Muskegon River river
Total streamflow across the Muskegon River was last observed at 3,510 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 6,962 acre-ft of water today; about 90% of normal. Average streamflow for this time of year is 3,888 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2014-04-16 when daily discharge volume was observed at 25,400 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Muskegon River Near Croton reporting a streamflow rate of 2,250 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Muskegon River At Evart with a gauge stage of 8.1 ft. This river is monitored from 2 different streamgauging stations along the Muskegon River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 997 ft, the Muskegon River At Evart.
River streamflow levels
Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Muskegon River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.
Total streamflow
Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily
Every streamgauge along the Muskegon 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)▾ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Muskegon River At Evart
MI
USGS 04121500
|
1,260 | 8.10 | -5.3 | 102% | 291 | 10,700 | 997 |
|
Muskegon River Near Croton
MI
USGS 04121970
|
2,250 | 5.90 | 1.4 | 100% | 264 | 15,000 | 685 |
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
Muskegon River
The Muskegon River is a 227-mile-long river in western Michigan that flows from Houghton Lake to Lake Michigan. The river has been historically significant, serving as a major transportation route for Native American tribes and early European settlers. Today, the Muskegon River is primarily used for recreational activities such as fishing, kayaking, and tubing. The river is home to several reservoirs and dams, including the Croton Dam, Hardy Dam, and Newaygo Dam. These dams provide hydroelectric power and flood control, but have also impacted the river's ecosystem. The river is also used for irrigation in agriculture. Despite its historical and recreational significance, the Muskegon River faces challenges such as pollution, erosion, and invasive species. Conservation efforts are ongoing to protect and restore the river's ecosystem.
Recreation along the Muskegon River
Fishing access and paddle runs Snoflo tracks within the watershed.
Track the Muskegon 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 Muskegon River
Where does the data for the Muskegon 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.