Flash Flooding in Michigan, May 18 to 20, 2000

Flash flooding occurred during the morning hours of the 18th across Ottawa and Kent Counties as a result of as much as 5 inches of rain between 9 p.m. EST on the 17th and 2 a.m. EST on the 18th. The heaviest band of rain fell in a band from Grand Haven east to Rockford... Greenville and Belding. Another band of heavy rain fell from Holland to Caledonia to Lake Odessa. Law enforcement in Rockford (Kent County) reported that 10 to 15 homes were completely flooded at 5:15 a.m. EST. They also reported that Peach Ridge Road between M-37 and 16 mile road was completely flooded and that an automobile was stranded there. In Ottawa County, law enforcement reported that the intersection of 96th and Winans streets was completely washed out, and that numerous homes were flooded and area schools were closed. In Belding (Ionia County), law enforcement reported that Ashley and Montcalm Avenues were washed out with many other roads in and around the Belding area impassable. The Rogue River and Buck Creeks were forced out of their banks through the day, and numerous roads between Grand Haven and Belding were reported as being under water. Soy bean fields near the west side of Wabasis Lake in northeast Kent County were completely flooded. There were numerous reports through the period of street flooding across the remainder of southwestern and south central lower Michigan as well, where two to as much as five inches of rain fell. Flooding of roads was reported as widespread by law enforcement in Allegan County, and flooded roads were reported in Comstock (Kalamazoo County).