Michigan River river
Total streamflow across the Michigan River was last observed at 37 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 73 acre-ft of water today; about 35% of normal. River levels are low and may signify a drought. Average streamflow for this time of year is 103 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2019-06-23 when daily discharge volume was observed at 1,084 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Michigan River At Walden reporting a streamflow rate of 30.40 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Michigan River Near Cameron Pass with a gauge stage of 2.5 ft. This river is monitored from 2 different streamgauging stations along the Michigan River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 10,377 ft, the Michigan River Near Cameron Pass.
River streamflow levels
Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Michigan River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.
Total streamflow
Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily
Every streamgauge along the Michigan River
All 2 USGS gauges Snoflo tracks for this river, with current flow, stage, recent change, percent of normal, and the gauge's all-time min / max. Click any header to sort. Cells are heatmapped relative to the column min/max -- darker blue = higher.
| Streamgauge▾ | Streamflow (cfs)▾ | Gauge stage (ft)▾ | 24h Δ (%)▾ | % Normal▾ | Min (cfs)▾ | Max (cfs)▾ | Elevation (ft)▾ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Michigan River Near Cameron Pass
CO
USGS 06614800
|
6 | 2.50 | 39.0 | 132% | 0 | 110 | 10,377 |
|
Michigan River At Walden
CO
USGS 06617100
|
30 | 1.48 | -14.4 | 39% | 1 | 1,070 | 8,055 |
Maximum streamflow discharge by year
The single highest aggregate discharge recorded each year. Spotting the multi-year trend reveals droughts vs. wet cycles long before the headline daily flow does.
Annual peak discharge
From the river's full record · one point per water year
Streamflow elevation profile
Each bubble is one gauge along the river, plotted by current streamflow (x-axis) vs elevation (y-axis), sized by gauge stage. Reading top-to-bottom traces the river from headwaters down to its mouth -- you can see flow accumulate as elevation drops.
Elevation vs streamflow
One point per monitored gauge · bubble size = gauge stage
Michigan River
The Michigan River is a 49-mile-long river located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The river was historically used for logging, and several sawmills were established along its banks in the late 1800s. The Michigan River is fed by several tributaries, including the Sturgeon River and the East Branch of the Ontonagon River. There are several dams on the Michigan River, including the Bond Falls Dam, which creates Bond Falls Reservoir, a popular recreational area for fishing, kayaking, and picnicking. The river is also used for hydroelectric power generation, with several power plants located along its length. The Michigan River is an important source of irrigation for agriculture in the region, and several farms are located along its banks. Overall, the Michigan River is an important natural resource for the Upper Peninsula and plays a significant role in the region's history, economy, and recreational opportunities.
Recreation along the Michigan River
Fishing access and paddle runs Snoflo tracks within the watershed.
Track the Michigan River in the Snoflo app
Set per-gauge push alerts (e.g. "alert me when flow at the Russian R Nr Healdsburg crosses 5,000 cfs"), and Snoflo's iOS app pushes the moment USGS reports the crossing.
About the Michigan River
Where does the data for the Michigan River come from?
Streamflow and gauge stage data are sourced from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Information System. The aggregate flow shown at the top of the page is computed by Snoflo as the sum of all monitored gauges along the river.
How is "percent of normal" calculated?
Today's aggregate streamflow is compared to the historical average aggregate streamflow on this calendar day across the river's full record. 100% means right on average; values above 100% indicate above-normal flow (wet year); values below indicate below-normal (dry year or drought).
Why are some gauges showing very different flows?
Gauges along a river measure flow at different points: headwater gauges read what's coming off the snowpack or mountain runoff; downstream gauges integrate everything upstream, including tributary inputs. Wide spreads usually mean a tributary is contributing significantly between gauges.
What's the elevation profile chart showing?
Each bubble is one gauge along the river, plotted by streamflow (x-axis) and elevation (y-axis), sized by gauge stage. Reading top-down traces the river from headwaters to mouth -- you can see flow build as elevation drops.
Can I get alerts when a specific gauge crosses a threshold?
Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app on a per-gauge basis. Open any individual streamgauge from the table above and favorite it to set a discharge threshold.