OTTAWA COUNTY, Mich. — With the burst of rainfall and warmer weather we experienced in West Michigan this past week the potential for ice jams was a concern going into the weekend. As of Saturday evening it looks like that risk is starting to develop in Ottawa County.
Around 5:30 pm on Saturday an Flood Warning was issued for the Grand River near Robinson Township. The flood warning covers an area starting near the M-231 bridge and extending west along the river to Mercury Drive.
Flooding of the river and low-lying areas/flood prone areas in Robinson Township is possible. Since this flooding is caused by an ice jam river levels and flooding conditions can develop and change rapidly.
The ice jam has been confirmed by river gauges and observations in the area. While the ice is breaking up, it appears to be jamming along the M-231 bridge. Right now flooding is expected mostly in rural areas of Central Ottawa County.
Temperatures are expected to return above freezing as we head into Sunday and the start of the coming week. As a result more ice jams could develop along the Grand River and other rivers around West Michigan as ice sheets can break up and move downstream.
A Flood Watch will be in effect for Ottawa County, mainly concerning the Grand River, from now through Monday at 4 pm.
With the ice on the Grand River being unstable at this time, close monitoring of the situation will be needed until the ice is clear as additional jams and flooding can develop quickly in the coming days.
If you notice an ice jam or flooding please report it to your local authorities.
-- Meteorologist Michael Behrens
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