Flooding State of Emergency: Report Damage and Prepare
Published on April 17, 2026
The City of Kalamazoo has declared a local state of emergency following widespread damage and property loss caused by prolonged rainfall, saturated soil, elevated river and creek levels, and ongoing flooding conditions.
Numerous homes throughout Kalamazoo have experienced basement flooding and water intrusion due to abnormally high groundwater levels. Localized street and infrastructure flooding have also occurred in several areas. The Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety, and crews from the Kalamazoo Department of Public Services are actively deployed across the city assisting impacted residents. Additional rainfall is forecasted, and increased flow rates from the Kalamazoo River are expected to further elevate groundwater levels and worsen flooding conditions, including the potential for additional damage to public infrastructure.
Kalamazoo residents are strongly encouraged to check their basements and homes for signs of flooding or water intrusion. If flooding is identified, residents are asked to report it using the City’s self-reporting survey at the following link: https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/6e1d8996f0704b9fab5395eecd63a65e
This reporting tool feeds directly to Kalamazoo Emergency Management and helps the City assess impacts and allocate resources effectively.
To assist residents in protecting their homes, Public Services is establishing sandbag distribution sites at the following locations:
- Northside Association for Community Development (NACD), 612 N Park St
- Douglass Community Association, 1000 W Paterson St
- Edison Neighborhood Association, 816 Washington Ave
Residents may obtain free sandbags to help mitigate water intrusion, particularly around basement entry points and foundation cracks. Public Services projects that the sandbag distribution sites will be open by 2 p.m. today, April 17.
Additionally, the Michigan State Police Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division is coordinating the distribution of cleanup kits for affected residents. Individuals in need of cleanup supplies should call 211 to request assistance.
City of Kalamazoo officials continue to monitor conditions closely and will provide updates as necessary. Residents are urged to remain vigilant and take proactive steps to protect their property. For additional information and updates, please monitor official City of Kalamazoo communication channels, including the Kalamazoo City Emergency Management Facebook page.