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Clinton River at Mount Clemens

Highest listed crest 23.55 ftFlood stage 16.0 ft50 crests since 1936

The Clinton River at Mount Clemens crested at major flood stage 5 times among the 50 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1936 to 2014. The highest, 23.55 ft on April 6, 1947, was major flooding, 7.55 feet above flood stage. 1 other gauge on the Clinton River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
23.55 ft
April 6, 1947
Flood stage
16.0 ft
Major flooding from 18.0 ft
Crests at major
5
6th of 98 gauges in Michigan
Most recent flood crest
August 12, 2014
16.63 ft, minor flooding
Location
Macomb County
Near Mount Clemens (1.4 mi), Fraser (4.4 mi), Sterling Heights (6.2 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Clinton River at Mount Clemens
Action stage14.07Feb 18, 1998The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)16.04Aug 12, 2014Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage17.00—Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage18.05May 24, 2004Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

50 crests from 1936 to 2014. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Clinton River at Mount Clemens, 1936 to 2014 510152025ft Flood stage 16.0 ftMajor 18.0 ft Mar 12, 1936: 10.60 ft, below flood stage; 2,960 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 1940: 13.24 ft, below flood stage; 4,940 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 1942: 12.50 ft, below flood stage; 4,150 cubic feet per secondMay 12, 1943: 21.89 ft, major floodingFeb 28, 1944: 11.00 ft, below flood stage; 3,130 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1947: 23.55 ft, major floodingApr 5, 1950: 20.04 ft, major floodingDec 9, 1950: 15.80 ft, action stage; 7,270 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 1953: 9.41 ft, below flood stage; 2,600 cubic feet per secondMar 1, 1955: 9.67 ft, below flood stage; 2,970 cubic feet per secondDec 21, 1957: 11.28 ft, below flood stage; 4,740 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 1959: 11.71 ft, below flood stage; 5,130 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 1960: 11.80 ft, below flood stage; 5,210 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 1961: 9.70 ft, below flood stage; 3,000 cubic feet per secondMay 10, 1963: 8.45 ft, below flood stage; 2,580 cubic feet per secondApr 29, 1964: 7.54 ft, below flood stage; 1,940 cubic feet per secondDec 25, 1965: 10.32 ft, below flood stage; 4,130 cubic feet per secondJul 20, 1967: 12.15 ft, below flood stage; 5,550 cubic feet per secondJul 5, 1969: 11.40 ft, below flood stage; 5,250 cubic feet per secondFeb 5, 1971: 11.01 ft, below flood stage; 4,500 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1972: 10.26 ft, below flood stage; 3,880 cubic feet per secondDec 31, 1972: 11.69 ft, below flood stage; 5,390 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 1974: 15.69 ft, action stageApr 20, 1975: 16.58 ft, minor floodingMar 3, 1976: 13.48 ft, below flood stage; 6,910 cubic feet per secondMay 7, 1976: 14.60 ft, action stageApr 3, 1977: 11.31 ft, below flood stage; 4,770 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 1978: 11.14 ft, below flood stage; 4,380 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 1979: 12.60 ft, below flood stage; 6,000 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 1980: 11.69 ft, below flood stage; 5,040 cubic feet per secondFeb 20, 1981: 10.76 ft, below flood stage; 4,180 cubic feet per secondOct 1, 1981: 18.50 ft, major floodingMar 13, 1982: 13.09 ft, below flood stageMay 2, 1983: 13.81 ft, below flood stage; 7,260 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 1984: 13.07 ft, below flood stage; 6,450 cubic feet per secondFeb 25, 1985: 16.25 ft, minor floodingMar 11, 1986: 12.48 ft, below flood stage; 5,310 cubic feet per secondFeb 23, 1990: 14.50 ft, action stageMay 26, 1991: 13.06 ft, below flood stage; 6,460 cubic feet per secondJul 15, 1992: 9.55 ft, below flood stage; 3,260 cubic feet per secondJan 5, 1993: 14.50 ft, action stageJun 27, 1994: 9.60 ft, below flood stageJul 19, 1996: 14.66 ft, action stage; 7,840 cubic feet per secondFeb 22, 1997: 13.35 ft, below flood stage; 7,280 cubic feet per secondFeb 18, 1998: 14.84 ft, action stage; 8,800 cubic feet per secondApr 23, 1999: 13.06 ft, below flood stage; 7,160 cubic feet per secondApr 21, 2000: 11.95 ft, below flood stage; 5,170 cubic feet per secondFeb 10, 2001: 16.60 ft, minor floodingMay 24, 2004: 18.71 ft, major flooding; 14,152 cubic feet per secondAug 12, 2014: 16.63 ft, minor flooding; 11,427 cubic feet per second Highest, 23.55 ft, Apr 6, 1947 19401950196019701980199020002010

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Clinton River at Mount Clemens 1930s: 0 1940s: 2 2 1950s: 1 1960s: 0 1970s: 1 1980s: 2 1990s: 0 2000s: 2 2010s: 1 1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s
  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

Highest listed crests, Clinton River at Mount Clemens
1Apr 6, 194723.55+7.55Major—
2May 12, 194321.89+5.89Major—
3Apr 5, 195020.04+4.04Major—
4May 24, 200418.71+2.71Major14,152
5Oct 1, 198118.50+2.50Major—
6Aug 12, 201416.63+0.63Minor11,427
7Feb 10, 200116.60+0.60Minor—
8Apr 20, 197516.58+0.58Minor—
9Feb 25, 198516.25+0.25Minor—
10Dec 9, 195015.80−0.20Action7,270
11Mar 6, 197415.69−0.31Action—
12Feb 18, 199814.84−1.16Action8,800
13Jul 19, 199614.66−1.34Action7,840
14May 7, 197614.60−1.40Action—
15Feb 23, 199014.50−1.50Action—
16Jan 5, 199314.50−1.50Action—
17May 2, 198313.81−2.19Below flood stage7,260
18Mar 3, 197613.48−2.52Below flood stage6,910
19Feb 22, 199713.35−2.65Below flood stage7,280
20Mar 30, 194013.24−2.76Below flood stage4,940
21Mar 13, 198213.09−2.91Below flood stage—
22Mar 21, 198413.07−2.93Below flood stage6,450
23May 26, 199113.06−2.94Below flood stage6,460
24Apr 23, 199913.06−2.94Below flood stage7,160
25Apr 14, 197912.60−3.40Below flood stage6,000
26Mar 18, 194212.50−3.50Below flood stage4,150
27Mar 11, 198612.48−3.52Below flood stage5,310
28Jul 20, 196712.15−3.85Below flood stage5,550
29Apr 21, 200011.95−4.05Below flood stage5,170
30Mar 31, 196011.80−4.20Below flood stage5,210
31Apr 3, 195911.71−4.29Below flood stage5,130
32Dec 31, 197211.69−4.31Below flood stage5,390
33Apr 4, 198011.69−4.31Below flood stage5,040
34Jul 5, 196911.40−4.60Below flood stage5,250
35Apr 3, 197711.31−4.69Below flood stage4,770
36Dec 21, 195711.28−4.72Below flood stage4,740
37Mar 22, 197811.14−4.86Below flood stage4,380
38Feb 5, 197111.01−4.99Below flood stage4,500
39Feb 28, 194411.00−5.00Below flood stage3,130
40Feb 20, 198110.76−5.24Below flood stage4,180
41Mar 12, 193610.60−5.40Below flood stage2,960
42Dec 25, 196510.32−5.68Below flood stage4,130
43Apr 17, 197210.26−5.74Below flood stage3,880
44Apr 26, 19619.70−6.30Below flood stage3,000
45Mar 1, 19559.67−6.33Below flood stage2,970
46Jun 27, 19949.60−6.40Below flood stage—
47Jul 15, 19929.55−6.45Below flood stage3,260
48Mar 4, 19539.41−6.59Below flood stage2,600
49May 10, 19638.45−7.55Below flood stage2,580
50Apr 29, 19647.54−8.46Below flood stage1,940

The worst floods along the Clinton River

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

April 6, 1947: 23.55 ft here, major flooding

May 24, 2004: 18.71 ft here, major flooding

October 1, 1981: 18.50 ft here, major flooding

Gauges on the Clinton River

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

Flood gauges on the Clinton River
Clinton TownshipMI16.020.84 ft, Aug 12, 20144
Mount Clemens this gaugeMI16.023.55 ft, Apr 6, 19475

Other gauges in Macomb County

Flood gauges in Macomb County
Clinton Township16.020.84 ft, Aug 12, 20144
Mount Clemens15.020.34 ft, May 24, 20044

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge MTCM4, 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.