The flood stage level of the Kalamazoo River in the City of Allegan crested Sunday and by Monday morning was starting to recede.
During a 9 a.m. briefing on Monday with local business owners, police and the city’s DPW department; the flood threat was declared over for now. With 1- to 2-inches of rain expected on Thursday, the Allegan dam flood gates will remain open to lower the level in anticipation of more flooding.
Preparing for the worst, Allegan City DPW, Allegan County jail inmates and members of the Allegan High School boys bowling team prepared for flooding last Wednesday by filling sandbags at Ace Hardware, Baker Allegan Studios and Perrigo in the Mill District. The water was held back and did not flood the low-lying businesses. Around the bend, Jaycee Park is closed and mostly underwater. The skate park is open.
The flooding was monitored over the weekend with the Allegan County Emergency command center staged next to the dam and police used a drone to monitor downstream.
The command center pulled out Monday with police chief Rick Hoyer saying it could be brought back if Thursday’s rain produces more flooding. Business owners thanked the city for all their efforts. Hoyer told businesses to keep sandbags in place through April during the rain season.
City manager Joel Dye said the dam was just inspected and is in good shape. The riverbank stabilization project behind Perrigo headquarters remained stable.
DPW director Aaron Haskin said the removable center section of the dam was built in 2002. Had it not been replaced, the river would have spilled over it.
In Allegan the stage level reached 6 foot 29.1 inches above sea level. Monday it was 6 foot 29 inches. Had it reached 6 feet 29.6 inches, it would have spilled over the dam, Haskins said.
According to NOAA river forecasts, the Kalamazoo River flood level is 9 feet (at NOAA’s nearest gauge station in Comstock). The river there crested at 11.69 feet at 2:45 a.m. Sunday and was reported to be falling with Monday’s stage level at 10.3 feet. The 11.69 crest level broke a record of 10.94 in 1947.
The Kalamazoo River at New Richmond crested at 18.16 feet at 3:15 a.m. last Friday, according to NOAA. At 8 a.m. Monday, the stage level was at 17 feet and expected to continue to decrease. The flood stage level is 17 feet.
.