Manistee River level at Wellston
Michigan · Fishing & wading
Measured at USGS 04125550 — MANISTEE RIVER NEAR WELLSTON, MI · NWS forecast point WLSM4
Reading taken · as of 33 min ago
About normal for the date
At 1,510 CFS, this gauge is running 108% of normal for mid-September — close to the 1,400 CFS median USGS has recorded for this date across 29 years of record (1997–2026).
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Flow history at Wellston
Daily values from USGS 04125550, updated every 15 to 60 minutes; NWS forecast for WLSM4 reissued through the day. Provisional.
Highest crests on record at Wellston
12 on record
| Stage | Flow | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 12.03 ft | 9,390 CFS | Apr 16, 2026 |
| 11.14 ft | 6,700 CFS | Apr 15, 2014 |
| 11.06 ft | 6,500 CFS | Jun 14, 2008 |
| 10.91 ft | 6,130 CFS | Mar 31, 1998 |
| 10.32 ft | 4,749 CFS | May 20, 2020 |
| 10.25 ft | 4,590 CFS | Mar 23, 2007 |
| 10.25 ft | 4,590 CFS | Mar 13, 2006 |
| 10.24 ft | 4,570 CFS | May 4, 2012 |
| 10.21 ft | 4,510 CFS | Apr 1, 2016 |
| 10.21 ft | 4,510 CFS | Aug 14, 2018 |
Crests published by the National Weather Service.
About Manistee River at Wellston
In Michigan — the reading paddlers, anglers and outfitters here check before committing to a shuttle. Below Tippy Dam; premier Michigan steelhead tailwater.
Manistee River at Wellston — common questions
3 questions
What makes the flow change on Manistee River at Wellston?
Rain upstream, plus seasonal baseflow. The 12-month chart shows how it behaves through the year.
Is Manistee River at Wellston high or low for this time of year?
The USGS median flow for mid-September here is 1,400 CFS, from 29 years of record (1997–2026). Today is 108% of it. The comparison is what makes the raw number mean anything: the same reading is a drought on one river and a flood on another.
How often does this reading update?
USGS transmits from gauge 04125550 every 15 to 60 minutes, and the National Weather Service reissues the flood forecast for WLSM4 a few times a day — more often when the river is rising. This page refreshes from both when you open it. The timestamp is in the gauge's local time.