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Lower Rouge at Inkster

Highest listed crest 14.41 ftFlood stage 10.0 ft59 crests since 1947

The Lower Rouge at Inkster crested at major flood stage 3 times among the 59 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1947 to 2016. The highest, 14.41 ft on April 5, 1947, was major flooding, 4.41 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
14.41 ft
April 5, 1947
Flood stage
10.0 ft
Major flooding from 13.0 ft
Crests at major
3
11th of 98 gauges in Michigan
Most recent flood crest
September 30, 2016
10.27 ft, minor flooding
Location
Wayne County
Near Inkster (1.1 mi), Dearborn Heights (2.5 mi), Garden City (2.7 mi)
Identifiers
NWS INKM4
USGS 04168000; out of service

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Lower Rouge at Inkster
Action stage8.013Jun 29, 1995The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)10.032Sep 30, 2016Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage12.010May 26, 2011Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage13.03May 22, 2004Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

59 crests from 1947 to 2016. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Lower Rouge at Inkster, 1947 to 2016 6810121416ft Flood stage 10.0 ftMajor 13.0 ft Apr 5, 1947: 14.41 ft, major floodingApr 4, 1950: 12.42 ft, moderate flooding; 3,120 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 1965: 10.95 ft, minor flooding; 1,830 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 1967: 8.54 ft, action stage; 830 cubic feet per secondDec 22, 1967: 11.81 ft, minor floodingJun 26, 1968: 13.62 ft, major flooding; 3,600 cubic feet per secondJan 30, 1969: 10.87 ft, minor flooding; 1,640 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 1970: 7.72 ft, below flood stage; 646 cubic feet per secondFeb 20, 1971: 9.05 ft, action stage; 1,010 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1972: 8.46 ft, action stage; 838 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 1973: 8.66 ft, action stage; 865 cubic feet per secondFeb 23, 1974: 10.43 ft, minor flooding; 1,420 cubic feet per secondFeb 25, 1975: 9.64 ft, action stage; 1,140 cubic feet per secondFeb 17, 1976: 11.50 ft, minor flooding; 1,910 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 1977: 9.95 ft, action stage; 1,220 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 1978: 10.65 ft, minor flooding; 1,540 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 1979: 12.36 ft, moderate flooding; 2,700 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1980: 10.05 ft, minor flooding; 1,260 cubic feet per secondFeb 19, 1981: 9.58 ft, action stage; 1,110 cubic feet per secondMar 14, 1982: 12.71 ft, moderate flooding; 1,550 cubic feet per secondMay 2, 1983: 12.18 ft, moderate flooding; 1,750 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 1984: 10.67 ft, minor flooding; 1,310 cubic feet per secondFeb 24, 1985: 12.13 ft, moderate flooding; 2,320 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 1986: 10.14 ft, minor flooding; 1,160 cubic feet per secondJun 21, 1987: 8.80 ft, action stage; 798 cubic feet per secondDec 16, 1987: 9.42 ft, action stage; 977 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 1989: 8.13 ft, action stage; 687 cubic feet per secondFeb 23, 1990: 12.01 ft, moderate flooding; 2,230 cubic feet per secondDec 30, 1991: 11.50 ft, minor flooding; 1,850 cubic feet per secondDec 16, 1992: 9.42 ft, action stageJan 5, 1993: 11.40 ft, minor floodingMar 22, 1994: 8.31 ft, action stage; 785 cubic feet per secondJun 29, 1995: 9.80 ft, action stage; 1,120 cubic feet per secondMay 10, 1996: 10.73 ft, minor flooding; 1,470 cubic feet per secondFeb 22, 1997: 11.35 ft, minor flooding; 1,820 cubic feet per secondFeb 18, 1998: 12.30 ft, moderate floodingMar 18, 1998: 11.20 ft, minor floodingAug 7, 1998: 10.10 ft, minor floodingJan 24, 1999: 10.82 ft, minor floodingJun 26, 2000: 10.20 ft, minor floodingSep 12, 2000: 11.00 ft, minor floodingFeb 10, 2001: 12.30 ft, moderate flooding; 2,340 cubic feet per secondMay 22, 2004: 13.13 ft, major flooding; 3,155 cubic feet per secondJan 14, 2005: 11.05 ft, minor flooding; 1,642 cubic feet per secondFeb 17, 2005: 10.02 ft, minor flooding; 1,115 cubic feet per secondDec 2, 2006: 10.15 ft, minor floodingFeb 7, 2008: 10.37 ft, minor flooding; 1,212 cubic feet per secondJul 4, 2008: 10.04 ft, minor flooding; 1,120 cubic feet per secondDec 29, 2008: 10.63 ft, minor flooding; 1,288 cubic feet per secondFeb 13, 2009: 10.01 ft, minor flooding; 1,112 cubic feet per secondMar 9, 2009: 11.11 ft, minor flooding; 1,458 cubic feet per secondJun 7, 2010: 12.48 ft, moderate flooding; 2,393 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 2011: 10.62 ft, minor flooding; 1,285 cubic feet per secondMay 26, 2011: 12.76 ft, moderate flooding; 2,627 cubic feet per secondNov 30, 2011: 11.74 ft, minor flooding; 1,837 cubic feet per secondApr 20, 2013: 10.49 ft, minor flooding; 1,247 cubic feet per secondAug 11, 2014: 11.86 ft, minor flooding; 1,919 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 2015: 10.35 ft, minor flooding; 941 cubic feet per secondSep 30, 2016: 10.27 ft, minor flooding; 727 cubic feet per second Highest, 14.41 ft, Apr 5, 1947 1950196019701980199020002010

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Lower Rouge at Inkster 1940s: 1 1950s: 1 1960s: 4 1970s: 4 1980s: 6 1990s: 9 2000s: 12 12 2010s: 8 1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s
  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 59 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Lower Rouge at Inkster
1Apr 5, 194714.41+4.41Major—
2Jun 26, 196813.62+3.62Major3,600
3May 22, 200413.13+3.13Major3,155
4May 26, 201112.76+2.76Moderate2,627
5Mar 14, 198212.71+2.71Moderate1,550
6Jun 7, 201012.48+2.48Moderate2,393
7Apr 4, 195012.42+2.42Moderate3,120
8Apr 14, 197912.36+2.36Moderate2,700
9Feb 18, 199812.30+2.30Moderate—
10Feb 10, 200112.30+2.30Moderate2,340
11May 2, 198312.18+2.18Moderate1,750
12Feb 24, 198512.13+2.13Moderate2,320
13Feb 23, 199012.01+2.01Moderate2,230
14Aug 11, 201411.86+1.86Minor1,919
15Dec 22, 196711.81+1.81Minor—
16Nov 30, 201111.74+1.74Minor1,837
17Feb 17, 197611.50+1.50Minor1,910
18Dec 30, 199111.50+1.50Minor1,850
19Jan 5, 199311.40+1.40Minor—
20Feb 22, 199711.35+1.35Minor1,820
21Mar 18, 199811.20+1.20Minor—
22Mar 9, 200911.11+1.11Minor1,458
23Jan 14, 200511.05+1.05Minor1,642
24Sep 12, 200011.00+1.00Minor—
25Mar 5, 196510.95+0.95Minor1,830
26Jan 30, 196910.87+0.87Minor1,640
27Jan 24, 199910.82+0.82Minor—
28May 10, 199610.73+0.73Minor1,470
29Mar 22, 198410.67+0.67Minor1,310
30Mar 22, 197810.65+0.65Minor1,540
31Dec 29, 200810.63+0.63Minor1,288
32Mar 6, 201110.62+0.62Minor1,285
33Apr 20, 201310.49+0.49Minor1,247
34Feb 23, 197410.43+0.43Minor1,420
35Feb 7, 200810.37+0.37Minor1,212
36May 31, 201510.35+0.35Minor941
37Sep 30, 201610.27+0.27Minor727
38Jun 26, 200010.20+0.20Minor—
39Dec 2, 200610.15+0.15Minor—
40Mar 11, 198610.14+0.14Minor1,160
41Aug 7, 199810.10+0.10Minor—
42Apr 5, 198010.05+0.05Minor1,260
43Jul 4, 200810.04+0.04Minor1,120
44Feb 17, 200510.02+0.02Minor1,115
45Feb 13, 200910.01+0.01Minor1,112
46Apr 26, 19779.95−0.05Action1,220
47Jun 29, 19959.80−0.20Action1,120
48Feb 25, 19759.64−0.36Action1,140
49Feb 19, 19819.58−0.42Action1,110
50Dec 16, 19879.42−0.58Action977

Gauges on the Lower Rouge

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

Flood gauges on the Lower Rouge
Inkster this gaugeMI10.014.41 ft, Apr 5, 19473
DEARBORNMI11.013.13 ft, Aug 25, 20232

Other gauges in Wayne County

Flood gauges in Wayne County
DEARBORN11.013.13 ft, Aug 25, 20232
Dearborn Heights10.010.74 ft, May 13, 20040
Detroit15.021.40 ft, Jun 26, 19682

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge INKM4, 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.