An aerial shot of the Cheboygan dam on April 11, 2026 (Photo: Michigan DNR)
CHEBOYGAN, Mich. (FOX 2) - As water levels continue to rise at the Cheboygan dam, the county's sheriff's office is urging residents downstream of the dam to start packing essentials in case they are evacuated.
The Cheboygan County Sheriff's Office said just before 5:30 a.m. that the dam levels had reached the "ready" mark. According to Michigan's Emergency Management & Homeland Security Division, the ready level has been reached when the water is 12 inches below the top of the dam with levels rising 3 inches or more a day. However, the 7 a.m. update from the division placed the water level a bit lower – at 13.75 inches from the top.
Officials have been using a "ready, set, go" plan to let residents know what to do and what to expect as water levels continue to rise:
- 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.
What you can do:
Residents who live between the Cheboygan dam and Lake Huron should begin packing a go-bag in case an evacuation is ordered. The sheriff's office said to remember to make sure this bag has medications and important documents. Residents should also secure outdoor items and move valuables to higher levels.
If water levels rise another 6 inches, residents should prepare their families, pets, and vehicles for a potential evacuation.
Residents are also urged to sign up for emergency alerts for the latest updates on water levels and evacuation orders.
What they're doing:
Officials continue to monitor water levels and take steps to prepare.
As of Sunday, Michigan Department of Natural Resources crews had activated five pumps to divert water around the dam.
"All of the dam gates on the DNR-managed portion of the dam are fully open to handle this flow. The pumps add to the capacity," said Richard Hill, Gaylord District supervisor for the DNR’s Parks and Recreation Division, which manages the dam. "We are putting through as much water as we can."
Hill said DNR staffers are also working closely with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), which regulates the dam, to look at options for re-opening a hydroelectric generation station at the dam site to move additional water.
Whitmer activates emergency operations center as water levels rise at Cheboygan dam
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency in Cheboygan County and activated the State Emergency Operations Center as rising water levels near the Cheboygan dam raise flooding concerns.
"Our objectives for this incident are to work closely with FERC and the operators and owners of the hydro building to look at options," Hill said. "Some water is going through the bypass valves on that part of the dam."
Two thousand sandbags are also in place to direct water flow with the possibility of adding more. A timber debris screen in front of the dam’s Gate 6 was removed to increase water flow.
Rain forecast:
More rain is expected overnight Monday into Tuesday:
US-23 bridge closure
The US-23 bascule bridge in Cheboygan is expected to be raised Monday to protect against potential damage from debris floating on the river.
According to the Michigan Department of Transportation, engineers have not yet found significant erosion around the bridge’s foundation, increased water flow in the river has the potential to scour the river sediment away from footings.
Safety of drivers and pedestrians is also a concern. If the Cheboygan Lock and Dam Complex were to fail, people on the bridge could be at risk.
During the closure, US-23 traffic will be detoured south to the Lincoln Avenue Bridge, which is upstream from the dam complex.
There is no timeline for reopening the US-23 bascule bridge, which will need to be inspected before it can be opened.
The Source: Information from the Cheboygan County Sheriff's Office and Michigan's Emergency Management & Homeland Security were used.
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