FloodZoneMap.org

Flood — Kalamazoo, MI

May 21, 2004

The biggest and longest duration flooding event in the past ten to twenty years occurred across southwestern and south central lower Michigan from May 20th through the third of June. Flooding in mid May resulted in very high river levels and the ground was saturated on the 20th. Numerous thunderstorm complexes and areas of heavy rainfall developed repeatedly in the vicinity of a quasi stationary frontal boundary draped across southern lower Michigan. The heaviest rain fell on Saturday, May 22

Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database (event 5411105). Narrative written by NWS staff at the time of the event.

Flood Risk Context for Kalamazoo, MI

This event is one of many recorded floods in Kalamazoo County. See the full FEMA flood zone map, NFIP claim totals, and disaster history for the area.

View Kalamazoo County flood data →

More Flood Stories

Flood$100K damage

Kalamazoo, MI · May 18, 2020

Significant rainfall fell across all of Lower Michigan on May 17 and 18 with many locations in Southwest Lower Michigan reporting over 3 inches of rain. This was the culmination of an already wet week that had experienced three separate episodes of heavy rain.

Read the full account →
Flood$5.0M damage

Kalamazoo, MI · Apr 17, 2013

Record flooding occurred during the month of April and record crests occurred on the lower portions of the Grand River at Ionia, Lowell, Ada, Comstock Park, and Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Read the full account →
Flood$11.0M damage

Kalamazoo, MI · Sep 13, 2008

Extensive flooding occurred across Kalamazoo county as a result of excessive rainfall which began on the twelfth and continued on the thirteenth and fourteenth.

Read the full account →
Flash Flood$200K damage

Kalamazoo, MI · Aug 23, 2002

Several inches of rain in only two to three hours caused flash flooding in Kalamazoo, where two homes and two businesses sustained extensive damage. Waldo Stadium, on the campus of Western Michigan University, also had major flooding problems.

Read the full account →