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West Michigan boaters, walkers check out rising water levels after the storm

The Kent County Emergency Management office wants to remind everyone to be safe around our rivers.

GRANDVILLE, Mich. — Several area rivers are expected to be at or near flood stage by the end of the day on Friday. 

There were both walkers and boaters out and about while it was still warm Wednesday afternoon near Buck Creek, and the Kent County Emergency Management office wants to remind everyone to be safe around our rivers.

"I'm gonna have fun with it, you know," Joe Rosekopf says. 

He and Collin Boer say the creek only gets high enough to go boating in a few times a year.

"[It's] the perfect opportunity," Boer says.

They grew up near and around the water, so they feel comfortable and safe enjoying the waves.

"It's really just the position of the boat and being aware of your surroundings, and then there's life preservers and all the regular boat stuff," Boer says.

Buck Creek is currently above seven feet, and at Wedgewood Park, it's overflowing.

"This is probably one of the most flooded I've seen in the last 15 years," David Boshoven says.

He and Caitlin Vanderstel went out on a walk to check out the water, and they even spotted a large trout in the creek.

"I know it came from a bigger river because this all drained off-river," Boshoven says. "There was never a fish in the last 27 years I've been here."

"Seeing like, just how fast it's flowing, it's really powerful. The strength of the water, it can really do a lot of damage," Vanderstel says.

Buck Creek in Grandville is one of four areas with higher water levels and a risk of flooding, currently sitting around 7.24 feet and expected to rise to an action stage of eight feet Thursday morning before receding. 

Residents in these areas are also asked to pay special attention to water levels:

  • GRAND RIVER IN COMSTOCK PARK – Currently at 12.7 feet – Will gradually increase until Friday evening when it crests at or near 15 feet. This crest represents MODERATE flooding which we have not seen since May of 2020.
  • GRAND RIVER IN ADA – Currently at 17.13 feet (Action Stage) – Will somewhat rapidly increase until Thursday night when it levels off around 19.7 feet. This crest is still within “Action” stage, but very close to “Minor Flooding”.
  • GRAND RIVER IN LOWELL – Currently at 12.79 feet (Action Stage)– Will quickly rise and then level off around 14.9 feet (just under “Minor Stage” on Friday evening before receding.

Kent County Emergency Management Coordinator Matt Groesser is urging everyone to use caution around the water. His office is making sure people in the area understand the concerns of cresting river levels.

"Residents in the area are all very familiar with this," he says. "They pay close attention to the river forecast, and we try to do the best that we can, through partners like you, making sure that they're aware of when this flooding is coming."

Groesser also wants to remind people not to drive into or walk through flood water to avoid being swept away. There were two instances of that happening in Kent County in the last two days.

His office will do flood damage assessment with some help from the state afterwards.

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