PODCAST:
April 16, 2026 ~ Michigan’s dams are under strain, and recent high water levels are raising serious concerns. Climate scientist Richard Rood explains what’s driving the increased water, how climate change factors in, and what risks communities could face if infrastructure updates aren’t made.
CHEBOYGAN, MI ~ The Northern Michigan town of Cheboygan is descending into environmental chaos, as flash flooding and dam failure fears envelop the area.
As all eyes were watching the Cheboygan Dam, located on the Cheboygan River, amid rising water levels, a nearby levee unrelated to the dam in the Little Black River Watershed was breached on Tuesday. Residents in a large area west of the Cheyboygan River were told to evacuate by officials to nearby shelters.
Much of Northern Michigan is under flood warnings due to heavy rainfall and melting snow, with several other dams in the region under watch for potential failures.
On Monday, the Cheboygan County Sheriff’s Office made a Facebook post Monday, alerting residents between the Cheboygan Dam and Lake Huron to make evacuation preparations and create a “go-bag” of important items in case of a failure of the dam, located about an hour southeast of the Mackinac Bridge.
Water levels reached under six inches from the top on Thursday morning, though the dam is holding so far. Extra pumps and sandbags are also being deployed to the dam to relieve some of its water levels.
