NEWAYGO, Mich. -- Water levels are rising rapidly on the Muskegon River.
Newaygo County Emergency Services says anyone remaining in the floodplain south of Croton Dam should evacuate. The order was given around 9:30 Thursday morning.
The river was at 15.7 feet as of early Thursday afternoon, which is already at major flood stage. And it will be rising higher throughout the day.
WOOD-TV 8 Meteorologist Sarah Flynn said early in the afternoon that it was forecasted to rise to a record 17.8 feet heading into the weekend.
"No change for the Muskegon River at Bridgeton; it's still expected to break the record there, as well - 19.3 feet," she said. The river was at 16.7 feet as of Thursday early afternoon, which was moderate flood stage.
Consumers Energy reports no structural problems with the dam, itself. Sheriff's deputies went door-to-door in the immediate area to alert residents, but the county's Emergency Management Office said they cannot force anyone to evacuate. However, public safety services now are no longer available in the floodplain, until conditions become safe for them to return.
The county's emergency management office tells WOOD Radio News the evacuation directive extends down to Bridgeton Road. An evacuation center is set up at the Newaygo County Commission on Aging building in White Cloud. Power has been cut off to protect the electrical grid.
Public river access sites along the Muskegon River there are closed due to unsafe conditions, and so are the sites along the White River near the Hesperia Dam.
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