This story was originally published by Bridge Michigan, a nonprofit and nonpartisan news organization. To get regular coverage from Bridge Michigan, sign up for a free Bridge Michigan newsletter here.
CHEBOYGAN — 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.
Practically all of Michigan is under a flood watch through Thursday. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency in Alcona, Allegan, Alpena, Antrim, Arenac, Barry, Benzie, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, 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 counties.
But the situation is particularly dire Up North.
State engineers were monitoring at least seven northern Michigan dams as waters built behind them, most notably at the Cheboygan Dam and Lock Complex, where water was just under 7 inches below the top as of Wednesday afternoon.
There, crews used sandbags and pumps — a pair of them capable of moving 10,000 gallons a minute — to divert water as they watched upstream flooding in places like Black Lake and Indian River move slowly toward them.
No deaths or injuries were reported, but rain is forecast in much of the state on Thursday and Saturday.
“It’s coming,” Michigan Department of Natural Resources spokesperson Kathleen Lavey said Wednesday afternoon. “I think what we are banking on here is that, if more water does come down the river, we will be somewhat ready for it.”
Crews on Wednesday continued working to get a powerhouse adjacent to the Cheboygan Dam operational. That would significantly increase the amount of water flowing through the complex and could prevent failure.
Among the devastation:
- A bridge on Beitner Road outside of Traverse City collapsed overnight Wednesday, the Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office said on Facebook.
- Buck’s Pond Dam, a small dam in Alcona County, failed Monday night, the water flowing into Hubbard Lake, the Michigan State Police said in a news release. The roadway over the dam was damaged but officials expect no other safety issues.
- Significant flooding prompted evacuations from Alpena to Indian River to Emmet County.
- Roads washed away in several places throughout northern Michigan, including in Alcona and Presque Isle counties.
- More than 1,700 fish died after a storm knocked out power to the Little Manistee River weir, where state biologists collect eggs for restocking steelhead.
Separately, the National Weather Service confirmed two tornadoes in Saginaw County on Tuesday night, while others were suspected in near Otsego and Carson City, including one that displaced hundreds of cows from a Montcalm County dairy operation.
In addition the Cheboygan Dam, state engineers are watching six other dams, including:
- Upper Hiawatha Dam in Montmorency County, which is in “a critical state,” Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy spokesperson Josef Stephens said in an email to Bridge Michigan.
- Hillman Dam in Montmorency County, where crews placed gravel to direct the flow of water “to the greatest extent possible,” Stephens said.
- Homestead Dam in Benzie County, where crews are placing sandbags to control the flow of water.
- Union Street Dam in Grand Traverse County, where emergency repairs were made Tuesday and which is now functioning normally.
- Rugg Pond Dam in Kalkaska, where state crews are working with the private operator to ensure issues are addressed.
- Bellaire Dam in Antrim County, where sandbags have been placed until a more permanent repair can happen.
“All dam classification levels are experiencing issues, local emergency management is engaged with these sites and are prioritizing life safety to the greatest extent possible, up to evacuations,” Stephens said.
Some 19 miles from Cheboygan, residents in Indian River spent Wednesday assessing damage from a historic flood.
“I’ve never seen it this bad, not even close,” said Don Nivelt, who has lived in the area since the 1950s.
What worried Nivelt the most, he said, was where the floodwater was going — toward Cheboygan and an already-stressed dam. That dam holds back water that keeps the water high in popular Burt Lake and Mullet Lake. One estimate is that lake levels would drop 2 feet.
If the dam gives way, water will drop in those lakes and the inland waterway.
“The waterway is maintained to 6 feet (depth),” Nivelt said. “If it drops to 4 feet, there will be some boats that can’t get through.
“If we lose the dam, it’ll be a bad summer for business,” Nivelt said.
Tschirhart and his wife, Wendy, are staying at a motel until they can figure out what to do.
That may be a while. Water was lower Wednesday, but still inside his home. “We have flood insurance,” he said. “But a lot of people around here don’t.”
Farther down the Sturgeon River, where it flows into Burt Lake, a large plain of calf-deep water covered the lawns and parking lots of homes, most of which are summer homes for people who winter in other states.
Dave Bouma waded through the water Wednesday morning to reach his home. He and family members had stacked belongings, from recliners to a printer on top of tables earlier in the week. On Wednesday, the water was “3 inches” from entering his home.
A home directly across the river wasn’t as lucky, with the California owners getting a stream of photos of the damage from neighbors.
Bryan Haskill of DTE Gas Co. was walking the same neighborhood, looking to see if gas intakes were still above water. Several weren’t on Tuesday, when he used a kayak to survey homes.
“We’re still cleaning up from last year’s ice storm,” which knocked out power to some homes for weeks, Haskill said. “Now this.”
