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Muskegon River near Croton Dam

Highest listed crest 16.80 ftFlood stage 9.0 ft33 crests since 1986

The Muskegon River near Croton Dam crested at major flood stage 2 times among the 33 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1986 to 2024. The highest, 16.80 ft on September 12, 1986, was major flooding, 7.80 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
16.80 ft
September 12, 1986; 23,200 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
9.0 ft
Major flooding from 12.0 ft
Crests at major
2
14th of 98 gauges in Michigan
Most recent flood crest
May 19, 2020
10.33 ft, minor flooding
Location
Newaygo County
Michigan

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Muskegon River near Croton Dam
Action stage8.014Apr 6, 2023The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)9.011May 19, 2020Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage11.02Feb 21, 2018Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage12.02Apr 15, 2014Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

33 crests from 1986 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Muskegon River near Croton Dam, 1986 to 2024 681012141618ft Flood stage 9.0 ftMajor 12.0 ft Sep 12, 1986: 16.80 ft, major flooding; 23,200 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 1996: 8.42 ft, action stage; 5,780 cubic feet per secondJan 5, 1997: 8.23 ft, action stage; 5,410 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 1998: 9.12 ft, minor flooding; 7,130 cubic feet per secondJun 15, 1999: 7.56 ft, below flood stage; 4,150 cubic feet per secondMay 19, 2000: 8.33 ft, action stage; 6,080 cubic feet per secondMay 18, 2001: 8.49 ft, action stage; 6,390 cubic feet per secondMar 10, 2002: 8.67 ft, action stage; 6,620 cubic feet per secondMay 12, 2003: 6.84 ft, below flood stage; 3,420 cubic feet per secondMay 10, 2004: 9.52 ft, minor flooding; 8,697 cubic feet per secondMay 24, 2004: 10.45 ft, minor flooding; 9,580 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 2005: 9.10 ft, minor flooding; 7,080 cubic feet per secondMar 14, 2006: 9.42 ft, minor flooding; 7,630 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 2007: 8.45 ft, action stage; 6,020 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 2008: 8.78 ft, action stage; 6,550 cubic feet per secondDec 29, 2008: 8.89 ft, action stage; 6,730 cubic feet per secondOct 31, 2009: 8.63 ft, action stage; 6,300 cubic feet per secondApr 29, 2011: 10.64 ft, minor flooding; 9,970 cubic feet per secondMay 5, 2012: 8.49 ft, action stage; 6,150 cubic feet per secondJan 30, 2013: 9.88 ft, minor flooding; 8,473 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 2013: 11.11 ft, moderate flooding; 11,000 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 2014: 12.89 ft, major flooding; 15,600 cubic feet per secondApr 10, 2015: 8.79 ft, action stage; 6,660 cubic feet per secondJun 23, 2017: 8.96 ft, action stage; 6,940 cubic feet per secondOct 25, 2017: 9.04 ft, minor flooding; 7,076 cubic feet per secondFeb 21, 2018: 11.55 ft, moderate flooding; 12,300 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 2019: 10.08 ft, minor flooding; 9,180 cubic feet per secondOct 2, 2019: 9.21 ft, minor flooding; 7,528 cubic feet per secondMay 19, 2020: 10.33 ft, minor flooding; 9,680 cubic feet per secondJun 26, 2021: 7.24 ft, below flood stage; 4,230 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 2022: 8.39 ft, action stage; 6,030 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 2023: 8.62 ft, action stage; 6,450 cubic feet per secondJun 25, 2024: 7.13 ft, below flood stage; 4,010 cubic feet per second Highest, 16.80 ft, Sep 12, 1986 1990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Muskegon River near Croton Dam 1980s: 1 1990s: 1 2000s: 4 2010s: 8 8 2020s: 1 1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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, Muskegon River near Croton Dam
1Sep 12, 198616.80+7.80Major23,200
2Apr 15, 201412.89+3.89Major15,600
3Feb 21, 201811.55+2.55Moderate12,300
4Apr 19, 201311.11+2.11Moderate11,000
5Apr 29, 201110.64+1.64Minor9,970
6May 24, 200410.45+1.45Minor9,580
7May 19, 202010.33+1.33Minor9,680
8Mar 15, 201910.08+1.08Minor9,180
9Jan 30, 20139.88+0.88Minor8,473
10May 10, 20049.52+0.52Minor8,697
11Mar 14, 20069.42+0.42Minor7,630
12Oct 2, 20199.21+0.21Minor7,528
13Apr 2, 19989.12+0.12Minor7,130
14Apr 4, 20059.10+0.10Minor7,080
15Oct 25, 20179.04+0.04Minor7,076
16Jun 23, 20178.96−0.04Action6,940
17Dec 29, 20088.89−0.11Action6,730
18Apr 10, 20158.79−0.21Action6,660
19Jun 9, 20088.78−0.22Action6,550
20Mar 10, 20028.67−0.33Action6,620
21Oct 31, 20098.63−0.37Action6,300
22Apr 6, 20238.62−0.38Action6,450
23May 18, 20018.49−0.51Action6,390
24May 5, 20128.49−0.51Action6,150
25Mar 24, 20078.45−0.55Action6,020
26Jun 24, 19968.42−0.58Action5,780
27Apr 7, 20228.39−0.61Action6,030
28May 19, 20008.33−0.67Action6,080
29Jan 5, 19978.23−0.77Action5,410
30Jun 15, 19997.56−1.44Below flood stage4,150
31Jun 26, 20217.24−1.76Below flood stage4,230
32Jun 25, 20247.13−1.87Below flood stage4,010
33May 12, 20036.84−2.16Below flood stage3,420

The worst floods along the Muskegon River

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

April 15, 2014: 12.89 ft here, major flooding

  • EvartMI · Apr 16, 2014 · 15.97 ft · Major · its highest

February 21, 2018: 11.55 ft here, moderate flooding

  • NewaygoMI · Feb 21, 2018 · 15.13 ft · Major · its highest
  • BridgetonMI · Feb 21, 2018 · 16.82 ft · Moderate · its highest

April 19, 2013: 11.11 ft here, moderate flooding

  • EvartMI · Apr 20, 2013 · 12.52 ft · Minor

Gauges on the Muskegon River

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

Flood gauges on the Muskegon River
EvartMI12.015.97 ft, Apr 16, 20146
Croton Dam this gaugeMI9.016.80 ft, Sep 12, 19862
NewaygoMI11.015.13 ft, Feb 21, 20181
BridgetonMI13.016.82 ft, Feb 21, 20180

Other gauges in Newaygo County

Flood gauges in Newaygo County
Bridgeton13.016.82 ft, Feb 21, 20180
Newaygo11.015.13 ft, Feb 21, 20181

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge CROM4, 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.