2026-03-13T20:00:00-06:00
* AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 238, 239, 240, 241, 242, 243, 244, 245, 246, 247, 248, 249, 250 and 251. * TIMING...For the first Red Flag Warning, from 11 AM this morning to 8 PM MDT this evening. For the second Red Flag Warning, from 11 AM to 9 PM MDT Saturday. * WINDS...Today, west winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts 25 to 40 mph. On Saturday, west winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts 35 to 50 mph. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...Today, 12 to 17 percent. On Saturday, 10 to 15 percent. * IMPACTS...Conditions will be favorable for rapid fire spread. Avoid outdoor burning and any activity that may produce a spark and start a wildfire.
Summary
Total streamflow across the
Manistee River
was last observed at
6,790
cfs, and is expected to yield approximately
13,468
acre-ft of water today; about 130%
of normal.
River levels are high.
Average streamflow for this time of year is
5,236 cfs,
with recent peaks last observed
on
2014-04-15 when daily discharge volume was observed at
13,750 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the
Manistee River Near Wellston
reporting a streamflow rate of 2,920 cfs.
However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the
Manistee River Near Sherman
with a gauge stage of 14.17 ft.
This river is monitored from 3 different streamgauging stations along the Manistee River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 820 ft, the
Manistee River Near Sherman.
15-Day Weather Outlook
River Details
| Last Updated | 2026-03-13 |
| Discharge Volume | 13,468 ACRE-FT |
| Streamflow |
6,790.0 cfs
+1870.0 cfs (+38.01%) |
| Percent of Normal | 129.69% |
| Maximum |
13,750.0 cfs
2014-04-15 |
| Seasonal Avg | 5,236 cfs |
River Streamflow Levels
| Streamgauge | Streamflow | Gauge Stage | 24hr Change (%) | % Normal | Minimum (cfs) | Maximum (cfs) | Air Temp | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Manistee River Near Sherman
USGS 04124000 |
1890 cfs | 14.17 ft | -2.58 | |||||
|
Manistee River Near Mesick
USGS 04124200 |
1980 cfs | 4.9 ft | 2.06 | |||||
|
Manistee River Near Wellston
USGS 04125550 |
2920 cfs | 9.45 ft | -2.01 |
Seasonal Discharge Comparison
Maximum Streamflow Discharge
Streamflow Elevation Profile
The Manistee River in the U.S. state of Michigan, runs 190 miles (310 km) through the northwestern Lower Peninsula; it now passes through the contemporary villages of Sharon, Smithville, and Mesick, entering Lake Michigan at Manistee. It is considered, like the nearby Au Sable River, to be one of the best trout fisheries east of the Rockies.
The river rises in the sand hills in southeastern Antrim County, on the border with Otsego County, about 6 miles (10 km) southeast of the town of Alba. These deep glacial sands provide it with a remarkably stable flow of clean cold water year round, making it a popular river for fishing as well as canoeing. Over the course of its length, it drops in elevation from around 1,250 to 579 feet (381 to 176 m), with an average stream gradient of about 2.9 feet per mile (55 cm/km).