagged non-native or potentially invasive (Goldfish, European Carp, Round Goby). Records show what has been observed near this station, not what is native to the watershed.

Where these records come from

Evidence: Community observations nearby; Research-grade community observations (iNaturalist) recorded near this station, not a formal survey.
Records: 35 species; from 200 individual records
Observed: Jun 12, 2020 – Aug 3, 2026; 200 dated records

Sources

iNaturalist research-grade fish observations — 200 records