Flat River at Smyrna water level

Name: Flat River at Smyrna water level (U.S. Geological Survey)
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
License: https://www.usgs.gov/information-policies-and-instructions/copyrights-and-credits

River gauge, Flat River, Michigan, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

3.39ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 01:00 PM EDT (1 hour ago)

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Flat River at Smyrna, where the gauge shows 3.39 ft.

It is 5.11 ft below the flood stage of 8.50 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 3.35 ft – 3.42 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.

Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels

Key numbers

Highest on record: 9.05 ftSeptember 13, 1986

Paddling and fishing conditions

Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.

For reference, flood stage is 8.50 ft.

What happens at each level

9.05 ft: Expect major flooding of campground sites and evacuation of campers in Double R Ranch Campground during the camping season. Approximately a dozen homes have water in their basements.
8.50 ft: Flooding begins to impact homes and flood basements in low lying areas along the river.
7.00 ft: Expect minor flooding of about 30 Double R Ranch Campground sites and in low lying areas adjacent to the river.
6.00 ft: Expect minor flooding of low lying areas adjacent to the river and Double R Ranch Campground.
5.50 ft: River is bankfull. Overflow begins in low areas adjacent to the river.
3.39 ft: Right now

Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.

Highest crests on record

Chance of at least minor flooding in October to December: < 5 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	9.05 ft	September 13, 1986
2	8.50 ft	January 22, 2005
3	7.84 ft	December 22, 2000
4	7.77 ft	January 26, 2005
5	7.72 ft	January 16, 1997
6	7.71 ft	December 24, 2008
7	7.53 ft	April 20, 2013
8	7.29 ft	February 21, 1994
9	7.27 ft	April 22, 1967
10	7.20 ft	April 12, 1965

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.26 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

18 Sun 57° 38° – Wind 14 mph

19 Mon 64° 40° – Wind 8 mph

20 Tue 66° 44° – Wind 7 mph

21 Wed 67° 44° – Wind 7 mph

22 Thu 60° 47° – Wind 4 mph

23 Fri 69° 53° – Wind 7 mph

24 Sat 67° 50° – Wind 14 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:59 AM Sunset 06:55 PM Daylight 10 hr, 56 min First quarter 51%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Grand River at IoniaRiver gauge, Grand River	8.34 ft	Below flood stage	−0.11 ft	11 mi
Grand River at AdaRiver gauge, Grand River	7.18 ft	Below flood stage	+0.11 ft	13 mi
Rogue River near RockfordRiver gauge, Rogue River	3.84 ft	Below flood stage	+0.02 ft	17 mi
Fish Creek near CrystalRiver gauge, Fish Creek	18.1 cfs	Low	−1.8 cfs	20 mi
Thornapple River near CaledoniaRiver gauge, Thornapple River	3.82 ft	Below flood stage	+0.21 ft	20 mi
Grand River at Grand RapidsRiver gauge, Grand River	1.66 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	22 mi
Plaster Creek at 28th Street at Grand RapidsRiver gauge, Plaster Creek	15.6 cfs	Low	−4.8 cfs	22 mi
Grand River at PortlandRiver gauge, Grand River	5.69 ft	Below flood stage	−0.08 ft	22 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Flat River at Smyrna?

The official flood stage is 8.50 ft. The level is currently 5.11 ft below it.

Is gage height the same as water depth?

No. Gage height is measured from a fixed reference point chosen by the agency, so a reading of 10 ft does not mean the river is 10 ft deep.

What is the water level of Flat River at Smyrna today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 01:00 PM EDT, the water level was 3.39 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Flat River at Smyrna rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Flat River at Smyrna normal?

Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Flat River at Smyrna?

The highest level on record is 9.05 ft on September 13, 1986.

How often is this data updated?

The U.S. Geological Survey publishes a new reading every 15 minutes. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:04116500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 43.05281, -85.26474 (WGS84)
Vertical datum: NAVD88
Update interval: every 15 minutes
Licence: Public domain. Data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), provisional data subject to revision

Published series

Parameter	Last value	Time (UTC)	Quality
Water level	3.39 ft	2026-10-18 17:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Flat River at Smyrna (usgs:04116500). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/michigan/flat-river-at-smyrna

How we check values

Each reading is stored as published. We hold back values that jump faster than physically plausible and show the measurement time with every value.

Readings are provisional, can be delayed or wrong and are not a flood warning. Read the disclaimer