19 Michigan dams get safety upgrade funding through EGLE risk-reduction program

Nineteen Michigan dams will receive grant funding to help reduce risks and protect residents. The funding is through the Dam Risk Reduction Grant Program (DRRGP) as authorized by the Michigan Legislature. 

This grant program provides private owners with resources to manage existing dams and reduce the overall risk of dam failure in Michigan. Some $14.9 million is newly authorized for work ranging from dam removals to critical maintenance. 

The Dam Safety Unit of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) is excited to be able to connect with and provide dam owners and operators with the necessary resources for proper management of dams in Michigan, including the following grant awards for the 2024-25 grant funding cycle: 

• Ypsilanti: $2.5 million to the Washtenaw County Water Resources Commissioner for the removal of Tyler Dam and Beyer Dam on Willow Run Creek. Removing Tyler Dam is an urgent priority due to critical safety and environmental risks. The dam is connected to the Tyler Road bridge, which closed in August 2023 due to a significant washout and deterioration. The benefits of this project include improving species passage, stabilizing the sediments and stream channel in place, reducing erosion, improving water quality, and improving flood conveyance and function of the county drain. 

• Rose City: $2 million to Huron Pines to support the removal of Sanback Dam, a significant-hazard, unsatisfactory-condition dam on Houghton Creek. The former hydropower dam is nonfunctional, and the impoundment has been dewatered. This project will complete the construction phase of the dam removal, and stream restoration efforts will be made along with demolition. 

• Albion: $1.75 million to the City of Albion to support ongoing multiple dam removals. Included in the project is the significant-hazard, poor-condition Albion Dam. The dams impede fish passage, interfere with natural transport of sediment and river function, and are a hazard to human safety. Removing the dams would reconnect miles of river and streams and restore high-quality habitat. 

• Elsie: $1,597,500 to Duplain Township for the removal of Elsie Dam on the Maple River, which breached on Aug. 18, 2023. The dam continues to fail, posing a critical safety hazard to the community. As a result of the failure, the township has acted to remove the remaining structure to prevent further dam failure and release of sediment downstream. Dam removal will reconnect the river and return the Maple River to its natural state, improving the ecological health and restoring the natural ecosystem. 

• Baldwin: $1.5 million to Conservation Resource Alliance (CRA) for the removal of the significant-hazard, unsatisfactory-condition Baldwin Fish Hatchery Dam on the Baldwin River. The dam no longer serves its purpose as a fish rearing station. Removal of the dam will reduce risk to the area and restore the river’s hydrologic functions, reconnect floodplains, and allow for the natural transport of aquatic organisms and sediment. 

• Clare: $1.3 million to the City of Clare for rehabilitation of Lake Shamrock Dam, a high-hazard, poor-condition dam on the South Branch Tobacco River. The most notable concerns with the dam based on recent inspections include substantial deterioration of the concrete structure, a sagging pedestrian walkway across the spillway, seepage along the right embankment, and insufficient hydraulic capacity to comply with current regulations. The rehabilitation measures will modernize the dam and extend its useful life.  

• Kalkaska: $1 million to CRA to support the removal of the high hazard Rugg Pond Dam. The dam is the only impoundment located on the Rapid River in the Elk River Chain of Lakes Watershed. The impoundment has accumulated excessive sediment, and habitat has diminished. Dam removal will eliminate aging infrastructure with identified deficiencies, manage excess sediment, and restore the river. 

• Vicksburg: $900,000 to the Kalamazoo County Drain Commissioner for the replacement of the high-hazard, poor-condition Sunset Lake Dam. Inspection reports indicate that much of the concrete in the spillway, wingwalls, pool walls, and abutments is deteriorated, and the spillway lacks sufficient capacity. The proposed project involves demolishing and replacing the primary spillway. Replacing Sunset Lake Dam will significantly reduce failure risks by bringing the dam up to modern safety standards. 

• Ishpeming: $800,000 to Cleveland Cliffs to remove the high-hazard Lake Sally Dam. Lake Sally Dam was previously used to store water as a drinking water source for the City of Ishpeming.  The dam no longer serves its intended purpose and is an aging concrete structure that shows signs of deterioration and vandalism. Removing the dam structure will eliminate potential dam failure. 

• Reed City: $253,900 to the Muskegon River Watershed Assembly to complete the initial design and engineering for the removal of the Nartron Dam – the last remaining barrier on the Hersey River. The dam is in a state of neglect and continues to deteriorate. Removal would reduce risk to the surrounding area and provide a significant ecological benefit to the coldwater system.  

• Newaygo: $250,000 to the Muskegon River Watershed Assembly for the daylighting of Penoyer Creek. The Rowe Manufacturing Plant impounds the confluence of Penoyer Creek with the Muskegon River. The abandoned plant left behind an impoundment and subterranean flow of water that is unnatural and progressively undermining the remnant foundation. This project would return the stream above ground and restore natural stream function. The impoundment dam would be removed, and relocation of the stream would greatly slow the deterioration of the foundation as well as improve habitat and passage opportunities for migratory species. 

• Alma: $236,100 to Healthy Pine River for a pre-engineering feasibility study to evaluate removal and long-term management options for the significant-hazard State Street Dam on the Pine River. Key components of the study include an engineering investigation, potential dam deconstruction and stream restoration schematic designs, reservoir sediment characterization, and pre-removal monitoring to assess sediment, hydrologic, and biological impacts. 

• Beverly Hills: $180,000 to the Village of Beverly Hills for a feasibility study to evaluate the poor-condition Erity Dam. The report will outline the benefits, risks, costs, and steps required to implement dam management alternatives, as well as conceptual designs to help the Village better understand the scope of each potential alternative project. 

• Somerset: $178,500 to the Hillsdale County Drain Commissioner for the repair of the significant-hazard, poor-condition Lake Somerset Dam. Observations of significant seepage and eroded embankment in addition to inoperable draw-down gates raise safety concerns. The repair project aims to address the seepage and repair the gate to enhance public safety and reduce failure risk. 

• Liberty: $120,000 to Crist Investment Company for a dam removal feasibility study for the significant-hazard, unsatisfactory-condition Liberty Dam. The dam has experienced failure of the center concrete pier of the primary spillway and cannot effectively pass the design storm standard. The preparation of the study will serve as a foundational phase in the larger dam removal project. The study will culminate in a comprehensive report outlining the potential benefits, risks, costs, and necessary steps for removing Liberty Dam. 

• Mosherville: $120,000 to the Hillsdale County Drain Commissioner for a feasibility study for the Big Mosherville Dam. The dam was initially designed for recreation, primarily to help regulate water levels in Big Mosherville Lake. Over recent years, the dam has fallen into disrepair, leading to concerns about its structural integrity and functionality. The Hillsdale County Drain Commissioner is evaluating options for the dam, including its replacement, retrofit, or removal. 

• Three Rivers: $90,000 to the City of Three Rivers to support a feasibility study for the eventual removal of the high-hazard, poor-condition Portage Plant Dam on the Portage River. The dam is deteriorating, no longer serves a purpose, and poses significant risk to the downstream community. Additional benefits of dam removal also include improving species passage, stabilizing the sediments and stream channel in place, reducing erosion, improving water quality, and removing aging dam infrastructure. 

• Marcellus: $65,800 to the Cass County Drain Commissioner for the engineering and permitting of the McMillan Dam Removal. The removal of the dam will restore natural stream flow, improve hydraulic conveyance, enhance aquatic and terrestrial habitats project and will reduce risks associated with dam failure, sediment buildup, and poor water quality.   

• Coldwater: $58,200 to the Branch County Drain Commission to initiate a feasibility study for the poor-condition Blackhawk Dam on the Coldwater River. Blackhawk Dam experienced a breach in 2018, and the dam operator made emergency repairs. Subsequent inspections indicate seepage of the dam embankment and potential piping underneath the dam. A feasibility study will provide cost opinions for reasonable alternatives to remove, repair or replace the dam. 

The Dam Safety Unit oversees the regulation of more than 1,000 structures under Part 307, Inland Lake Levels, and Part 315, Dam Safety, of The Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act. The unit has grown to meet the needs of dam owners and operators, expanding to seven full-time engineers to offer statewide coverage.  

The DRRGP was created in 2022 and reflects the demand for grant dollars to address aging dam infrastructure. This is the final grant cycle under the program’s current funding. The Dam Safety Unit will provide relevant updates should additional funding become available. 

For more on dams and dam management in Michigan, visit Michigan.gov/DamSafety.