Whitmer activates emergency center as water levels rise at Cheboygan dam
The Detroit News • • nation
Key Points:
- Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer activated the state's Emergency Operations Center as water levels rise behind the Cheboygan Lock and Dam due to recent rainfall and snowmelt from record snowfall last month.
- The Cheboygan River was 18 inches below the dam's top when the center was activated, with additional safety measures planned if water rises to 12 inches below the top.
- State and federal officials are exploring options to increase water outflow, including potentially restarting a previously damaged hydroelectric generator.
- The Michigan Department of Natural Resources placed 1,500 sandbags along the lock to help mitigate flooding risks.
- Forecasters predict warmer temperatures and rain in the coming days, which could exacerbate flooding concerns after an above-average snowpack and rainfall since early March.
