In partnership with Central Michigan University’s College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, WCMU's “The Sanford Voices Project” documents the personal histories of those affected by the disaster, and how they recovered.

Five years ago this week heavy rainfall and record flooding resulted in the breeching of two privately owned dams, resulting in the evacuation of over 10,000 people in Midland County. Now, the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers are conducting a study to try and prevent the next disaster.

Five years after the Edenville Dam failure, around 60 dams in Michigan have received grants for repairs, but the state program, that oversees these projects, is running out of funds.

Five years after historic rainfall destroyed the Forest Lake spillway, the community is on the verge of getting their lake back after cobbling together a series of grants.

Gladwin County homeowner Jim Hall says it took 8.5 hours for the canals around Wixom Lake to drain after the Edenville Dam failed in 2020. Officials estimate it could take two to seven years for all the water to return.

Much of the restored materials from the 2020 flooding is in storage awaiting a new home at Midland Center for the Arts.

On May 19, 2020, Sanford Lake Marina Owner Linda Shephard was getting ready to reopen the business when she got a text that she had to evacuate the area due to an incoming flood. Five years later, she is still rebuilding but is hopeful that the marina will be up and running after the lake returns.

On May 19, 2020, parts of Gladwin and Midland counties were flooded after two dams failed after days of heavy rain. The state of Michigan is being sued for damages tied to the floods.

Dam rebuilding is moving forward in Midland and Gladwin counties after a legal appeal against the project’s financing was denied, but some still say there needs to be a better way to fund these kinds of projects.

In the five years since the Sanford dam failure, the village has rebuilt. But financial challenges persist as the community works on infrastructure projects and prepares for a special assessment to rebuild the dam.