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Cass River near Cass City

Highest listed crest 19.82 ftFlood stage 14.0 ft52 crests since 1948

The Cass River near Cass City crested above flood stage 12 times among the 52 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1948 to 2009. The highest, 19.82 ft on September 12, 1986, was moderate flooding, 5.82 feet above flood stage. 2 other gauges on the Cass River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 2 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
19.82 ft
September 12, 1986; 12,500 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
14.0 ft
Major flooding from 20.0 ft
Crests at major
0
12 above flood stage
Most recent flood crest
February 13, 2009
14.68 ft, minor flooding
Location
Tuscola County
Michigan

Flood stages

The thresholds the National Weather Service uses for this gauge today, and how many listed crests reached each.

Flood categories, Cass River near Cass City
Action stage12.014Apr 21, 1993The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)14.011Feb 13, 2009Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage18.01Sep 12, 1986Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage20.00—Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

52 crests from 1948 to 2009. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Cass River near Cass City, 1948 to 2009 5101520ft Flood stage 14.0 ftMajor 20.0 ft Mar 20, 1948: 15.80 ft, minor flooding; 8,460 cubic feet per secondFeb 15, 1949: 10.58 ft, below flood stage; 2,740 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 1950: 14.31 ft, minor flooding; 7,250 cubic feet per secondFeb 27, 1951: 12.05 ft, action stage; 4,150 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 1952: 11.21 ft, below flood stage; 3,300 cubic feet per secondMay 3, 1953: 9.71 ft, below flood stage; 2,510 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 1955: 10.29 ft, below flood stage; 2,990 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 1956: 11.19 ft, below flood stage; 3,710 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 1957: 8.60 ft, below flood stage; 1,710 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 1958: 7.99 ft, below flood stage; 1,280 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 1959: 11.58 ft, below flood stage; 3,900 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 1960: 14.41 ft, minor flooding; 6,810 cubic feet per secondSep 27, 1961: 8.80 ft, below flood stage; 1,400 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 1962: 11.67 ft, below flood stage; 3,980 cubic feet per secondMar 26, 1963: 10.76 ft, below flood stage; 3,170 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 1964: 5.82 ft, below flood stage; 236 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 1965: 12.52 ft, action stage; 4,820 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 1966: 9.47 ft, below flood stage; 2,170 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 1967: 15.39 ft, minor flooding; 8,280 cubic feet per secondFeb 2, 1968: 14.83 ft, minor flooding; 6,400 cubic feet per secondMay 10, 1969: 11.71 ft, below flood stage; 4,020 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 1970: 9.44 ft, below flood stage; 2,080 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 1971: 12.86 ft, action stage; 5,160 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 1972: 13.18 ft, action stage; 5,480 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 1973: 12.57 ft, action stage; 4,870 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 1974: 13.64 ft, action stage; 5,960 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 1975: 13.16 ft, action stage; 5,460 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 1976: 14.37 ft, minor flooding; 6,810 cubic feet per secondMar 10, 1977: 8.85 ft, below flood stage; 1,610 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 1978: 12.51 ft, action stage; 4,570 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 1979: 11.27 ft, below flood stage; 3,640 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 1980: 10.44 ft, below flood stage; 2,910 cubic feet per secondSep 5, 1981: 13.00 ft, action stage; 4,400 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 1982: 13.32 ft, action stage; 5,030 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 1983: 10.53 ft, below flood stage; 2,980 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 1984: 13.27 ft, action stage; 5,080 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1985: 15.61 ft, minor flooding; 8,650 cubic feet per secondSep 12, 1986: 19.82 ft, moderate flooding; 12,500 cubic feet per secondMar 2, 1987: 10.99 ft, below flood stage; 3,120 cubic feet per secondDec 21, 1987: 10.58 ft, below flood stage; 2,910 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 1989: 9.60 ft, below flood stage; 1,620 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1990: 11.82 ft, below flood stage; 4,010 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 1991: 13.10 ft, action stage; 5,010 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1992: 13.11 ft, action stage; 5,020 cubic feet per secondApr 21, 1993: 12.41 ft, action stage; 4,390 cubic feet per secondFeb 21, 1994: 11.40 ft, below flood stage; 3,550 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1995: 9.60 ft, below flood stage; 2,210 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 1996: 15.60 ft, minor flooding; 7,500 cubic feet per secondFeb 22, 1997: 15.81 ft, minor flooding; 8,450 cubic feet per secondMar 10, 2002: 11.79 ft, below flood stage; 4,160 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 2004: 14.00 ft, minor floodingFeb 13, 2009: 14.68 ft, minor flooding; 7,126 cubic feet per second Highest, 19.82 ft, Sep 12, 1986 1950196019701980199020002010

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Cass River near Cass City 1940s: 1 1950s: 1 1960s: 3 3 1970s: 1 1980s: 2 1990s: 2 2000s: 2 1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s
  1. These are the crests the local National Weather Service office lists for the gauge: the highest on record and recent crests. Lesser floods between them may be missing, so counts by decade are a floor.
  2. Categories use today's flood stages. Levees, dams and channel changes since a crest can make old and new stages not directly comparable.

Highest crests

The 50 highest of 52 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Cass River near Cass City
1Sep 12, 198619.82+5.82Moderate12,500
2Feb 22, 199715.81+1.81Minor8,450
3Mar 20, 194815.80+1.80Minor8,460
4Apr 6, 198515.61+1.61Minor8,650
5May 21, 199615.60+1.60Minor7,500
6Mar 28, 196715.39+1.39Minor8,280
7Feb 2, 196814.83+0.83Minor6,400
8Feb 13, 200914.68+0.68Minor7,126
9Mar 31, 196014.41+0.41Minor6,810
10Mar 6, 197614.37+0.37Minor6,810
11Mar 28, 195014.31+0.31Minor7,250
12Mar 6, 200414.000.00Minor—
13Mar 5, 197413.64−0.36Action5,960
14Mar 31, 198213.32−0.68Action5,030
15Jun 18, 198413.27−0.73Action5,080
16Mar 22, 197213.18−0.82Action5,480
17Apr 19, 197513.16−0.84Action5,460
18Apr 17, 199213.11−0.89Action5,020
19Mar 28, 199113.10−0.90Action5,010
20Sep 5, 198113.00−1.00Action4,400
21Mar 16, 197112.86−1.14Action5,160
22Apr 2, 197312.57−1.43Action4,870
23Apr 8, 196512.52−1.48Action4,820
24Mar 24, 197812.51−1.49Action4,570
25Apr 21, 199312.41−1.59Action4,390
26Feb 27, 195112.05−1.95Action4,150
27Mar 13, 199011.82−2.18Below flood stage4,010
28Mar 10, 200211.79−2.21Below flood stage4,160
29May 10, 196911.71−2.29Below flood stage4,020
30Mar 18, 196211.67−2.33Below flood stage3,980
31Apr 4, 195911.58−2.42Below flood stage3,900
32Feb 21, 199411.40−2.60Below flood stage3,550
33Apr 14, 197911.27−2.73Below flood stage3,640
34Mar 11, 195211.21−2.79Below flood stage3,300
35Mar 7, 195611.19−2.81Below flood stage3,710
36Mar 2, 198710.99−3.01Below flood stage3,120
37Mar 26, 196310.76−3.24Below flood stage3,170
38Feb 15, 194910.58−3.42Below flood stage2,740
39Dec 21, 198710.58−3.42Below flood stage2,910
40Apr 15, 198310.53−3.47Below flood stage2,980
41Mar 18, 198010.44−3.56Below flood stage2,910
42Mar 11, 195510.29−3.71Below flood stage2,990
43May 3, 19539.71−4.29Below flood stage2,510
44Mar 15, 19899.60−4.40Below flood stage1,620
45Mar 13, 19959.60−4.40Below flood stage2,210
46Mar 4, 19669.47−4.53Below flood stage2,170
47Apr 22, 19709.44−4.56Below flood stage2,080
48Mar 10, 19778.85−5.15Below flood stage1,610
49Sep 27, 19618.80−5.20Below flood stage1,400
50Apr 7, 19578.60−5.40Below flood stage1,710

The worst floods along the Cass River

For this gauge's highest crests, the other gauges on the Cass River that crested above flood stage within a week.

September 12, 1986: 19.82 ft here, moderate flooding

  • FrankenmuthMI · Sep 12, 1986 · 27.52 ft · Major · its highest
  • VassarMI · Sep 12, 1986 · 24.82 ft · Major · its highest

February 22, 1997: 15.81 ft here, minor flooding

  • VassarMI · Feb 22, 1997 · 18.20 ft · Major
  • FrankenmuthMI · Feb 22, 1997 · 23.60 ft · Moderate

March 20, 1948: 15.80 ft here, minor flooding

  • VassarMI · Mar 20, 1948 · 20.80 ft · Major

Gauges on the Cass River

In USGS station-number order, which runs downstream within a river basin.

Flood gauges on the Cass River
Cass City this gaugeMI14.019.82 ft, Sep 12, 19860
VassarMI14.024.82 ft, Sep 12, 19868
FrankenmuthMI17.027.52 ft, Sep 12, 19861

Other gauges in Tuscola County

Flood gauges in Tuscola County
Vassar14.024.82 ft, Sep 12, 19868

Tuscola County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Michigan

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge CSSM4, retrieved October 30, 2026. Stages in feet on the gauge's own datum, not elevation. Crests are as the National Weather Service lists them; preliminary values may be revised.