Crews from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources added more pumps around the Cheboygan Lock and Dam Complex over the weekend as forecasters warned of additional rain across the northern Lower Peninsula. The move came after rising water levels prompted Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to declare a state of emergency and local officials urged residents to prepare for possible evacuation.
The DNR said the added equipment is meant to move water from behind the dam to the spillway in front, where it can flow toward Lake Huron more quickly. Officials said the river level was 18 inches below the top of the dam when the emergency was declared, rose to within 15 inches by Sunday afternoon, and could climb further as rain and snowmelt continue.
More pumps added as conditions change
By Sunday, five pumps were working at the downtown Cheboygan site, according to the DNR. Two pumps were active on Friday, then three more were added by Saturday afternoon and were running by nightfall.
Richard Hill, Gaylord District supervisor for the DNR’s Parks and Recreation Division, said the agency is trying to secure even more pumping capacity. “All of the dam gates on the DNR-managed portion of the dam are fully open to handle this flow,” Hill said. “The pumps add to the capacity. We are putting through as much water as we can.”
The DNR also said it is working with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the owners and operators of the hydroelectric building at the site. Officials said restoring generation at that station could increase flow through the complex, while some water is already moving through bypass valves on that part of the dam.
Public safety steps expand
Crews have placed about 2,000 sandbags in the area, and more may be added if needed. The DNR said the sandbags are meant to help redirect water and provide a buffer as levels rise.
Officials also removed an old wooden debris screen in front of Gate No. 6 after determining the work would not harm the dam. The agency said the change should help more water move out of the system and reduce pressure behind the structure.
- Ready: Water is 12 inches below the top of the dam and rising 3 inches a day or more.
- Set: Water reaches 6 inches below the top of the dam and is still rising quickly, or forecasts show it could top the dam within 48 hours.
- Go: Water falls to 1 inch below the top of the dam, with a high chance of overtopping and possible dam failure.
John Pepin, deputy public information officer for the DNR, said safety remains the top concern. “Preparedness is key,” Pepin said, adding that people who are informed and ready will be safer if the situation worsens.
Weather outlook keeps pressure on the watershed
Patrick Bak, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Gaylord, said Cheboygan had likely seen less than an inch of rain since Saturday night, while heavier totals fell farther south in places such as Charlevoix and Gaylord. He said rain was still affecting parts of the northern Lower Peninsula on Sunday afternoon before easing later in the day.
Bak said Monday should be quieter, but new rain is forecast for late Monday night and Tuesday. The DNR said the watershed feeding the dam could receive up to 2 inches of rain in the coming days.
What residents are being told to do
Cheboygan County emergency officials are asking residents near the waterway to sign up for Be Alert notifications or call 211 for updates on preparation steps and possible evacuations. Authorities said the area could face evacuations if levels approach the dam’s critical threshold.
The DNR said the high water is being driven by recent rain, snowmelt after a record snowfall in March, and ice thawing in the lakes above the dam. Officials warned that strong currents can wash away shorelines, damage banks, and sweep away people or objects caught in moving water.
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