KALAMAZOO COUNTY, Mich. — As waters rise in rivers and streams in Kalamazoo County, they're under strict monitoring by local officials.
This week, residents are being kept informed just in case they need to act.
The Kalamazoo River, through Merrill Park in Comstock Township, is one of the areas more prone to flooding.
The Kalamazoo County Sheriff's Office said with the past few days of rainfall, they will continue to track the river's rise and, if necessary, act to protect peoples' properties.
"We have no significant issues right now, and nobody has brought anything to our attention that would be any cause for concern," said Sheriff Richard Fuller with the Kalamazoo County Sheriff's Office.
Over the past couple of days, the rainfall has been heavy in Kalamazoo County, elevating water levels in a local river and streams.
"We want people to know that the flow of the river is constantly monitored, and there are a lot of people paying attention to this and alerting you as soon as we can," said Sheriff Fuller.
It's a joint effort through the Kalamazoo County Sheriff's Office, the Office of Emergency Management and the city of Kalamazoo, who are all keeping an eye on the Kalamazoo River, ready to alert residents if the waters rise too high.
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"We want them to know that if there is going to be an action point, where we say, ‘Hey, we are going to have to take action,’ even if the action point is 'we are going to have to release a higher flow from the dam,' we want people to know that," said Sheriff Fuller.
The Morrow Dam is also keeping communication with law enforcement, notifying them if they plan to adjust water flow.
On Tuesday, operators increased flows into the Kalamazoo River to keep levels on the Morrow Pond down, ready to absorb extra water from heavy rainfall upstream.
"The flow was a little heavier for the while, but again, in the end, we are constantly monitoring this with all our partners to make sure that if there is going to be any significant issues, we alert people as soon as possible," said Sheriff Fuller.
The sheriff's office said ice jams and debris are also a cause for concern in the winter months, and want to make sure residents know the communication lines remain open.
"Just listen to the news; if you have issues, reach out to your local sheriff’s office or 911, and we can check on the issue and hopefully solve any problems," said Sheriff Fuller.
Sheriff Fuller also reminds people to stay away from any flooding, even if it's just a little bit. He said the current could be stronger than people think.
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