Live updates: Severe weather crushes central and northern Michigan

Most of Michigan remains under a flood watch after days of heavy rain.

More than a dozen rivers are overflowing and several dams could be overtaken by high water levels, prompting evacuations in some parts of the state.

Scott Thomas is a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Grand Rapids.

He said it's typical to see rivers flood with spring rains and snow melt, but "this has definitely been a wetter than normal pattern."

"We have received well above normal precipitation over the past couple of weeks," Thomas said. "And that is exacerbating the flooding issues across the area."

Northeast Michigan is expected to get more showers over the weekend starting Friday evening through Saturday night.

Most of the northern Lower Peninsula will continue to be under flood warnings until 8 p.m. Sunday night.

Courtesy of WKAR

The National Weather Service office in Grand Rapids is issuing flood warnings across mid-Michigan for this weekend as heavy precipitation moves through the region.

Cities along the Grand River and its tributaries, including Ionia, can expect minor to moderate flooding.

The Ionia Fairgrounds are located on the Grand River floodplain, and it experiences flooding every spring. However, one Ionia resident visiting the fairgrounds told WKAR News the water level is already the highest she’s ever seen..

The NWS reported that, at 9:45 a.m. Thursday, the Grand River water level in Ionia was 19.3 feet.

Walking trails just south of the Ionia Fairgrounds are already submerged, as are the floors of some on-site barns.

The Grand River is expected to crest around 23 feet in Ionia Saturday evening before receding. Weekend rainfall may change this forecast.

Scott Thomas is a meteorologist with the NWS in Grand Rapids. He said flooding is always expected during the spring, but this year has been a bit more extreme.

“This has definitely been a wetter than normal pattern,” Thomas said. “We have received well above normal precipitation over the past couple of weeks, and that is exacerbating the flooding issues across the area.”

Thomas warns drivers not to attempt to use flooded roads, as the water may be deeper than it appears and could cause drivers and vehicles to become stuck.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than half of all flood-related drownings occur in vehicles.

The National Weather Service warned other areas in Ionia are at risk of flooding this weekend, including the parking lots of the local Dollar General, Save-a-Lot and the Ionia Secretary of State office. Homes along Quarry Road may also be affected by flooding.

Courtesy of WKAR

A bridge near Traverse City collapsed, a dam in Alcona County failed, roadways across many parts of northern Michigan washed away and some people traversed their neighborhoods in kayaks as heavy rains and spring snowmelt raised rivers, lakes and creeks across the region.

The rising waters had Tim Tschirhart wearing waders Wednesday and sloshing through thigh-deep water to his Indian River home to feed his fish. The water at his home on the banks of the Sturgeon River was up to his window sills Tuesday.

“My hot tub was floating away,” he said. “Some friends in a kayak tied it down.”

A winter full of heavy snow, including a record storm in March, melted in recent days, followed by heavy rains last week, swelling waterways.

Read the full story here.

Water levels at the Bellaire Dam remain stable. With no rain today and no rain in the forecast for tomorrow, officials say they’re expecting water levels to begin to recede this evening, but it will be weeks before water levels return to normal.

Right now, Bellaire dam operator Leslie Meyers is asking residents to stay off the waterways.

"Don’t go out on the water right now, there’s lots of debris there," Meyers said. "Firemen are working diligently, trying to get debris out of the water so it doesn’t impact the dam. Our law enforcement and firefighters are very busy right now, and we’d sure hate to have to come chase you down."

Meanwhile, Bellaire is asking residents to reduce their residential water use, because flooding is straining the village’s wastewater treatment plant.

To manage the excess water, partially treated water is being diverted into wetlands, according to a press release from the Health Department of Northwest Michigan.

Bellaire residents are asked to limit their water use to essential needs only, like flushing toilets, washing hands, or cooking, and to avoid long showers or doing laundry.

Because of diverted wastewater in the area, don’t wade, swim or fish near Lake Bellaire.

“Community cooperation is critical to protecting public health and the environment,” said Jeremy Fruk, environmental health director for the department.

Courtesy of Interlochen Public Radio

Residents in northwest Michigan with wells who are affected by flooding and power outages may have a contaminated water supply.

The Health Department of Northwest Michigan informed residents that if flooding occurs around your well, the drinking water could be unsafe to consume.

“After flooding, it’s important to act quickly,” Jeremy Fruk, Environmental Health Director at HDNW, said in a press release. “Do not use well water until you know it is safe. Watch for changes in color, smell or taste.”

According to MSU, well water is contaminated if the well is covered in water.

The department urges residents right now to not drink the water, and instead use water from a safe source and boil for at least five minutes.

After flooding, residents should remove debris from around their well and shouldn’t turn off their system until after it gets checked by an inspector.

The department says city water has a very low risk of contamination.

The three dams on the Hiawatha River are standing stable as widespread flooding continues to wreck northern Michigan.

The dams are located in Montmorency County; the Lower Hiawatha Lake Dam, the Upper Hiawatha Lake Dam, and the Little Brush Lake Dam.

Josef Stephens, the public information officer for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, said as of Wednesday none of these dams have failed, but water levels have dropped in the past two days.

It’s difficult to predict what will happen to the dams if water goes over the top, but emergency actions will take place when needed.

Crews are working around the clock to try and restore road access above the Little Brush Lake Dam.

Stephens says accessing the Lower Hiawatha Dam is proving to be difficult, and the Upper Hiawatha Lake Dam sustained the least amount of damage.

Volunteers in Montmorency County took the time to help the community as they struggled with flooding on Wednesday.

The residents helped with the Moose Lake Dam by filling sandbags used to hold down the dam in order to install a pump.

Two students from the Hillman Christian Academy, a county commissioner and other residents helped out.

“One boy just says he’s always wanted to help, and we’re Christians, and so what you do is when your community and neighbors are in need, we volunteer and step out and help out,” Sally Petrik from the academy said.

She said it was a good opportunity for them to go out into the community and help people that would be affected by the dam breaking.

Mary Hardies is a commissioner for the county and took the time to volunteer. She said when there’s situations like this, residents should stay informed and volunteer.

“Get to your county websites and look for the emergency management pages and see what kind of assistance they need,” She said. “They’re not asking you for all day everyday, it might just be for a few hours. Or in this case, fill some sandbags to help place them.”

The pump was able to be placed in and it’s now assisting with mitigation efforts at the dam.

State roadways continue to disintegrate across Michigan amidst rapid snow melt and wet weather. It’s led to closures, detours and impassable conditions.

“We still have a closure on M-65 down in Iosco County where we’ve got water over the roadway,” James Lake, with the Michigan Department of Transportation, said. “We still have two closures on M-119, one a slope failure and one a complete washout of the road.”

He said drivers should be cautious and should never try to drive through standing water.

Various miles of M-68, the main trunk line from 1-75 into Rogers City in Presque Isle County, have been washed out due to heavy rains across the state.

The rain, which has caused flooding throughout the city, has let up as of Thursday morning.

“We believe that if the rains hold off that this is going to be manageable at this point,” Rogers City Mayor Scott McLennan said.

He said the community hopes the weather will cooperate. An emergency shelter has been set up with alternative power for those who may need it.

Water levels have started to decline, but conditions have made it difficult for those needing access to the roadways.

Michigan’s roads aren’t the only infrastructure that’s affected by heavy flooding, bridges throughout northern Michigan are also getting hit with erosion.

“The US-23 Bascule Bridge up in Cheboygan, still remaining in the up position, so close to vehicle traffic as we wait out the concerns with the Cheboygan lock and dam,” Lake said.

The Health Department of Northwest Michigan is advising residents to follow the Village of Bellaire’s recommendations to limit water use to essential needs only. Recent rainfall and extreme groundwater saturation have caused capacity issues within the Village’s sanitary sewer collection system and wastewater treatment plant.

“The recent weather conditions have placed a significant strain on Bellaire’s wastewater system,” says Jeremy Fruk, Environmental Health Director at HDNW. “The Village of Bellaire is asking all residents and businesses to limit water use. Community cooperation is critical to protecting public health and the environment.”

To manage the excess flow and reduce strain on the system, the wastewater treatment plant is temporarily bypassing a portion of the treatment process. As a result, partially treated wastewater is being discharged into surrounding wetlands.

How You Can Help. Limit water use to essential needs only:

• Flushing toilets,
• Basic sanitation (hand washing, minimal hygiene),
• Cooking-related water use.
• Disconnect sump pumps from the sewer collection system.
• Ways to Reduce Water Usage:
• Avoid long showers or baths,
• Do not run laundry,

Avoid any non-essential water use that drains into the sewer system.

For Your Safety:

Do not enter or come in contact with affected water,

Do not fish or consume any fish from Lake Bellaire and surrounding areas.

The Village of Bellaire will provide updates as conditions improve. To stay informed on local public health updates, consider subscribing to our monthly newsletter by clicking here.

Newaygo County Sheriff Bob Mendham said anyone in the Muskegon River floodplain south of the Croton Dam should seek higher ground immediately.

“Hardy and Croton are not in critical condition they are not our concern at all. It is only the rising water levels due to all the rain,” he said.

The Muskegon River is currently flowing at 10,000 cubic feet per second.

Officials urge residents to use caution as they evacuate, as six inches of moving water can knock you down, and one foot of moving water can sweep your vehicle away.

Residents can seek shelter at the commission on aging building and Mendham says the county is working with the American Red Cross to set up more shelters. County officials say areas are expected to lose power to avoid electrical hazards.

Anyone remaining in the Muskegon River floodplain below Croton Dam in Newaygo County is being directed to evacuate immediately.

Water levels are continuing to rise along the river and emergency managers say public services will no longer be available until it becomes safe to respond.

In an emailed release Thursday morning, county officials said power would be cut off in the floodplain, in order to protect the electrical grid.

As of 9 a.m., the Muskegon River at the Croton Dam was 3 feet above flood stage, and passing more than 13,000 cubic feet of water per second through the dam. That's enough to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool every seven seconds.

Emma J. Nelson

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WKAR

A dairy farm in Montcalm County is dealing with significant damage after severe storms moved through the area late Tuesday night under a tornado warning.

When WKAR News arrived Wednesday afternoon, crews were assessing the destruction at Hull’s Dairy Farm in Fenwick.

The crews were made up of friends, family and neighbors of the Hulls, according to farm owner Janet Hull.

"I'm so appreciative to have everybody show up like they have," she said. "It's just wonderful.”

One barn roof had collapsed, leaving debris scattered across the property and into a neighboring field. Another barn, housing 80 cows, was demolished. At least one cow was killed in the storm, and several others are still missing.

Owners Brian and Janet Hull are now working to account for their animals and begin the cleanup process.

Neighboring farms have taken in some of the Hulls' more than 200 cows while the property is repaired.

The National Weather Service in Grand Rapids has now confirmed multiple tornadoes from the storm system.

According to meteorologist Brandon Hoving, survey teams identified three tornadoes so far:

Two in Allegan County, rated EF-0 and EF-1

The EF-1 continued into Barry County

A separate EF-1 began in Montcalm County and tracked into Gratiot County

That Montcalm County tornado is believed to be responsible for damage in the Fenwick area.

The National Weather Service says teams are still assessing damage in Barry County and may expand into Calhoun County after consulting with local officials. Crews have otherwise wrapped up most of their field work for now.

Officials add that surveys can continue in the coming days as additional photos and videos are reviewed.

Courtesy of WKAR Public Media

Cheboygan County has now been joined by 32 other counties in the central and northern Michigan that are now in a state of emergency.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer made the announcement late Wednesday afternoon in a press release. She says the decision was made due to “significant snowmelt, record rain, flooding, straight-line winds, and tornadoes” damaging communities.

The new counties added include: Alcona, Allegan, Alpena, Antrim, Arenac, Barry, Benzie, Charlevoix, Clare, Crawford, Emmet, Grand Traverse, Gratiot, Iosco, Kalkaska, Lake, Leelanau, Manistee, Menominee, Missaukee, Montcalm, Montmorency, Newaygo, Oceana, Ogemaw, Oscoda, Osceola, Presque Isle, Roscommon, Saginaw, Shiawassee and Wexford.

Under a state of emergency Michigan officials will be able to supply as many resources as available to local response teams and recovery operations.

“The state will continue to coordinate with local governments and monitor the situation,” Whitmer said in the release. “I encourage everyone to stay updated and follow guidance from your local emergency manager. We will get through this together.”

Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy is monitoring six dams across northern Michigan that have been classified to be in critical condition after struggling to keep up with quickly rising water levels.

Josef Stephens, an EGLE spokesperson, said the dams in question have experienced high water flow, sustained damage or are very close to overtopping. It's unclear whether or not they will survive the floods.

Each of the following dams is at risk:

• The Upper Hiawatha Dam, located in Montmorency County – is being closely watched by EGLE
• Hillman Dam, located in Montmorency County – the dam is regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Gravel was placed near the dam in an effort to redirect waterflow.
• Homestead Dam, located in Benzie County –owned by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, who continues to use sandbags to try and divert waterflow over the structure.
• Union Street Dam, located in Grand Traverse County – EGLE officials conducted emergency repairs yesterday, and said the dam is functioning normally.
• Rugg Pond Dam, located in Kalkaska County – EGLE is collaborating with the dam’s operator to maintain the structure’s safety
• Bellaire Dam, located in Antrim County – has sustained damage and sandbags are being placed to minimize impact until permanent repairs can be made.

Dams in critical condition are not guaranteed to fail. It all depends on the size of the dam and magnitude of floods, Stephens said.

The impacts of the flooding will be different for each of the six dams, which vary in size and design. Some dams could fail but not exacerbate flooding, while others could release a large wave and create more damage.

As a precaution, Stephens said EGLE assumes a dam will fail if it is overtopped. From there, EGLE works with local emergency management offices to trigger emergency protocols.

Rick Pluta contributed reporting to this story.

Newaygo County has declared a local state of emergency as floodwaters from the Muskegon and White Rivers threaten the safety of residents.

According to Newaygo County Emergency Services, water has taken over the spillway at the Hesperia Dam in the White River and could soon overtake the dam itself.

Flooding is already harming the structure of the Division Street Bridge upstream of the dam.

Officials are expecting the weekend to bring major flooding in areas near the Muskegon, including Croton, Newaygo and Bridgeton.

Residents should anticipate power outages and bridge/roadway closures.

NCES said the following areas will likely be impacted by floods:

• Leisure Land Subdivision in Bridgeton Township
• Sycamore Flats in Ashland Township
• 100th Ave in Ashland Township
• Old Women’s Bend in Garfield Township
• Anderson Flat’s in Garfield Township
• Fright Hill in Bridgeton Township
• Homesite Park in Bridgeton Township
• River Ridge in Ashland Township
• Bell Meadow Drive in Bridgeton Township
• Devil’s Hole in Brooks Township
• Sarrell Street in the City of Newaygo

The following county roadways have been temporarily closed:

• Division Street Bridge (Maple Island Road) in the Village of Hesperia
• Lee Ave. south of Lake Dr. in Sheridan Township. Culvert failure.
• Osborn Ave. south of 32nd St. in Dayton Township.
• Ramshorn Dr. south of 32nd St. in Dayton Township.
• Luce Ave. north of 32nd St. in Dayton/Sherman Township.
• Comstock Ave. near Adams St. in Denver Township.

Residents should continue to monitor forecasts, announcements from NCES and prepare for evacuation in the event of a flash flood.

The National Weather Service has confirmed multiple tornadoes touched down across parts of West and Mid-Michigan during severe storms Tuesday night.

According to meteorologist Brandon Hoving with the agency’s Grand Rapids office, survey teams have identified at least three tornadoes so far.

Two tornadoes were confirmed in Allegan County, including one rated EF-0 and another rated EF-1. That EF-1 tornado continued into Barry County, where crews are still assessing damage.

A separate EF-1 tornado was also confirmed in Mid-Michigan. Survey teams say it began in Montcalm County and tracked east into Gratiot County.

Earlier in the day, National Weather Service crews were investigating several areas of significant damage, including in Middleton, where strong winds tore the canopy off a Sunoco gas station and tossed it aside.

Survey teams focused on three main corridors: from Allegan County into Barry County, the Carson City area in Montcalm County, and an area near Gerald R. Ford International Airport outside Grand Rapids.

“It’s very investigative, and it takes hours to do,” Hoving said.

Crews examine damage patterns to determine whether it was caused by a tornado or straight-line winds. That includes looking at how trees and structures are damaged, the direction debris fell, and gathering photos, videos, and firsthand accounts from residents.

The National Weather Service says most field work wrapped up Wednesday, but teams are still reviewing damage in parts of Barry County and may expand surveys into Calhoun County after consulting with local officials.

Officials add that the investigation can continue in the coming days as additional photos and video are submitted, which could lead to more confirmed tornadoes or updated details on storm tracks and intensity.

Courtesy of WKAR Public Media

Several roads in Presque Isle County have been shut down, and others are being monitored as floodwaters continue to rise.

“Many roads across the county have standing water, some deeper than others, and often deeper than appearing,” Tim Pritchard, the emergency management coordinator for Presque Isle County, said in a statement.

Areas of concern:

• Bolton Rd, From North Grand Lake to 634 (water on road)
• County RD 441 to US23 (water on road)
• Herron Rd off McIntosh (water on road)
• South Portor Rd, south of M68 (closed)
• Heythaler west of Klee to Grossman Rd - (closed)
• County Rd 451 south of Heythaler to Ristow Rd (closed)
• Quade Rd at Klee Rd (closed)
• Klee Rd between Wenzel and M-68 (closed)
• Pritchard said this is not a complete list of affected roads and is urging residents to exercise extreme caution if they must travel.

The Michigan State Police is asking the public to remember the slogan “turn around, don’t drown” when encountering water-covered roads.

Cristin Coppess

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WCMU

There are over 25 severe flood warnings and watches in effect across WCMU’s coverage area as of 3:15 p.m. today, Wednesday April 15.

Areas under severe flood warnings: Alcona, Alpena, Antrim, Arenac, Bay, Benzie, Cheboygan, Clinton, Crawford, Emmett, Gladwin, Grand Traverse, Gratiot, Ionia, Iosco, Kalkaska, Leelanau Midland, Montmorency, Newaygo, Presque Isle, Ogema, Oscoda, Otsego, Osceola, Roscommon, Saginaw, Shiawassee, Wexford

Areas under severe flood watches: Antrim (flash flood), Bay, Chippewa Clare, Clinton, Genesee, Gratiot, Huron, Ionia, Isabella, Lake, Lapeer, Luce, Mackinaw, Mecosta, Midland, Montcalm, Newaygo, Osceola, Saginaw, Shiawassee, Tuscola

Luce County is also under a dense fog advisory.

Residents in northwest lower Michigan’s Cross Village are showing concerned about their ability to travel as erosion and snowmelt along M-119’s “Tunnel of Trees” has left a gaping hole in the roadway.

With the detour, people are concerned they will be unable to safely and timely travel.

"It's a concern on whether they can get to doctor appointments, to work, to other family members, anywhere north that's being affected by this," said Joann Condino, owner of Three Pines Studio and Gallery in Cross Village.

Multiple other roads in the region are also flooded, with the water now reaching many homes, Condino said.

However, Condino says the emergency response has been useful during these times.

"There's been some wonderful dispatch from many of the agencies of trying to give information, especially the folks around Cheboygan,” she said. “But everyone has been alerted as best they can.”

M-119 is currently closed between Island View Road and Division Road.

Antrim County officials are asking residents to begin preparing for an evacuation as water levels at the Bellaire Dam continue to rise.

According to the county’s public information officer, Janet Koch, people immediately near the dam are currently the most at risk.

“If you don't feel safe in your home, please self-evacuate, don't wait for us to tell you to do so,” Koch said. “Your safety is most important, and we can't unfortunately be everywhere.”

Evacuations will take place once the dam reaches one inch below the top of the dam. As of Wednesday morning it was 12 inches below.

The Bridge Street culvert in the nearby village of Ellsworth is also at risk of failure, Koch said. If it were to fail the incoming water would add more pressure to the dam.

Bellaire is expected to get more rain Wednesday and Thursday.

Courtesy

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Craig Baas

Wexford County declared a local state of emergency Tuesday night as Lake Cadillac hits record water levels. Local officials say multiple roads have been washed out with extensive damage to culverts in the area.

On her drive from Cadillac to Mount Pleasant Wednesday morning, WCMU’s Jamie Mankiewicz said the community is in shock.

“It's only a month after having the ice storms and we were without power. So it's just like hit after hit,” Mankiewicz said. “But I think everyone's really just surprised at the lake levels, especially over by the high school where the road is covered completely.”

She said her children still had to go to school today despite the flooding.

“We were alerted by the high school of several roads not to use,” Mankiewicz said.

People within Cadillac are seeing the water enter their basements as the water continues to rise, according to Mankiewicz.

“We have a friend who lives right on Lake Cadillac and is running continuously water out of his house, but as fast as he's pumping it out, it's coming back in,” she said.

Wexford County residents can get emergency alerts sent to their phone through the MI Ready Program.

As central and northern Michigan deal with historic flooding, we want to know what's happening where you are.

Dial 989-774-NEWS (6397) to leave us a voicemail. We'll ask you to tell us your name, where you're calling from, and how the flood is impacting you, your family, and your community. If you would like us to call you back, please include a phone number at the end.

By leaving a message, you agree to allow WCMU to use the audio, at our discretion, in a future broadcast. We will not disclose your contact information on air.

A culvert at Bridge Street in Ellsworth is overwhelmed with storm water. Emergency managers in Antrim County say if the culvert fails, "a large amount of water will immediately be released," causing widespread flooding on the Upper Chain.

The release of water would also increase pressure on the Bellaire Dam, already strained as water levels continue to rise.

If the Ellsworth culvert fails, Antrim County officials will send an alert via the RAVE system. Sign up for alerts here.

Courtesy of Interlochen Public Radio

Republican State Rep. Cam Cavitt posted a video on social media Tuesday from Presque Isle County showing extensive damage to roads outside of Rogers City. The Michigan State Police are asking people not to drive through standing water and to abide by the adage "turn around, don't drown."

A tornado watch is in effect until 4 a.m. Wednesday for areas along and south of US-10 in the Lower Peninsula.

The National Weather Service says storms tonight may bring damaging wind gusts, large hail, heavy rain, and the possibility of isolated tornadoes. Residents should monitor conditions closely and be prepared to take shelter quickly if a tornado warning is issued.

Before going to bed, make sure you have multiple ways to receive warnings — including a weather app with push notifications, Wireless Emergency Alerts enabled on your phone, or a NOAA weather radio.

A round of severe weather is expected across much of the Lower Peninsula tonight and early tomorrow morning.

According to the National Weather Service, damaging winds, large hail, and even tornados are possible overnight.

Meteorologists say you should have multiple ways to receive weather warnings tonight, including mobile phones and weather radios.

In a press release, Antrim County Emergency Management officials announced that water levels at Bellaire Dam have risen to within 12 inches of portions of the dam’s top.

This triggers the “Ready” stage protocol for the Intermediate River area downstream of the Bellaire Dam.

View and download a map here.

According to the release:

All residents and businesses on the Intermediate River downstream of the Bellaire Dam are advised to pack for an evacuation. A "go-bag" should include medications and any important documents. Also recommended: securing outdoor items and moving valuables to higher levels.

If you choose to self-evacuate, please identify your home as empty by attaching something brightly colored to your front doorknob, e.g., a beach towel or a large scarf. An alternative would be using painter's tape to tape a large X on the door.

The three safety protocols are:

Ready: When water is 12 inches below the top of the dam with levels rising 3 inches a day or more. Plan and/or pack in the event an evacuation becomes necessary.

Set: When water reaches 6 inches below the top of the dam, with water levels rising at a rate of 3 inches per day or levels rising 3 inches per day and predicted to top the dam within 48 hours.
Prepare by packing and preparing your family, pets, and vehicle for potential departure.

Go: When water levels are 1 inch below the top of the dam with a high probability of topping it, with the potential for failure occurring. Follow evacuation orders; roadblocks may be installed around the perimeters.

Courtesy of Interlochen Public Radio

Downtown Kalkaska is reporting flooding, with multiple businesses finding water in their basements.

At the Kalkaska Public Library, staff had to remove books from shelves and away from walls as water entered the basement, which houses roughly 20,000 items, including children’s materials and archival collections.

“It’s no good to have all sorts of books in a damp basement that’s prone to flooding,” said library director John Roberts.

Roberts said repeated flooding is one reason the library needs a new building.

Next door, McLean’s Hardware also reported several inches of water in its basement.

Residents also tell IPR the bridge over North Branch Boardman River has been flooded.

Courtesy of Interlochen Public Radio

Storm damage delayed Michigan’s efforts to stock steelhead for the season.

The Department of Natural Resources was set to start egg collection at the Little Manistee River Weir this morning.

But instead, staff spent the morning pulling at least 1,200 dead fish from holding pens after power knocked out the weir’s oxygen circulation.

“We've given some away, and we've collected as much data as we could off the fish, so we're trying to make lemonade as best we can there,” said Mark Tonello, a fisheries biologist with the DNR.

Still, he said the situation is their “worst nightmare,” he said.

Tonello said this will delay their plan to collect 4.6 million eggs. The team still plans to collect eggs from the remaining fish still alive tomorrow and into next week.

Allen Lemieux drove from Grand Rapids to see the annual egg collection and said it was sad to see all the dead fish.

“I've been fishing for over 50 years, and I've never been here to witness it, and I wanted to come over and see it,” Lemieux said. “I figure I don't have many more years, that I wanted to witness it. I'm shocked.”

The DNR said it’s not yet clear how this will affect the steelhead season long-term.

The Little Manistee River Weir is Michigan’s only source of steelhead. Eggs are sent to hatcheries in Michigan, Indiana and Ohio.

Courtesy of Interlochen Public Radio

Fred Chacon lives on the Intermediate River in one of the first houses downstream of the Bellaire dam. Some friends came over this afternoon to help him line up sandbags between his house and the riverbank.

“These are a hot commodity right now, these sandbags," Chacon said. "I bought all the ones at the hardware store — there were 42 of them — but I may need to get more.”

Chacon has lived in Bellaire for 12 years and said he’s never seen the river levels this high and this close to his house.

Leslie Meyers, who is Antrim County's drain commissioner and operator of dams, agreed.

"It’s never been to this height," Meyers said. "Last year was the highest-recorded heights we had for the river system up here … we are seven-tenths of a foot over last year’s high."

Meyers is in the midst of an effort to raise more than six million dollars for dam repairs, including an overflow spillway. She said that if those updates were in place right now, Bellaire wouldn't be dealing with the current threat of severe flooding and potential dam failure.

Antrim County Undersheriff George Lasater said he and his colleagues have been warning residents about what to do if there is a dam failure.

“We went door to door ... and just made contact with everybody that was home and the ones that weren't home. We posted notices on the door, basically, like, 'Heads up… there's potential for problems,'” Lasater said.

As of Tuesday afternoon, crews were on the scene preparing to fill in the berm surrounding the dam with sand and working to repair one spot where water was seeping through the dam.

Courtesy of Interlochen Public Radio

Construction on FishPass could be temporarily delayed, after rain and runoff flowed into the cofferdam that's typically dry. That's after a retaining wall along an alley above the construction site collapsed.

Sections of Lot K in downtown Traverse City south of State Street remain closed after the erosion of the wall.

Leah Bagdon McCallum, a spokesperson for FishPass, said no river water has entered the cofferdam, and several pumps are working to remove rain and runoff that has collected there.

She added that construction materials in the cofferdam that got wet, like rebar and dimensional lumber, will still be usable for the project.

Courtesy of Interlochen Public Radio

Water levels at the Hillman Dam in northeast Michigan are receding, county officials say, while most of northern Michigan contunies to deal with widespread flooding. On Monday, water was spilling over the dam in Montmorency County.

“If we do get a ton of rain, those conditions can change and we will, obviously we’ll keep communicating with local folks as far as what they need to do,” Sarah Melching, the emergency manager director for the county, said. “But, at this point we don’t see any emergent needs as far as people needing to evacuate from that Hillman Dam area.”

She says the emergency plan has been activated and the county has done a local state declaration as a precautionary measure.

In the Welcome to Hillman Michigan Facebook group, various members showed water levels around the dam, the Thunder Bay River and certain areas with water levels near windows.

“Most of the snow melted here in the county now and between the snow, the snow melt and the water, it just kind of hit all at once,” Melching said. “So, we have a good feeling that the water table is going to start going down.”

The National Weather Service has showers on the radar up until Thursday night for the Hillaman area. There’s an active flood watch for the area until 8 a.m. on Wednesday.

Courtesy

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Emmett County Sherrif's Office

All eyes remain on the Cheboygan Dam as rainfall and melting snow continue to raise water levels there. But officials with the Michigan Department of Transportation say the same weather conditions have wreaked havoc across many northwest Michigan roadways.

This has caused erosion issues and led to some roads collapsing, including a stretch of M-119 in Emmet County. WCMU's Tina Sawyer spoke with MDOT's James Lake to learn more about the roadway.

Listen to the full conversation.

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Antrim County

People downstream of the Bellaire Dam in Antrim County are now being advised to prepare for a potential evacuation as water levels continue to rise.

Village officials are saying this is likely record levels for the dam, which is currently being heavily monitored. Since the last check it has lowered a bit due to a feeder stream, but the county is expecting it to raise again with additional rainfall Monday evening.

People were informed Monday afternoon if they are in immediate danger through local law enforcement.

Antrim County’s Public Information Officer, Janet Koch, told WCMU the best thing for people downstream to do is prepare for the worst.

“Make sure you have everything you need for a go bag, medications, know where your important documents are, and just kind of planning for if the worst may happen. We're not at that point, but being ready is more than half the battle,” Koch said.

Antrim County is asking resident to follow the “ready, set, go” approach to safety:

• Ready: When water is 12 inches below the top of the dam with levels rising 3 inches a day or more. Plan and/or pack in the event an evacuation becomes necessary
  
• Set: When water reaches 6 inches below the top of the dam, with water levels rising at a rate of 3 inches per day or levels rising 3 inches per day and predicted to top the dam within 48 hours. Prepare by packing and preparing your family, pets, and vehicle for potential departure.
  
• Go: When water levels are 1 inch below the top of the dam with a high probability of topping it, with the potential for failure occurring. Follow evacuation orders; roadblocks may be installed around the perimeters.

Updates can be found at the Antrim County Emergency Management and the Village of Bellaire Facebook pages. Emergency alerts will be sent out through the county’s rave alerts system as needed.

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Consumers Energy

Manistee, Alcona and Oscoda counties are under a flash-flood warning as heavy rain pushed too much water into basins of the Mio and Tippy Dams.

Consumers Energy, the owners of the two dams, has opened all the gates to keep water levels in a safe range. But the excess water flowing into the Au Sable and Manistee Rivers is causing water to creep up riverbanks.

Brian Wheeler, a spokesperson for Consumers, told WCMU widespread flooding is not anticipated. The low-lying areas downstream of the dams are most at risk for water-related damages.

“Our dams are built to withstand situations that you might see once in every hundred or even thousand years,” Wheeler said. “The dams themselves are operating as they're supposed to in situations like this.”

Michael Boguth is a meteorologist for the National Weather Service station in Gaylord. He said more rain is coming in the next few days, which could continue to cause water levels to rise.

Residents in affected areas are encouraged to monitor the weather forecast and avoid any flooded areas whenever possible.

We note Consumers Energy is a sponsor of WCMU. We report on them as we do with any other organization.

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Pellston Regional Airport

Intense flooding across Pellston Regional Airport’s runways has caused officials within the company to cancel all flights in and out Monday afternoon, according to an announcement posted on the airport's Facebook page.

The flooding now covers both runways to the point it is unsafe for planes to land. Landing exceptions are being made at the end of the runway for necessary helicopter flights. Airport officials have said they will continue to monitor the situation and apologize for any inconveniences.