Cheboygan dam water levels rise 6 inches as crews work to bring in more pumps, sand bags
Water levels as gates were removed from the Cheboygan dam on Sunday (Photo: DNR)
CHEBOYGAN COUNTY, Mich. (FOX 2) - Crews continue to work tirelessly to get the water down at the Cheboygan dam as levels move toward the top of the dam.
As of 7 a.m. Tuesday, the water level was 7.68 inches from the top of the dam – up 6.07 inches from 24 hours ago.
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. The water levels hit the "ready" level on Monday morning and remain there as of Tuesday morning.
Ready, Set, Go plan
- 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.
On Monday, the Cheboygan County Sheriff's Office released a map of areas that could be impacted by flooding should water clear the top of the dam.
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.
If you must drive, use caution as there are many roads in Cheboygan County with standing water. These roads may not be marked with signs because the road commission does not have enough signage.
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.
What they're doing:
Currently, the dam is open, and all six gates have been removed to allow the water to flow.
Pumps and sand bags have been added, with larger pumps expected to be brought in on Tuesday, according to the Department of Natural Resources. Crews will also be adding more flood barriers.
A crane being used to remove gates from the Cheboygan dam (Photo: DNR)
US-23 bridge closure
The US-23 bascule bridge in Cheboygan has been raised 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, Michigan DNR, and Michigan's Emergency Management & Homeland Security were used.