Flint River near Flint water level

Name: Flint River near Flint 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, Flint River, Michigan, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

3.14ft Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 11:00 AM EDT (35 min ago)

Flow: 132 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The Flint River near Flint is at 3.14 ft, in the normal range.

It is 9.86 ft below the flood stage of 13.00 ft.

It has dropped 0.05 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 3.13 ft and 3.41 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: 16.95 ftSeptember 6, 1985

Floating and fishing near Flint River near Flint

Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.

Flood stage here is 13.00 ft, 9.86 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

17.00 ft: Several homes need to be evacuated in the Riverview subdivision of Flint Township. North Dort Highway (M-54) will likely be closed at the Flint River bridge.
15.00 ft: Some homes may need to be evacuated in Riverview subdivision with several others surrounded by water. Several houses on Dutch Mill Drive in Flushing will be flooded. Riverbank Park in downtown Flint will almost be completely submerged.
14.00 ft: Some homes in Flint Township experience minor flooding. Some buildings in Burton, along Thread Creek near where it enters the Flint River, sustain extensive basement damage.
13.00 ft: Some basements and backyards along and near the river begin to flood. Water affects some roads along the river and its tributaries.
11.00 ft: Lowlands begin to flood with little damage occurring. Water in Swartz and Thread Creek may back up and cause local flooding near where they enter the Flint River.
3.14 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	16.95 ft	September 6, 1985
2	16.35 ft	April 6, 1947
3	15.90 ft	February 10, 2001
4	14.99 ft	April 19, 1975
5	14.97 ft	October 1, 1981
6	14.78 ft	May 19, 2011
7	14.68 ft	February 21, 2018
8	14.10 ft	June 24, 1996
9	14.06 ft	September 30, 1986
10	14.03 ft	May 24, 2004

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:53 AM Sunset 06:49 PM Daylight 10 hr, 56 min First quarter 50%

Map

Other gauges on the Flint River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Flint River near OtisvilleRiver gauge, Flint River	90.6 cfs	Normal	−1.3 cfs	14 mi
Flint River near FostersRiver gauge, Flint River	143 cfs	Low	−50.0 cfs	21 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Thread Creek near FlintRiver gauge, Thread Creek	1.70 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	8 mi
Kearsley Creek near DavisonRiver gauge, Kearsley Creek	3.20 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	10 mi
Cass River at FrankenmuthRiver gauge, Cass River	3.64 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	20 mi
Shiawassee River at OwossoRiver gauge, Shiawassee River	2.13 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	21 mi
Farmers Creek near LapeerRiver gauge, Farmers Creek	31.5 cfs	High	+5.5 cfs	22 mi
Shiawassee River near FergusRiver gauge, Shiawassee River	157 cfs	Normal	±0	22 mi
South Branch Flint River near ColumbiavilleRiver gauge, South Branch Flint River	92.2 cfs	Normal	+5.1 cfs	23 mi
Saginaw River at Holland Avenue at SaginawRiver gauge, Saginaw River	2,530 cfs	Normal	−330.0 cfs	28 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Flint River near Flint?

The official flood stage is 13.00 ft. The level is currently 9.86 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 Flint River near Flint today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 11:00 AM EDT, the water level was 3.14 ft. Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Flint River near Flint rising or falling?

Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Flint River near Flint normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Flint River near Flint?

The highest level on record is 16.95 ft on September 6, 1985.

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:04148500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 43.03892, -83.77163 (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	3.14 ft	2026-10-18 15:00	Provisional
Flow	132 cfs	2026-10-18 15:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Flint River near Flint (usgs:04148500). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/michigan/flint-river-near-flint

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