Flood warning lingers in Cheboygan County; water levels hover about 7.9 inches away from dam
Water levels dropped slightly at the Cheboygan Lock and Dam Complex in Northern Michigan during Sunday night and Monday, but the region is not out of danger yet.
Peak river flow is expected within the next day or so, the Michigan State Police Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division said. The National Weather Service in Gaylord said a flood warning continues for parts of Cheboygan and Emmet counties until 8 p.m. Tuesday, and that there will be "slow improvement" as water levels recede.
The Cheboygan River water depth was 7.92 inches below the top of the dam at noon Monday, state officials said. Previous readings were 7.68 inches below the top of the dam at 9:30 a.m. Monday; and 7.56 inches at 10 p.m. Sunday. It was at 7.08 inches on Saturday afternoon.
The highest reported water level so far in the scenario was 5.28 inches on April 16, at which point local officials stepped up their alert level and told Cheboygan-area residents to prepare for evacuation. If water reaches within an inch of the dam's top, that is when an evacuation order will go out.
Michigan DNR officials held the latest in a series of public meetings about the Northern Michigan flooding on Sunday evening.
History of the flooding
State officials started monitoring the Cheboygan River on April 7, after snowmelt and additional rains pushed the water to 21.5 inches below the top of the Cheboygan dam.
Sandbagging started on April 9, followed by the installation of temporary water pumps. Additional steps to prevent the water from overtopping the dam.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer opened the State Emergency Operations Center on April 10 to coordinate efforts on flood response.
Keeping debris out of river water
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources Incident Management Team has been pulling a jam of wood and river-borne debris away from the Tower Dam on the Black River, which feeds into the Cheboygan River, state officials said Sunday.
They have also opened gates to increase water flow through Kleber Dam, and are plugging up sinkholes near Alverno Dam. The Bascule Bridge along U.S. 23 in Cheboygan was also closed to traffic.
"Besides all of these activities, we have people out in boats removing debris from the river so that dam gates stay clear," said Mike Janisse, co-leader of the Incident Management Team.
Cheboygan County Road Commission is also asking the public to pay attention to road closing notices and signs. Even if the water has receded in a given area, the road crews want to prevent further damage and erosion on the barricaded roads.
Hydroelectric plant is still running
The hydroelectric plant in Cheboygan, which is privately owned, has been shuttered since 2023. But the turbines were placed back in operation on Friday, with 16 large-capacity pumps moving water through and over the dam. The intention was to help redirect as much water as possible and alleviate pressure at the dam.
"The hydroelectric turbines have been operating well and playing an integral role in keeping water levels stable as peak flow is expected over the next couple of days," said Richard Hill, who co-leads the Incident Management Team.
