Niles is Seeing the Worst Flooding in Southwest Michigan

Late February 2018 saw mild temperatures and several inches of rain fall on Southwest Michigan bringing the usual spring thaw and the flooding it brings many weeks early. The worst hit community in the region is Niles.

The St Joseph River overflowed is banks in the City of Four Flags and is flooding at historic levels, according to Mayor Nick Shelton who released a statement forecasting the river to crest at nearly 2 feet above a 1988 record.

A Thursday (2/22) morning crest of 16.9 feet is well above a previous record of 15.1 feet. Anything above 11 feet is flood stage for the St. Joseph River at Niles.

Upriver from Niles, St St. Joseph is expected to crest a foot above major flood stage at 28 feet at Elkhart, according to the National Weather Service. Record setting flooding has also hit the Elkhart River at Goshen forecast to crest 1.3 feet above the all time record of 11.9 feet.. The Elkhart River flows into the St Joseph.