The Clinton River is officially off-limits in Shelby Township for now, as local fire officials plead with residents to steer clear of the fast, debris-filled waterway after recent storms chewed up banks and supercharged the current.
The Shelby Township Fire Department issued a public warning today advising everyone to stay off and away from the river until conditions calm down. Unstable riverbanks, swift currents and hidden debris have turned what might look like a normal spring river into a risky place to walk, wade or paddle. Residents are being urged to keep children and pets well back from the water's edge and to call 911 if any emergencies arise.
What the fire department is warning
In a Facebook post, the Shelby Township Police Department said the current river conditions increase the risk of injury or accidental drowning and told residents not to walk, fish or recreate on or near the river. The advisory spells it out plainly: if it involves being close to the Clinton River, skip it for now.
The department also called on parents and pet owners to keep kids and animals well away from the banks, which can collapse without warning. For any problems along the river, the department stressed that people should call 911 immediately. The advisory went up today on the department's Facebook page, according to the Shelby Township Fire Department.
Recent high water and flood warnings
It has not just been a local hunch that the river is running high. The National Weather Service office in Detroit/Pontiac has been tracking elevated river stages and issued flood warnings for branches of the Clinton River earlier this month after heavy rainfall, according to the National Weather Service.
Those river rises can send logs, limbs and other debris downstream and undercut the banks, turning seemingly calm stretches into traps with strong undercurrents or sudden drop-offs. Conditions can change quickly after another round of rain or melting upstream, even if the surface looks calm.
Swiftwater rescues underscore the hazard
The warnings are not theoretical. Shelby Township's swiftwater rescue team has already been busy this spring. Crews recently launched specialized water-rescue craft to bring two hikers to safety at River Bends Park after they were trapped by hazardous water conditions, officials told WWJ Newsradio.
The department pointed out that even seasoned hikers and outdoor enthusiasts can get caught off guard when the river suddenly rises or speeds up. A familiar path or crossing can turn risky in a matter of hours.
Trails and parks are vulnerable
The Clinton River's bite is showing up beyond Shelby Township, too. Heavy rain chewed away at riverfront trails elsewhere along the river, including in Rochester, where officials shut down a stretch of the Clinton River Trail after water washed out a 30- to 40-foot section, according to WXYZ.
That kind of erosion can leave abrupt drop-offs at the edge of what looks like a normal trail and can send additional debris into the river, adding to the hazards downstream.
How residents can stay safe
Township officials are asking residents to play it safe by staying away from the Clinton River and its banks until conditions can be checked again and new guidance is posted. Anyone who sees a person in trouble near or in the water should call 911 immediately, according to the Shelby Township Fire Department.
For up-to-date river levels and official flood information, residents can monitor the National Weather Service river summary and follow local emergency channels for further developments.
