A Dangerous Flooding Crisis Is Unfolding Across Michigan and Wisconsin

Michigan and Wisconsin have been on the receiving end of Mother Nature's wrath so far this spring. A record-breaking blizzard in March segued into torrential rain in April. Here is a look at what has been happening in this part of the western Great Lakes.

Record Precipitation Levels Raise Flooding Threat in Michigan and Wisconsin

Spring has been rough for some parts of the Great Lakes and the Upper Midwest. The states of Michigan and Wisconsin have been hit particularly hard in recent weeks. Most recently, heavy rain has paired with rapidly melting snowpack to send water levels to record high levels across many streams and rivers.

Over 20 river gauges in northern Michigan and the northeastern corner of Wisconsin have seen record water levels over the last few days. This includes a section of the Manistee, Muskegon, and Au Sable rivers in Michigan. Residents living in the Muskegon River floodplain south of Croton Township were told to evacuate because the water levels rose so quickly.

Large pumps had to work overtime to move floodwater upstream at the Cheboygan Lock and Dam Complex located near the northernmost tip of Lower Michigan.  The pumps were able to keep water levels several inches below the top of the dam, averting a potential disaster.

Several roads have been washed out in Lower Michigan. Pellston Regional Airport was forced to close for a time after water covered the runways and made them impassable. Elsewhere in the state, major flooding was reported along the Grand River, located north of the community of Grand Rapids. All of this damage prompted Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to declare a state of emergency in over 30 counties.