River Conditions
Illustrated map of Grand Traverse Bay

River stage

Bridgeton, Muskegon River

River level
7.21 ft
Status
Below flood stage
7-day change
-0.08 ft
Recent high
9.15 ft
Recent low
7.07 ft

Last reported 2026-10-13 | NWS BDGM4

30-day change
-0.02 ft
Average
7.55 ft
Readings
122
Data span
122 days
Record crest
16.82 ft

In brief

The Muskegon River at Bridgeton, MI read 7.21 ft on Oct 13, 2026, 4.79 ft below action stage. That is 0.02 ft lower than 30 days earlier.

Source: National Weather Service gauge BDGM4

River level timeline

6.97.27.67.98.2SEP 13SEP 18SEP 23SEP 28OCT 03OCT 08OCT 13HIGH 7.99LOW 7.117.21 ftLAST READING

Stage threshold profile

Action stage 12.00 ftMinor flooding 13.00 ftModerate flooding 16.00 ftMajor flooding 17.00 ft CURRENT 7.21 ft

Highest crests on record

RankCrestDate
1 16.82 ft 2018-02-21
2 15.81 ft 2020-05-19
3 15.80 ft 2019-03-16
4 14.74 ft 2019-10-03
5 14.55 ft 1982-12-05
6 14.09 ft 2020-04-30
7 14.09 ft 2017-10-25
8 14.02 ft 1984-02-20

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

What happens at each level

  1. 12.00 ft

    The river is bankfull.

  2. 13.00 ft

    Water overflows the banks into wooded areas.

  3. 14.00 ft

    Flood water begins surrounding cottages and homes downstream from the City of Newaygo in the areas of Leisure Land Subdivision in Bridgeton Township.

  4. 15.00 ft

    Expect flood water to begin surrounding cottages and homes downstream from the City of Newaygo in the areas of Freight Hill Subdivision and 9230 main Street in Bridgeton Township. Expect minor flooding in Leisure Land Subdivision. Expect all public river access sites to be closed.

  5. 15.50 ft

    Expect flood waters to begin surrounding cottages and homes downstream from the City of Newaygo in the areas of Bell Meadow Subdivision and Main Street in Bridgeton Township. Expect minor flooding in Leisure Land Subdivision and Freight Hill Subdivsion in Bridgeton Township. Expect all Public River Access Sites to be closed.

  6. 16.00 ft

    Expect flood waters to be over South River Drive and Main Street near Maple Island Drive in Bridgeton Township. Expect moderate flooding downstream from the City of Newaygo in Leisure Land Subdivision...Freight Hill Subdivision...Bell Meadow Subdivision...Bridgeton Flats and Main Street in Bridgeton Township.

  7. 17.00 ft

    Expect Maple Island Bridge in Bridgeton Township to be closed.

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

Trout stocking on the Muskegon River

Michigan DNR stocked the Muskegon River 15 times in 2026, 252,334 fish in total. Rainbow trout and Coho salmon and Brown trout at 19.1 and 13.9. Michigan DNR's published figures for 2026, the most recent season it has confirmed, record 209,837 trout actually released here across 15 visits.

SpeciesFish SizeWhen
Rainbow trout 36,119 19.1 April 2026
Coho salmon 42,497 13.9 April 2026
Rainbow trout 6,489 20.2 May 2026
Brown trout 7,740 17.11 May 2026
Rainbow trout 20,700 17.15 May 2026
Brown trout 9,400 17.08 May 2026
Rainbow trout 20,695 17.13 May 2026
Rainbow trout 8,708 16.64 May 2026
Brown trout 9,400 16.97 May 2026
Brown trout 9,400 17.45 May 2026
Rainbow trout 10,300 17.47 May 2026
Brown trout 18,800 17.08 May 2026
Brown trout 9,400 16.1 May 2026
Rainbow trout 20,700 15.9 May 2026
Rainbow trout 21,986 18.8 May 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 Muskegon River flooding at Bridgeton?

No. The Muskegon River at Bridgeton is at 7.21 ft, 4.79 ft below action stage.

What is the flood stage at Bridgeton?

The National Weather Service sets action stage 12 ft, minor flooding 13 ft, moderate flooding 16 ft and major flooding 17 ft.

What is the highest the Muskegon River has been at Bridgeton?

The highest crest on record is 16.82 ft, on 2018-02-21.

Is the Muskegon River high or low right now at Bridgeton?

At 7.21 ft it is higher than 16% of readings over the last 122 days.

Stage and flood information from the NOAA National Weather Service (gauge BDGM4); daily history from the U.S. Geological Survey (site 04122025). Last reading 2026-10-13. For flood safety decisions always follow official National Weather Service warnings.