NEWAYGO, Mich. — A Flood Warning is in effect for the Muskegon River south of Croton, and Newaygo County neighbors are preparing for the worst.
According to the National Weather Service, flooding conditions may be worse than the 2018 flooding in the area. Based on the current forecast, the river is expected to crest Friday to Saturday.
WATCH: Neighbors move furniture, plan to evacuate as Muskegon River rises
I talked with a brother and sister duo who say their Newaygo-area home has been in their family for decades. The long-standing family staple is quickly becoming surrounded by rising water.
"Our family has owned this property since 1940," Hyla Kooiman said.
Kooiman pointed out the landmarks for the shoreline.
"That little row of trees… that's the edge of where the river should be," Kooiman said. "The darker color tree over there is right on the edge of the bank."
Even the gate closing off their home from the road is flooded. Levels were rapidly rising just in the short time I spoke with Kooiman and her brother, Merle Carpenter. To prepare, they are elevating their furniture.
"We got tables, we put a couch up on the table," Kooiman said.
Nearby neighbor Jason Nurmi is doing the same.
"The closets have been completely removed," Nurmi said. "Cots, all of the furniture, chairs, the dining room sets."
Nurmi also moved his refrigerator and other household items.
I spoke with Nurmi on Tuesday when he began clearing out his home.
"We’re right around 13 and a half [feet] right now… and once it hits about 14 and a half, it'll be at my foundation. And our forecast right now is for 16 and a half. So that's going to put us well into the flood zone. I would anticipate about a foot of water in the house at that point," Nurmi said.
Nurmi plans to evacuate on Thursday.
"You're going to have standing water in the house, and you just can't live in it with standing water," Nurmi said.
At the nearby boat launch, a sign was visible in the water on Tuesday afternoon. By Wednesday afternoon, the water had risen significantly higher.
"This will be the fourth time we've had to kind of do the evacuation," Nurmi said. "Since 2017."
"It was not at this level for 2018. So I anticipate we're going to have more damage this year, and flooding," Nurmi said.
In the meantime, Kooiman is looking ahead to brighter days.
"I know for some people, it looks horrible, but we just deal with it and when we’re done… we get a power washer, we get big fans and just clean it out… then we're back in enjoying the place for the summer," Kooiman said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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