Midland residents prepare as Tittabawassee River rises again

MIDLAND, Mich. (WNEM) – People in Midland are watching with familiar unease as the Tittabawassee River rises again.

The river is forecasted to crest on Thursday, April 16, but locals tell TV5 they know what to expect and are ready.

As storms move through Mid-Michigan early Wednesday morning, people are thinking ahead to what rising water could bring.

“Around here, it’s kind of normal,” said Noah Groulx, a Midland resident. “Unless we do get the warnings of where the roads are flooded, and you know, please try to avoid these roads. Then it does become more of a concern.”

The concern is that the Tittabawassee River is expected to climb above flood stage.

“I live on a tributary of the Tittabawassee River,” said Belle Fawcett, a Midland resident. “So, I’m always keeping an eye on it.”

That means low-lying areas and streets near the river could see water, and drivers could be forced to reroute.

“Making sure that I check the roads to make sure that I can get to work tomorrow to drop the kids off, do all that stuff,” said Alexyss Delong, a Midland resident.

“We live in Michigan,” said Delong. “So, I say it could be really bad. It could not be really bad. So, it’s kind of like a wait and see game.”

For some, preparation is already underway, moving things up, checking drains, and staying ready.

“Kind of just pulling everything in, making sure we got, like in our driveway, we’ve got very big holes. So, right now, we’re making sure that we go ahead and prepare for that,” said Groulx.

Others said it is about staying alert as conditions change fast, or those conditions may not come at all.

“I think that it’s still going to be fine compared to the other stuff that I’ve already lived through,” said Fawcett. “So, I’m not too worried.”

“We’re kind of just expecting it. It’s normal here in midland, Michigan,” said Groulx.

With rain sticking around, Midland residents will be watching closely knowing that it will not take much for conditions to change.

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