River Conditions
Illustrated map of Grand Traverse Bay

River stage

Mt. Pleasant, Chippewa River

River level
3.11 ft
Status
Below flood stage
7-day change
-0.13 ft
Recent high
4.12 ft
Recent low
3.03 ft

Last reported 2026-10-13 | NWS MPTM4

30-day change
-0.07 ft
Average
3.22 ft
Readings
122
Data span
122 days
Record crest
15.58 ft

In brief

The Chippewa River at Mt. Pleasant, MI read 3.11 ft on Oct 13, 2026, 2.89 ft below action stage. That is 0.07 ft lower than 30 days earlier.

Source: National Weather Service gauge MPTM4

River level timeline

2.62.93.23.53.8SEP 13SEP 18SEP 23SEP 28OCT 03OCT 08OCT 13HIGH 3.38LOW 3.033.11 ftLAST READING

Stage threshold profile

Action stage 6.00 ftMinor flooding 8.00 ftModerate flooding 11.00 ftMajor flooding 13.00 ft CURRENT 3.11 ft

Highest crests on record

RankCrestDate
1 15.58 ft 1986-09-12
2 14.77 ft 2017-06-23
3 12.78 ft 1946-03-08
4 12.30 ft 1938-02-06
5 12.30 ft 1948-03-20
6 11.42 ft 1950-01-26
7 11.18 ft 1975-09-01
8 11.16 ft 2020-05-19

Flood crests recorded at this gauge by the National Weather Service.

What happens at each level

  1. 6.00 ft

    River is bankfull. Expect minor flooding of low lying areas adjacent to the river including portions of the Mount Pleasant Country Club Golf Course.

  2. 8.00 ft

    Expect minor flooding of Island Park and Nelson Park in western Mt. Pleasant.

  3. 10.00 ft

    Expect minor flooding of residences located in the north part of Mt. Pleasant, with many homes surrounded by high water.

  4. 11.00 ft

    Expect moderate flooding of residences located in the north part of Mt. Pleasant.

  5. 15.00 ft

    Expect widespread major flooding of residences located in Northern and Western Mt. Pleasant. Parks and golf courses adjacent to the river are under high water.

  6. 15.60 ft

    Expect widespread major flooding of residences located in Northern and Western Mt. Pleasant. Parks and golf courses adjacent to the river are under high water. South Leaton Road is underwater near the bridge that crosses the Chippewa River.

Written by the local National Weather Service forecast office for this exact gauge.

Trout stocking on the Chippewa River

Michigan DNR stocked the Chippewa River 1 time in 2026, 13,423 fish in total. Rainbow trout at 18.9. Michigan DNR's published figures for 2026, the most recent season it has confirmed, record 13,423 trout actually released here across 1 visit.

SpeciesFish SizeWhen
Rainbow trout 13,423 18.9 April 2026

Michigan DNR lists a week or a month rather than a date, and counts fish as an estimate. Full Michigan stocking schedule →

Frequently asked questions

Is the Chippewa River flooding at Mt. Pleasant?

No. The Chippewa River at Mt. Pleasant is at 3.11 ft, 2.89 ft below action stage.

What is the flood stage at Mt. Pleasant?

The National Weather Service sets action stage 6 ft, minor flooding 8 ft, moderate flooding 11 ft and major flooding 13 ft.

What is the highest the Chippewa River has been at Mt. Pleasant?

The highest crest on record is 15.58 ft, on 1986-09-12.

Is the Chippewa River high or low right now at Mt. Pleasant?

At 3.11 ft it is higher than 23% of readings over the last 122 days.

Stage and flood information from the NOAA National Weather Service (gauge MPTM4); daily history from the U.S. Geological Survey (site 04154000). Last reading 2026-10-13. For flood safety decisions always follow official National Weather Service warnings.