Search
Menu

Explore

Hazards

Analysis

Rankings

Reference

St. Joseph River (MI/IN) at Three Rivers

Highest listed crest 11.80 ftFlood stage 7.0 ft66 crests since 1950

The St. Joseph River (MI/IN) at Three Rivers crested at major flood stage 2 times among the 66 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1950 to 2023. The highest, 11.80 ft on June 3, 1989, was major flooding, 4.80 feet above flood stage. 2 other gauges on the St. Joseph River (MI/IN) crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
11.80 ft
June 3, 1989
Flood stage
7.0 ft
Major flooding from 11.0 ft
Crests at major
2
14th of 98 gauges in Michigan
Most recent flood crest
April 5, 2023
7.41 ft, minor flooding
Location
St. Joseph County
Near Sturgis (14.8 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, St. Joseph River (MI/IN) at Three Rivers
Action stage6.08Jul 1, 2021The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)7.045Apr 5, 2023Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage9.010May 20, 2020Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage11.02Feb 24, 2018Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

66 crests from 1950 to 2023. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the St. Joseph River (MI/IN) at Three Rivers, 1950 to 2023 4681012ft Flood stage 7.0 ftMajor 11.0 ft Apr 27, 1950: 10.60 ft, moderate flooding; 8,260 cubic feet per secondJan 20, 1952: 8.20 ft, minor floodingMay 12, 1956: 7.34 ft, minor floodingApr 6, 1959: 7.24 ft, minor floodingJan 17, 1960: 7.56 ft, minor floodingApr 27, 1961: 7.62 ft, minor floodingMar 24, 1962: 7.78 ft, minor floodingApr 7, 1967: 7.38 ft, minor floodingFeb 5, 1968: 8.40 ft, minor floodingFeb 2, 1969: 7.98 ft, minor floodingFeb 22, 1971: 7.15 ft, minor floodingJan 4, 1973: 7.41 ft, minor floodingMar 11, 1974: 8.91 ft, minor floodingMar 7, 1976: 9.08 ft, moderate floodingMar 24, 1978: 8.00 ft, minor floodingMar 9, 1979: 7.69 ft, minor flooding; 4,230 cubic feet per secondJun 7, 1980: 8.87 ft, minor flooding; 5,540 cubic feet per secondFeb 24, 1981: 7.45 ft, minor flooding; 4,190 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 1982: 10.69 ft, moderate flooding; 8,180 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 1983: 8.50 ft, minor floodingMay 6, 1983: 7.41 ft, minor floodingJan 5, 1985: 7.00 ft, minor floodingFeb 27, 1985: 10.52 ft, moderate floodingApr 10, 1985: 9.75 ft, moderate floodingJun 3, 1989: 11.80 ft, major floodingNov 30, 1990: 7.40 ft, minor floodingDec 29, 1990: 7.90 ft, minor floodingJan 3, 1991: 7.90 ft, minor floodingJan 1, 1993: 9.52 ft, moderate floodingJan 6, 1993: 8.51 ft, minor flooding; 5,240 cubic feet per secondMar 1, 1997: 7.92 ft, minor flooding; 4,580 cubic feet per secondJan 11, 1998: 7.90 ft, minor flooding; 4,560 cubic feet per secondJun 27, 2000: 6.65 ft, action stage; 3,350 cubic feet per secondFeb 13, 2001: 8.31 ft, minor floodingFeb 27, 2001: 7.97 ft, minor floodingOct 19, 2001: 7.11 ft, minor floodingMay 14, 2002: 7.34 ft, minor floodingApr 7, 2003: 5.95 ft, below flood stage; 2,700 cubic feet per secondJun 14, 2004: 6.73 ft, action stage; 3,350 cubic feet per secondJan 16, 2005: 7.99 ft, minor floodingFeb 17, 2005: 7.80 ft, minor floodingMar 15, 2006: 6.29 ft, action stage; 3,030 cubic feet per secondJan 8, 2007: 6.84 ft, action stage; 3,470 cubic feet per secondJan 12, 2008: 9.44 ft, moderate floodingFeb 9, 2008: 8.12 ft, minor floodingApr 3, 2008: 7.39 ft, minor floodingApr 14, 2008: 7.03 ft, minor floodingSep 17, 2008: 9.29 ft, moderate floodingFeb 13, 2009: 7.38 ft, minor flooding; 3,980 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 2009: 9.55 ft, moderate flooding; 6,460 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 2009: 7.37 ft, minor flooding; 3,970 cubic feet per secondMay 20, 2009: 7.63 ft, minor flooding; 4,240 cubic feet per secondMay 25, 2010: 6.74 ft, action stage; 3,520 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 2011: 7.04 ft, minor flooding; 3,827 cubic feet per secondJan 25, 2012: 6.85 ft, action stage; 3,630 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 2013: 8.34 ft, minor flooding; 5,100 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 2014: 7.76 ft, minor flooding; 4,440 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 2015: 7.63 ft, minor flooding; 4,390 cubic feet per secondAug 18, 2016: 6.75 ft, action stage; 3,430 cubic feet per secondApr 10, 2017: 7.76 ft, minor flooding; 4,440 cubic feet per secondFeb 24, 2018: 11.37 ft, major flooding; 9,560 cubic feet per secondMay 4, 2019: 7.06 ft, minor flooding; 3,650 cubic feet per secondMay 20, 2020: 9.76 ft, moderate flooding; 6,750 cubic feet per secondJul 1, 2021: 6.70 ft, action stage; 3,240 cubic feet per secondFeb 21, 2022: 7.24 ft, minor flooding; 3,830 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 2023: 7.41 ft, minor flooding; 4,040 cubic feet per second Highest, 11.80 ft, Jun 3, 1989 19501960197019801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, St. Joseph River (MI/IN) at Three Rivers 1950s: 4 1960s: 6 1970s: 6 1980s: 9 1990s: 7 2000s: 15 15 2010s: 7 2020s: 3 1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 66 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, St. Joseph River (MI/IN) at Three Rivers
1Jun 3, 198911.80+4.80Major—
2Feb 24, 201811.37+4.37Major9,560
3Mar 21, 198210.69+3.69Moderate8,180
4Apr 27, 195010.60+3.60Moderate8,260
5Feb 27, 198510.52+3.52Moderate—
6May 20, 20209.76+2.76Moderate6,750
7Apr 10, 19859.75+2.75Moderate—
8Mar 12, 20099.55+2.55Moderate6,460
9Jan 1, 19939.52+2.52Moderate—
10Jan 12, 20089.44+2.44Moderate—
11Sep 17, 20089.29+2.29Moderate—
12Mar 7, 19769.08+2.08Moderate—
13Mar 11, 19748.91+1.91Minor—
14Jun 7, 19808.87+1.87Minor5,540
15Jan 6, 19938.51+1.51Minor5,240
16Apr 15, 19838.50+1.50Minor—
17Feb 5, 19688.40+1.40Minor—
18Apr 22, 20138.34+1.34Minor5,100
19Feb 13, 20018.31+1.31Minor—
20Jan 20, 19528.20+1.20Minor—
21Feb 9, 20088.12+1.12Minor—
22Mar 24, 19788.00+1.00Minor—
23Jan 16, 20057.99+0.99Minor—
24Feb 2, 19697.98+0.98Minor—
25Feb 27, 20017.97+0.97Minor—
26Mar 1, 19977.92+0.92Minor4,580
27Dec 29, 19907.90+0.90Minor—
28Jan 3, 19917.90+0.90Minor—
29Jan 11, 19987.90+0.90Minor4,560
30Feb 17, 20057.80+0.80Minor—
31Mar 24, 19627.78+0.78Minor—
32Mar 23, 20147.76+0.76Minor4,440
33Apr 10, 20177.76+0.76Minor4,440
34Mar 9, 19797.69+0.69Minor4,230
35May 20, 20097.63+0.63Minor4,240
36Jun 18, 20157.63+0.63Minor4,390
37Apr 27, 19617.62+0.62Minor—
38Jan 17, 19607.56+0.56Minor—
39Feb 24, 19817.45+0.45Minor4,190
40Jan 4, 19737.41+0.41Minor—
41May 6, 19837.41+0.41Minor—
42Apr 5, 20237.41+0.41Minor4,040
43Nov 30, 19907.40+0.40Minor—
44Apr 3, 20087.39+0.39Minor—
45Apr 7, 19677.38+0.38Minor—
46Feb 13, 20097.38+0.38Minor3,980
47Apr 8, 20097.37+0.37Minor3,970
48May 12, 19567.34+0.34Minor—
49May 14, 20027.34+0.34Minor—
50Apr 6, 19597.24+0.24Minor—

The worst floods along the St. Joseph River (MI/IN)

For this gauge's highest crests, the other gauges on the St. Joseph River (MI/IN) that crested above flood stage within a week.

June 3, 1989: 11.80 ft here, major flooding

  • MottvilleMI · Jun 4, 1989 · 10.41 ft · Major
  • NilesMI · Jun 4, 1989 · 13.30 ft · Minor

February 24, 2018: 11.37 ft here, major flooding

  • NilesMI · Feb 22, 2018 · 17.33 ft · Major · its highest
  • South BendIN · Feb 22, 2018 · 12.70 ft · Major · its highest
  • MottvilleMI · Feb 24, 2018 · 10.17 ft · Major
  • BurlingtonMI · Feb 22, 2018 · 6.93 ft · Minor · its highest

March 21, 1982: 10.69 ft here, moderate flooding

  • South BendIN · Mar 15, 1982 · 10.90 ft · Major
  • NilesMI · Mar 21, 1982 · 14.97 ft · Moderate
  • MottvilleMI · Mar 21, 1982 · 9.81 ft · Moderate

Gauges on the St. Joseph River (MI/IN)

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

Flood gauges on the St. Joseph River (MI/IN)
BurlingtonMI6.56.93 ft, Feb 22, 20180
Three Rivers this gaugeMI7.011.80 ft, Jun 3, 19892
MottvilleMI8.010.76 ft, Apr 27, 19503
ElkhartIN24.030.00 ft, Mar 8, 19081
South BendIN5.512.70 ft, Feb 22, 20186
NilesMI11.017.33 ft, Feb 22, 20182

Other gauges in St. Joseph County

Flood gauges in St. Joseph County
Mottville8.010.76 ft, Apr 27, 19503

St. Joseph County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Michigan

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge TRVM4, 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.