River Conditions
Illustrated map of Grand Traverse Bay

River stage

Clinton Township, Clinton River

River level
5.81 ft
Status
Below flood stage
7-day change
-0.08 ft
Recent high
14.20 ft
Recent low
5.02 ft

Last reported 2026-10-13 | NWS FSRM4

30-day change
+0.06 ft
Average
6.15 ft
Readings
122
Data span
122 days
Record crest
20.84 ft

In brief

The Clinton River at Clinton Township, MI read 5.81 ft on Oct 13, 2026, 8.19 ft below action stage. That is 0.06 ft higher than 30 days earlier.

Source: National Weather Service gauge FSRM4

River level timeline

47101215SEP 13SEP 18SEP 23SEP 28OCT 03OCT 08OCT 13ACTION 14.00 ftHIGH 12.30LOW 5.185.67 ftLAST READING

Stage threshold profile

Action stage 14.00 ftMinor flooding 16.00 ftModerate flooding 17.00 ftMajor flooding 19.00 ft CURRENT 5.81 ft

Highest crests on record

RankCrestDate
1 20.84 ft 2014-08-12
2 20.00 ft 1947-04-05
3 19.56 ft 1981-10-01
4 19.50 ft 1948-05-11
5 18.70 ft 1968-06-26
6 18.46 ft 2011-05-26
7 18.32 ft 2008-09-15
8 18.00 ft 1976-07-29

Flood crests recorded at this gauge by the National Weather Service.

What happens at each level

  1. 13.00 ft

    Some low lands adjacent to the river flood.

  2. 16.00 ft

    Some low spots on Millar Road flood. Water reaches the bottoms of the Garfield, Uitca and Hayes Road bridges. Low land flooding increases.

  3. 17.00 ft

    Water dams up against the Garfield, Utica and Hayes Road bridges, causing the river level on the upstream side of the bridges to be higher than what the river gauge will read downstream.

  4. 18.00 ft

    Water will likely flow over the Garfield, Utica and Hayes Road bridges.

  5. 19.00 ft

    Some houses along Millar Road flood along with local golf courses.

  6. 20.00 ft

    Extensive overland flooding occurs and the valley becomes covered by water.

Written by the local National Weather Service forecast office for this exact gauge.

Trout stocking on the Clinton River

Michigan DNR stocked the Clinton River 1 time in 2026, 37,467 fish in total. Rainbow trout at 18.7. Michigan DNR's published figures for 2026, the most recent season it has confirmed, record 37,467 trout actually released here across 1 visit.

SpeciesFish SizeWhen
Rainbow trout 37,467 18.7 April 2026

Michigan DNR lists a week or a month rather than a date, and counts fish as an estimate. Full Michigan stocking schedule →

Frequently asked questions

Is the Clinton River flooding at Clinton Township?

No. The Clinton River at Clinton Township is at 5.81 ft, 8.19 ft below action stage.

What is the flood stage at Clinton Township?

The National Weather Service sets action stage 14 ft, minor flooding 16 ft, moderate flooding 17 ft and major flooding 19 ft.

What is the highest the Clinton River has been at Clinton Township?

The highest crest on record is 20.84 ft, on 2014-08-12.

Is the Clinton River high or low right now at Clinton Township?

At 5.81 ft it is higher than 54% of readings over the last 122 days.

Stage and flood information from the NOAA National Weather Service (gauge FSRM4); daily history from the U.S. Geological Survey (site 04164000). Last reading 2026-10-13. For flood safety decisions always follow official National Weather Service warnings.