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Red Cedar River at East Lansing

Highest listed crest 13.40 ftFlood stage 7.0 ft118 crests since 1904

The Red Cedar River at East Lansing crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 118 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1904 to 2024. The highest, 13.40 ft on March 24, 1904, was major flooding, 6.40 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
13.40 ft
March 24, 1904; 8,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
7.0 ft
Major flooding from 13.0 ft
Crests at major
1
26th of 98 gauges in Michigan
Most recent flood crest
April 6, 2023
8.05 ft, minor flooding
Location
Ingham County
Near East Lansing (1.5 mi), Lansing (4.3 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Red Cedar River at East Lansing
Action stage6.029Jan 28, 2024The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)7.057Apr 6, 2023Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage10.06Feb 22, 2018Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage13.01Mar 24, 1904Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

118 crests from 1904 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Red Cedar River at East Lansing, 1904 to 2024 2468101214ft Flood stage 7.0 ftMajor 13.0 ft Mar 24, 1904: 13.40 ft, major flooding; 8,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 18, 1911: 5.50 ft, below flood stage; 990 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 1912: 9.50 ft, minor flooding; 4,100 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1913: 7.90 ft, minor flooding; 2,740 cubic feet per secondMay 14, 1914: 7.80 ft, minor flooding; 2,660 cubic feet per secondFeb 16, 1915: 8.10 ft, minor flooding; 2,920 cubic feet per secondMar 27, 1916: 10.20 ft, moderate flooding; 4,700 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 1917: 7.60 ft, minor flooding; 2,490 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 1918: 10.70 ft, moderate flooding; 5,130 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 1919: 8.30 ft, minor flooding; 3,080 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1920: 9.00 ft, minor flooding; 3,680 cubic feet per secondMar 26, 1921: 5.70 ft, below flood stage; 1,110 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 1922: 7.20 ft, minor flooding; 2,160 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 1923: 6.90 ft, action stage; 1,920 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 1924: 6.70 ft, action stage; 1,760 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 1925: 5.50 ft, below flood stage; 990 cubic feet per secondMar 20, 1926: 7.80 ft, minor flooding; 2,660 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 1927: 5.20 ft, below flood stage; 824 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 1928: 6.00 ft, action stage; 1,290 cubic feet per secondMar 1, 1929: 6.80 ft, action stage; 1,840 cubic feet per secondFeb 22, 1930: 7.20 ft, minor flooding; 2,160 cubic feet per secondJun 30, 1931: 3.40 ft, below flood stage; 222 cubic feet per secondSep 5, 1932: 6.14 ft, action stage; 1,610 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 1933: 7.11 ft, minor flooding; 2,310 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 1934: 5.55 ft, below flood stage; 1,340 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 1935: 6.19 ft, action stage; 1,800 cubic feet per secondFeb 27, 1936: 5.37 ft, below flood stage; 1,020 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 1937: 7.12 ft, minor flooding; 2,330 cubic feet per secondFeb 14, 1938: 9.20 ft, minor flooding; 4,020 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 1939: 6.72 ft, action stage; 1,760 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 1940: 7.05 ft, minor flooding; 1,970 cubic feet per secondJan 3, 1941: 5.54 ft, below flood stage; 1,020 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 1942: 7.83 ft, minor flooding; 2,660 cubic feet per secondDec 29, 1942: 7.60 ft, minor flooding; 2,490 cubic feet per secondFeb 27, 1944: 7.42 ft, minor flooding; 2,320 cubic feet per secondMay 19, 1945: 8.10 ft, minor flooding; 2,930 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 1946: 7.35 ft, minor flooding; 2,320 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 1947: 11.58 ft, moderate flooding; 5,920 cubic feet per secondMar 20, 1948: 10.47 ft, moderate flooding; 4,960 cubic feet per secondFeb 16, 1949: 7.68 ft, minor flooding; 2,580 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 1950: 8.37 ft, minor flooding; 3,170 cubic feet per secondJan 4, 1951: 7.27 ft, minor flooding; 2,240 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 1952: 7.87 ft, minor flooding; 2,740 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 1953: 5.30 ft, below flood stage; 878 cubic feet per secondFeb 17, 1954: 7.58 ft, minor flooding; 2,490 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 1955: 6.27 ft, action stage; 1,440 cubic feet per secondMay 14, 1956: 8.62 ft, minor flooding; 3,310 cubic feet per secondJul 13, 1957: 7.49 ft, minor flooding; 2,400 cubic feet per secondDec 21, 1957: 5.33 ft, below flood stage; 895 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 1959: 6.99 ft, action stage; 1,950 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 1960: 9.18 ft, minor flooding; 3,580 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 1961: 5.86 ft, below flood stage; 1,170 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1962: 7.49 ft, minor flooding; 2,300 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 1963: 6.18 ft, action stage; 1,380 cubic feet per secondMay 8, 1964: 4.29 ft, below flood stage; 351 cubic feet per secondFeb 11, 1965: 7.66 ft, minor flooding; 2,420 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 1966: 5.67 ft, below flood stage; 1,050 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 1967: 6.39 ft, action stage; 1,480 cubic feet per secondJun 28, 1968: 8.81 ft, minor flooding; 2,960 cubic feet per secondJan 31, 1969: 6.53 ft, action stage; 1,590 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 1970: 5.92 ft, below flood stage; 1,220 cubic feet per secondFeb 21, 1971: 7.46 ft, minor flooding; 2,150 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 1972: 6.26 ft, action stage; 1,430 cubic feet per secondJan 1, 1973: 8.07 ft, minor flooding; 2,510 cubic feet per secondMar 10, 1974: 7.40 ft, minor flooding; 2,110 cubic feet per secondApr 20, 1975: 11.95 ft, moderate flooding; 5,940 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 1976: 7.46 ft, minor flooding; 2,250 cubic feet per secondApr 27, 1977: 5.11 ft, below flood stage; 785 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 1978: 6.60 ft, action stage; 1,650 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 1979: 7.07 ft, minor flooding; 1,980 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1980: 5.70 ft, below flood stage; 1,090 cubic feet per secondFeb 20, 1981: 8.06 ft, minor flooding; 2,710 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 1982: 9.23 ft, minor flooding; 3,640 cubic feet per secondMay 3, 1983: 6.01 ft, action stage; 1,280 cubic feet per secondFeb 14, 1984: 5.44 ft, below flood stage; 950 cubic feet per secondFeb 26, 1985: 9.46 ft, minor flooding; 3,840 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 1986: 7.43 ft, minor flooding; 2,250 cubic feet per secondOct 5, 1986: 5.98 ft, below flood stage; 1,290 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 1988: 5.81 ft, below flood stage; 1,190 cubic feet per secondJun 1, 1989: 6.66 ft, action stage; 1,720 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1990: 6.63 ft, action stage; 1,700 cubic feet per secondNov 29, 1990: 5.74 ft, below flood stage; 1,150 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 1992: 6.41 ft, action stage; 1,530 cubic feet per secondApr 21, 1993: 7.28 ft, minor flooding; 2,120 cubic feet per secondJul 9, 1994: 7.17 ft, minor flooding; 2,040 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1995: 6.46 ft, action stage; 1,560 cubic feet per secondJun 20, 1996: 7.13 ft, minor flooding; 2,020 cubic feet per secondFeb 23, 1997: 6.49 ft, action stage; 1,560 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 1998: 6.64 ft, action stage; 1,680 cubic feet per secondApr 25, 1999: 7.39 ft, minor flooding; 2,200 cubic feet per secondMay 20, 2000: 5.77 ft, below flood stage; 1,140 cubic feet per secondFeb 12, 2001: 8.93 ft, minor flooding; 3,380 cubic feet per secondMar 10, 2002: 5.63 ft, below flood stage; 1,060 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 2003: 6.02 ft, action stage; 1,290 cubic feet per secondMay 24, 2004: 7.48 ft, minor flooding; 2,260 cubic feet per secondJan 15, 2005: 7.19 ft, minor flooding; 2,060 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 2006: 6.74 ft, action stage; 1,750 cubic feet per secondJun 6, 2007: 6.29 ft, action stage; 1,460 cubic feet per secondJan 10, 2008: 7.50 ft, minor flooding; 2,280 cubic feet per secondSep 17, 2008: 7.32 ft, minor floodingDec 29, 2008: 7.11 ft, minor flooding; 2,002 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 2009: 7.23 ft, minor flooding; 2,090 cubic feet per secondMar 14, 2010: 6.66 ft, action stage; 1,700 cubic feet per secondApr 29, 2011: 6.92 ft, action stage; 1,870 cubic feet per secondDec 5, 2011: 5.62 ft, below flood stage; 1,050 cubic feet per secondApr 21, 2013: 7.86 ft, minor flooding; 2,550 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 2014: 7.33 ft, minor flooding; 2,160 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 2015: 6.22 ft, action stage; 1,410 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 2016: 5.87 ft, below flood stage; 1,200 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 2017: 8.48 ft, minor flooding; 3,020 cubic feet per secondFeb 22, 2018: 10.28 ft, moderate flooding; 4,540 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 2019: 5.83 ft, below flood stage; 1,170 cubic feet per secondJan 14, 2020: 7.80 ft, minor flooding; 2,500 cubic feet per secondMay 20, 2020: 8.99 ft, minor flooding; 3,430 cubic feet per secondAug 13, 2021: 7.18 ft, minor flooding; 2,050 cubic feet per secondFeb 19, 2022: 6.62 ft, action stage; 1,670 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 2023: 8.05 ft, minor flooding; 2,690 cubic feet per secondJan 28, 2024: 6.99 ft, action stage; 1,950 cubic feet per second Highest, 13.40 ft, Mar 24, 1904 192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Red Cedar River at East Lansing 1900s: 1 1910s: 8 1920s: 3 1930s: 4 1940s: 9 9 1950s: 6 1960s: 4 1970s: 6 1980s: 4 1990s: 4 2000s: 7 2010s: 4 2020s: 4 1900s1910s1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 118 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Red Cedar River at East Lansing
1Mar 24, 190413.40+6.40Major8,000
2Apr 20, 197511.95+4.95Moderate5,940
3Apr 7, 194711.58+4.58Moderate5,920
4Mar 15, 191810.70+3.70Moderate5,130
5Mar 20, 194810.47+3.47Moderate4,960
6Feb 22, 201810.28+3.28Moderate4,540
7Mar 27, 191610.20+3.20Moderate4,700
8Apr 3, 19129.50+2.50Minor4,100
9Feb 26, 19859.46+2.46Minor3,840
10Mar 16, 19829.23+2.23Minor3,640
11Feb 14, 19389.20+2.20Minor4,020
12Mar 31, 19609.18+2.18Minor3,580
13Mar 13, 19209.00+2.00Minor3,680
14May 20, 20208.99+1.99Minor3,430
15Feb 12, 20018.93+1.93Minor3,380
16Jun 28, 19688.81+1.81Minor2,960
17May 14, 19568.62+1.62Minor3,310
18Apr 8, 20178.48+1.48Minor3,020
19Mar 29, 19508.37+1.37Minor3,170
20Mar 17, 19198.30+1.30Minor3,080
21Feb 16, 19158.10+1.10Minor2,920
22May 19, 19458.10+1.10Minor2,930
23Jan 1, 19738.07+1.07Minor2,510
24Feb 20, 19818.06+1.06Minor2,710
25Apr 6, 20238.05+1.05Minor2,690
26Apr 5, 19137.90+0.90Minor2,740
27Apr 15, 19527.87+0.87Minor2,740
28Apr 21, 20137.86+0.86Minor2,550
29Mar 18, 19427.83+0.83Minor2,660
30May 14, 19147.80+0.80Minor2,660
31Mar 20, 19267.80+0.80Minor2,660
32Jan 14, 20207.80+0.80Minor2,500
33Feb 16, 19497.68+0.68Minor2,580
34Feb 11, 19657.66+0.66Minor2,420
35Apr 7, 19177.60+0.60Minor2,490
36Dec 29, 19427.60+0.60Minor2,490
37Feb 17, 19547.58+0.58Minor2,490
38Jan 10, 20087.50+0.50Minor2,280
39Jul 13, 19577.49+0.49Minor2,400
40Mar 13, 19627.49+0.49Minor2,300
41May 24, 20047.48+0.48Minor2,260
42Feb 21, 19717.46+0.46Minor2,150
43Mar 6, 19767.46+0.46Minor2,250
44Mar 12, 19867.43+0.43Minor2,250
45Feb 27, 19447.42+0.42Minor2,320
46Mar 10, 19747.40+0.40Minor2,110
47Apr 25, 19997.39+0.39Minor2,200
48Mar 4, 19467.35+0.35Minor2,320
49May 17, 20147.33+0.33Minor2,160
50Sep 17, 20087.32+0.32Minor—

The worst floods along the Red Cedar River

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

April 20, 1975: 11.95 ft here, moderate flooding

  • WilliamstonMI · Apr 19, 1975 · 10.41 ft · Moderate · its highest

Gauges on the Red Cedar River

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

Flood gauges on the Red Cedar River
WilliamstonMI9.010.41 ft, Apr 19, 19750
East Lansing this gaugeMI7.013.40 ft, Mar 24, 19041

Other gauges in Ingham County

Flood gauges in Ingham County
Lansing11.015.43 ft, Apr 20, 19751
Williamston9.010.41 ft, Apr 19, 19750
Holt8.010.60 ft, Apr 4, 19472

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge ELNM4, 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.