The Red Cedar River was moving much too fast for Colleen Curran and her husband Jesse Schultz on Thursday -- that's when they decided to just launch their kayaks directly from a parking lot on Michigan State University's campus.

Melting snow and heavy rains caused the Lansing area to experience some of its heaviest flooding in more than 40 years. The Red Cedar River through MSU's campus was expected to crest to 10.3 feet Thursday - flood stage is 7 feet, according to the National Weather Service.

Out on the water, Curran and Schultz could see the bridges, and where the river would typically flow through campus, but the water seemed to stretch endlessly. They could row right up to the Sparty statue at the end of Beal Street. And you could continue down Red Cedar Road still rowing, past Spartan Stadium, or head right onto the Drayton McLane Baseball Stadium - never once leaving water.

"It just seemed like something fun to do, and different," said Curran, 27, an account executive at MLive. "We kayak the same rivers all the time. It's not often it floods and we get to do something different."

Some classes at Michigan State University had been relocated, and some areas on campus near the river have been closed off.

The city of Lansing and Lansing Township declared states of emergency Wednesday night as flooding forced evacuations and multiple road closures in the area. Roads were closed due to water throughout East Lansing and Meridian Township.

Water levels are expected to begin receding today, but a flood warning remains in effect for the Red Cedar River until late Monday, Feb. 26.

Curran said she and her husband spent most of their kayak trip in flood waters on roads and trails through campus - rowing down the usually dry River Trail, or through Beal Botanical Gardens, where water went right up to the library.

For Curran, the coolest sight was paddling through the baseball and softball diamonds, where water was so deep, at times their paddles didn't even touch ground. The doors to the hitting and pitching facility were open, allowing Curran and Schultz to paddle through, giving Curran the feeling of being on the Titanic.

"Everyone was out there taking photos," Curran said. "Someone asked us for a ride to class. Students couldn't get anywhere."