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Grand River at Ada

Highest listed crest 22.81 ftFlood stage 20.0 ft43 crests since 1972

The Grand River at Ada crested above flood stage 13 times among the 43 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1972 to 2024. The highest, 22.81 ft on April 21, 2013, was moderate flooding, 2.81 feet above flood stage. 7 other gauges on the Grand River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 4 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
22.81 ft
April 21, 2013; 32,800 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
20.0 ft
Major flooding from 25.0 ft
Crests at major
0
13 above flood stage
Most recent flood crest
April 8, 2023
21.01 ft, minor flooding
Location
Kent County
Near East Grand Rapids (6.6 mi), Kentwood (7.7 mi), Grand Rapids (9.0 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Grand River at Ada
Action stage17.017Jan 30, 2024The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)20.011Apr 8, 2023Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage22.02Feb 24, 2018Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage25.00—Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

43 crests from 1972 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Grand River at Ada, 1972 to 2024 10152025ft Flood stage 20.0 ftMajor 25.0 ft Apr 20, 1972: 17.17 ft, action stageJan 5, 1973: 18.72 ft, action stageMar 8, 1974: 18.95 ft, action stageApr 23, 1975: 19.45 ft, action stageMar 8, 1976: 20.75 ft, minor floodingOct 4, 1981: 20.00 ft, minor floodingMar 18, 1982: 20.65 ft, minor floodingFeb 28, 1985: 21.55 ft, minor floodingApr 4, 1985: 19.22 ft, action stageFeb 28, 1986: 21.60 ft, minor floodingOct 10, 1986: 20.65 ft, minor floodingMar 17, 1990: 18.21 ft, action stageApr 18, 1991: 15.45 ft, below flood stageMay 24, 1996: 15.70 ft, below flood stageJun 22, 1996: 18.00 ft, action stageFeb 24, 1997: 20.72 ft, minor floodingApr 27, 1999: 17.65 ft, action stage; 16,000 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 2000: 18.84 ft, action stage; 20,300 cubic feet per secondFeb 13, 2001: 18.26 ft, action stage; 18,700 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 2002: 15.59 ft, below flood stage; 12,600 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 2003: 12.05 ft, below flood stage; 7,720 cubic feet per secondMay 26, 2004: 21.56 ft, minor flooding; 27,400 cubic feet per secondJan 16, 2005: 17.80 ft, action stage; 16,000 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 2006: 16.35 ft, below flood stage; 14,900 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 2007: 16.05 ft, below flood stage; 14,200 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 2008: 16.07 ft, below flood stage; 14,300 cubic feet per secondSep 19, 2008: 15.66 ft, below flood stageDec 31, 2008: 20.05 ft, minor flooding; 23,500 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 2010: 16.33 ft, below flood stage; 14,800 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 2011: 18.23 ft, action stage; 19,000 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 2012: 14.04 ft, below flood stage; 10,400 cubic feet per secondApr 21, 2013: 22.81 ft, moderate flooding; 32,800 cubic feet per secondMar 25, 2014: 15.71 ft, below flood stage; 13,600 cubic feet per secondJun 27, 2015: 14.00 ft, below flood stage; 10,400 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 2016: 15.25 ft, below flood stage; 12,600 cubic feet per secondApr 9, 2017: 19.89 ft, action stage; 24,100 cubic feet per secondFeb 24, 2018: 22.56 ft, moderate flooding; 32,000 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 2019: 17.78 ft, action stage; 18,500 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 2020: 21.62 ft, minor flooding; 29,100 cubic feet per secondJun 30, 2021: 17.25 ft, action stage; 17,200 cubic feet per secondFeb 25, 2022: 17.01 ft, action stage; 16,600 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 2023: 21.01 ft, minor flooding; 27,300 cubic feet per secondJan 30, 2024: 17.15 ft, action stage; 16,900 cubic feet per second Highest, 22.81 ft, Apr 21, 2013 19801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Grand River at Ada 1970s: 1 1980s: 5 5 1990s: 1 2000s: 2 2010s: 2 2020s: 2 1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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, Grand River at Ada
1Apr 21, 201322.81+2.81Moderate32,800
2Feb 24, 201822.56+2.56Moderate32,000
3May 21, 202021.62+1.62Minor29,100
4Feb 28, 198621.60+1.60Minor—
5May 26, 200421.56+1.56Minor27,400
6Feb 28, 198521.55+1.55Minor—
7Apr 8, 202321.01+1.01Minor27,300
8Mar 8, 197620.75+0.75Minor—
9Feb 24, 199720.72+0.72Minor—
10Mar 18, 198220.65+0.65Minor—
11Oct 10, 198620.65+0.65Minor—
12Dec 31, 200820.05+0.05Minor23,500
13Oct 4, 198120.000.00Minor—
14Apr 9, 201719.89−0.11Action24,100
15Apr 23, 197519.45−0.55Action—
16Apr 4, 198519.22−0.78Action—
17Mar 8, 197418.95−1.05Action—
18May 21, 200018.84−1.16Action20,300
19Jan 5, 197318.72−1.28Action—
20Feb 13, 200118.26−1.74Action18,700
21May 1, 201118.23−1.77Action19,000
22Mar 17, 199018.21−1.79Action—
23Jun 22, 199618.00−2.00Action—
24Jan 16, 200517.80−2.20Action16,000
25Mar 17, 201917.78−2.22Action18,500
26Apr 27, 199917.65−2.35Action16,000
27Jun 30, 202117.25−2.75Action17,200
28Apr 20, 197217.17−2.83Action—
29Jan 30, 202417.15−2.85Action16,900
30Feb 25, 202217.01−2.99Action16,600
31Mar 16, 200616.35−3.65Below flood stage14,900
32Mar 16, 201016.33−3.67Below flood stage14,800
33Apr 15, 200816.07−3.93Below flood stage14,300
34Mar 15, 200716.05−3.95Below flood stage14,200
35Mar 25, 201415.71−4.29Below flood stage13,600
36May 24, 199615.70−4.30Below flood stage—
37Sep 19, 200815.66−4.34Below flood stage—
38Mar 13, 200215.59−4.41Below flood stage12,600
39Apr 18, 199115.45−4.55Below flood stage—
40Apr 4, 201615.25−4.75Below flood stage12,600
41Mar 5, 201214.04−5.96Below flood stage10,400
42Jun 27, 201514.00−6.00Below flood stage10,400
43Apr 7, 200312.05−7.95Below flood stage7,720

The worst floods along the Grand River

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

April 21, 2013: 22.81 ft here, moderate flooding

  • Comstock ParkMI · Apr 21, 2013 · 17.80 ft · Major · its highest
  • IoniaMI · Apr 20, 2013 · 24.69 ft · Moderate · its highest
  • Grand RapidsMI · Apr 21, 2013 · 21.85 ft · Moderate · its highest
  • LowellMI · Apr 21, 2013 · 19.02 ft · Moderate · its highest
  • Robinson TownshipMI · Apr 19, 2013 · 17.00 ft · Moderate
  • JacksonMI · Apr 19, 2013 · 14.25 ft · Minor
  • LansingMI · Apr 21, 2013 · 11.15 ft · Minor

February 24, 2018: 22.56 ft here, moderate flooding

  • Comstock ParkMI · Feb 25, 2018 · 16.85 ft · Major
  • IoniaMI · Feb 23, 2018 · 24.40 ft · Moderate
  • LowellMI · Feb 24, 2018 · 18.20 ft · Moderate
  • Robinson TownshipMI · Feb 26, 2018 · 16.08 ft · Moderate
  • LansingMI · Feb 23, 2018 · 14.62 ft · Moderate
  • Grand RapidsMI · Feb 25, 2018 · 20.67 ft · Minor
  • JacksonMI · Feb 21, 2018 · 14.03 ft · Minor
  • PortlandMI · Feb 23, 2018 · 12.62 ft · Minor
  • Eaton RapidsMI · Feb 23, 2018 · 6.20 ft · Minor

May 21, 2020: 21.62 ft here, minor flooding

  • Comstock ParkMI · May 21, 2020 · 16.40 ft · Major
  • IoniaMI · May 20, 2020 · 23.20 ft · Moderate
  • Robinson TownshipMI · May 23, 2020 · 15.80 ft · Moderate
  • Grand RapidsMI · May 22, 2020 · 19.55 ft · Minor
  • LowellMI · May 21, 2020 · 17.23 ft · Minor
  • JacksonMI · May 18, 2020 · 14.35 ft · Minor
  • LansingMI · May 20, 2020 · 11.72 ft · Minor

Gauges on the Grand River

Flood gauges sharing the river's name, linked within 80 miles of one another.

Flood gauges on the Grand River
Ada this gaugeMI20.022.81 ft, Apr 21, 20130
Comstock ParkMI12.017.80 ft, Apr 21, 201310
DimondaleMI13.013.60 ft, Apr 6, 19470
Eaton RapidsMI6.09.10 ft, Apr 6, 19471
Grand LedgeMI11.014.00 ft, Mar 26, 19040
Grand RapidsMI18.021.85 ft, Apr 21, 20130
IoniaMI21.024.69 ft, Apr 20, 20130
JacksonMI14.015.44 ft, Jun 25, 19680
LansingMI11.015.43 ft, Apr 20, 19751
LowellMI15.019.02 ft, Apr 21, 20130
PortlandMI12.012.98 ft, Apr 21, 19750
Robinson TownshipMI13.318.30 ft, Jan 21, 20052

Other gauges in Kent County

Flood gauges in Kent County
Wilson Avenue at Grandville9.010.76 ft, Apr 18, 20130
Comstock Park12.017.80 ft, Apr 21, 201310
Grand Rapids18.021.85 ft, Apr 21, 20130
Lowell15.019.02 ft, Apr 21, 20130
Rockford8.011.35 ft, Sep 12, 19861
Caledonia10.014.40 ft, Apr 7, 19471

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge ADAM4, 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.