September 1986 is still the flood of record on the Des Plaines River — and the numbers explain why this city builds the way it does. An estimated $35 million in damages to 10,000 dwellings and 263 businesses, 15,000+ residents evacuated across 33 municipalities along 67 miles of river, and seven lives lost. The river flooded again in September 2008, in April 2013 — swamping major intersections near downtown and putting Woodland Avenue homes in the crosshairs — and in July 2017, when roughly 6,800 buildings were affected north of Chicago. The old McDonald's museum replica was reportedly torn down after one flood too many from the nearby river.
The city has adapted: Oakton Community College's Des Plaines campus "often floods when the water level rises," so its 2015 science and health careers center was built on stilts with databases moved from the basement to the second floor. Upstream, the $36 million Levee 37 (completed around 2015) ended the Jersey-barrier-and-sandbag flood fights along River Road. But the city's comprehensive plan still flags flooding focus areas from Rand Park and Belleau Lake to Maine West High School and the Methodist Camp Ground.
Rapid Water Damage Restoration Illinois's IICRC-trained technicians know this river and this city. Call (773) 200-3228 anytime.
Our Des Plaines water damage services
Emergency water extraction:
River water in a finished basement, a surcharged sewer through a floor drain, a burst pipe at 2 a.m. — truck-mounted extractors remove standing water fast.
Structural drying:
River-adjacent homes stay wet long after water recedes. Industrial air movers and dehumidifiers run until moisture meters verify genuinely dry conditions.
Sewage cleanup:
Des Plaines runs on combined sewers (EPA lists "Des Plaines CSO-TARP"). Backup is Category 3 — full containment, disinfection, and removal of unsalvageable materials, with source documentation for your claim.
Mold remediation:
Floodwater-soaked drywall, paneling, and carpet in bungalows and ranch homes grow mold within days. We contain, remove, and treat to IICRC standards.
Storm and flood response:
From spring river rises to flash-storm sewer surcharge, we stabilize, extract, dry, and coordinate repairs.
Areas we serve in Des Plaines
We serve all of Des Plaines — 60016 and 60018 — including river-adjacent neighborhoods along the Des Plaines River Trail, Woodland Avenue and Sesquicentennial Park, downtown near the 1925 Des Plaines Theater, the Methodist Camp Ground (founded 1860), and the corridors around Rivers Casino, Lake Opeka, and Maine West High School. From classic bungalows near downtown to 1960s ranch and split-level tracts — and the city's mapped focus areas at Rand Park, Belleau Lake, the Cumberland Metra station, and Iroquois Community School — we know how water moves here.
Common causes of water damage in Des Plaines
- Des Plaines River flooding. The river defines the city's eastern edge and its flood history is the region's benchmark: September 1986, September 2008, April 2013, July 2017. Spring rises still push water into river-adjacent homes and intersections.
- Combined-sewer backup. Des Plaines' combined sewers carry waste and stormwater in the same pipes. Intense rain surcharges them, sending sewage up through basement floor drains — the signature urban water event here, distinct from riverine flooding.
- Flash-storm surface water. Big Bend Lake's spillway link to the river, saturated spring ground, and overwhelmed storm drains combine in flash events to pond streets and push sheet flow against foundations.
- Mid-century housing stock. The post-war boom (population 34,000 in 1960 to roughly 57,000 by 1970) left dozens of tract subdivisions of ranch and split-level homes now 55–65 years old — aging laterals, original sump systems, and foundation waterproofing at the end of its service life.
- Winter freeze-thaw. No Des Plaines-specific freeze disaster is documented, but the regional pattern applies: the 2013–14 polar-vortex winter's frozen services and main breaks, and the February 2025 arctic blast that shattered a major main in nearby Skokie. Burst pipes flood basements on the thaw, hours after the cold lifts.
Des Plaines water damage FAQs
Why do people call 1986 the flood of record? The September 1986 flood caused an estimated $35 million in damages to 10,000 dwellings and 263 business/industrial sites, forced 15,000+ residents to evacuate across 33 municipalities, and took seven lives. Every later flood — 2008, 2013, 2017 — is measured against it.
What's Levee 37, and does it protect my home? Levee 37 is the roughly $36 million barrier completed around 2015 upstream in Mount Prospect/Prospect Heights, built to end the Jersey-barrier-and-sandbag fights along River Road. It helps — but it doesn't stop combined-sewer backup or flash-storm surface water, which drive most Des Plaines basement losses.
Why was the Oakton College science building constructed on stilts? Because the Des Plaines campus "often floods when the water level rises." For the 2015 science and health careers center, the college raised the building on stilts and moved computer databases from the basement to the second floor. River-adjacent homeowners should plan accordingly: elevate valuables, know your shutoffs, and keep a restoration number ready.
I live near the river — do I need flood insurance? Standard homeowners policies typically cover sudden events like burst pipes and many sewer backups, but rising river water usually requires separate flood insurance. Given this river's flood history, river-adjacent homeowners should check coverage before spring. We document source and pathway carefully to support your claim.
How fast can you reach Woodland Avenue or downtown? We dispatch 24/7 across 60016 and 60018. The sooner extraction starts, the less you lose — call (773) 200-3228.
Cost factors & insurance claim help
Cost tracks water volume, distance traveled, materials affected, and whether sewage forces tear-out — and your price comes from the documented loss, not a template. You get an itemized scope before work proceeds, with no surprises. In Des Plaines, the river-vs-sewer distinction is the single most important coverage question, and we document source, category, and pathway precisely so your claim reflects what happened. From the first call through the final walkthrough, we handle your insurance company ourselves.
How We Restore Water-Damaged Homes in Des Plaines
- 24/7 dispatch and assessment. Call (773) 200-3228 and a crew rolls. We identify the water category, trace its entry, and check for hazards.
- Extraction. Standing water comes out with commercial-grade equipment; every hour it sits drives damage deeper.
- Drying with verification. Air movers and dehumidifiers run until moisture meters confirm materials are genuinely dry — critical in river-adjacent homes that stay damp.
- Cleaning and sanitizing. We disinfect contaminated surfaces and clean and protect salvageable contents.
- Mold prevention or remediation. Antimicrobial treatment where warranted; full remediation where mold has taken hold.
- Repairs and insurance documentation. We coordinate repairs and hand your insurer a complete file — photos, moisture logs, itemized records.
Water Damage in Des Plaines? We Respond 24/7
Every minute counts. Rapid Water Damage Restoration Illinois dispatches certified technicians across Des Plaines day and night — with insurance documentation handled for you.
Call (773) 200-3228 NowWater Damage Restoration Services in Des Plaines
- Our water damage restoration service
- Commercial Water Damage Restoration in Des Plaines
- Residential Water Damage Restoration in Des Plaines
- Emergency Flood Cleanup in Des Plaines
- Storm & Flood Damage Restoration in Des Plaines
- Ceiling & Wall Water Damage Repair in Des Plaines
- Sewage Backup Cleanup in Des Plaines
- Mold Remediation in Des Plaines
- Burst Pipe & Leak Water Damage in Des Plaines
- Drying & Dehumidification in Des Plaines
Nearby Areas We Serve Around Des Plaines
Helpful Water Damage Guides
- How to Prevent Frozen and Burst Pipes During an Illinois Winter
- Water Damage Restoration Cost in Illinois: What Really Drives the Bill
Official resources: FEMA FloodSmart (flood insurance) and EPA guide to mold and moisture.