Live updates: Cheboygan Dam water levels stabilize after hydro power kicks on

Officials with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources held a public meeting in Cheboygan Sunday evening to provide the public with updates on mitigation efforts to save multiple dams in the county that have been at risk since flooding consumed the region.

The DNR said the Kleber and Tower Dams on the Black River are operating normally. In addition, water levels on the Alverno Dam are going down and several mitigation efforts are in place to help the dam hold

Cheboygan County Sheriff Todd Ross began his comments at public meeting Sunday night by highlighting ways he said his department has been transparent about the issues at the Cheboygan Dam and Lock Complex. He alluded to people in the community accusing leadership of "hiding something." Ross said their Facebook page has had over 3 million views since the beginning of this incident and have been doing their best to keep the public updated in a variety of ways, including the state's new website for the dam.

Several organizations in the Cheboygan area have established distribution centers for people who've been impacted by widespread flooding.

You'll be able to pick up food, toiletries, cleaning supplies and various other household items at these centers.

People in the Black Lake are told to evacuate late last week and many roads in the area remain impassable.

Distribution centers include:

• Church of Christ, 208 South Palmyra St. Cheboygan (Monday 4-20-26 9:00-3:00)
• Black River Gospel Church- 2732 Orchard Bch Rd. (Monday 4-20-26 1:00-3:00)
• Cheboygan Salvation Army - 444 S. Main St (Monday - Friday 8:30 - 4:30)
• Glow Community Center - 3527 Straits Hwy, Indian River. (see their Facebook for times for 4-19 through 4-23)

From the Cheboygan County Sheriff:

Flooding has caused a significant road washout in the area of South Black River Rd near Red Bridge Rd. The Cheboygan County Road Commission & the Emergency Management Team will be closing the Cement Bridge at Five Mile Point Rd. for all vehicular traffic this morning. The bridge will be a hard closure and deemed impassable after first responders clear the affected area.

When self-evacuating please go north on North Black River Rd to evacuate.

If residents self-evacuate, they are requested to hang a piece of fabric on the door to signify to first responders that you are safe and have left voluntarily.

Click HERE to view a map of the affected properties highlighted in purple.

CHEBOYGAN — Local, state and federal officials were aware of the dangers posed by the Cheboygan Lock and Dam for years before floodwaters pushed it to the brink of collapse, records show.

Yet they failed to compel private owners to repair the nonfunctional hydro plant connected to the publicly-owned dam — a critical piece of its ability to pass floodwaters downstream.

The facility that houses the plant, once a Charmin toilet paper mill, changed hands repeatedly over decades as it fell into disrepair.

Now taxpayers are helping bankroll a desperate effort to bring the plant back online before the dam fails and sends a wall of water toward downtown Cheboygan.

“I'm very concerned that this was not handled properly,” said Richard Sangster, a Cheboygan County commissioner and former Cheboygan mayor, about federal regulatory actions over several years.

The property is now owned by Hom Paper XI, LLC, a business controlled by former NFL linebacker Thomas Homco. He did not return voicemails left by Bridge Michigan.

State and local officials did what they could, Cheboygan County Sheriff Todd Ross said Thursday.

“We didn't wait ‘til the last minute,” Ross said. “It's privately owned. There's only so much we can do.”

A public tally of taxpayer costs associated with the round-the-clock repair wasn’t available Thursday, but estimates from a few years ago indicated the plant needed at least $1 million in repairs.

Read the full story here courtesy of Bridge Michigan.

"We had to take a boat down to the house," Black Lake resident Scott Lynch told WCMU's AJ Jones on Friday afternoon. "The road's underwater. We rowed a couple hundred yards to the house."

Lynch and his friend John Mousseau told Jones their homes are totaled from the flooding damage, with everything floating inside the building.

Mousseau said he's never seen anything like this in his 30 plus years living in the area.

"My insurance company told me 90-95% of people around the Black Lake area do not [have flood insurance]," Mousseau said. "Because it's a separate policy. And we don't have this issue, so why would you pay that?"

From Cheboygan County Sheriff:

Flooding has caused a significant road washout in the area of South Black River Rd near Red Bridge Rd. Please avoid the area to allow the Cheboygan County Road Commission to safely manage the situation.

South Black River Rd is closed from Maxon Rd to Mann Rd until further notice.

Residents with homes north of the washout can still access their property from North Black River Rd by using Mann Rd or Zolner Rd.

Cheboygan County Emergency Management is encouraging residents between Zolner Rd. and the washout to self-evacuate immediately due to the increased risk of further washouts causing the occupants to become stranded. People accessing the area may be asked to provide address verification.

First responders are currently contacting affected residents. If residents self-evacuate, they should hang a piece of fabric on the door to signify to first responders that you are safe and have left voluntarily.

The Michigan State Police Emergency Management division has announced the hydroelectric plant at the Cheboygan Dam is now online.

And water levels behind the dam are beginning to drop.

The hydro plant, which has the ability to pass significant amounts of water through it, had been offline since a 2023 fire.

Thursday at a press conference, a representative for the company said they were "optimistic" they’d try to get the plant up and running soon. As of Friday morning, that work continues.

The plant hasn't been operational since September of 2023.

“We are still working through a number of checkpoints and tasks that need to be done in terms of the energization, and our teams were working through the night on that front,” said Katie Carey, director of media relations at Consumers Energy.

She says there’s going to be a meeting Friday morning with people from Consumers and other responders to determine next steps of turning the plant back online.

“I’m sure I don’t have to explain to anyone that electricity and water do not mix well and so for us, we would do a broad shut off of the the power at the circuit level,” Carey said. “Or the substation level in order to provide safety to that community.”

The other option for power shut off would be for localized streets or neighborhoods, if a fire marshal or an emergency manager requested it.

Power could be shut off in the case of widespread flooding to avoid electrocutions and reduce fire hazards.

AJ Jones

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WCMU

Governor Gretchen Whitmer says the state is "pulling out all the stops" to mitigate flood risk across the state and at the Cheboygan Dam and Lock Complex. She spoke at a press conference in Cheboygan Thursday.

"My administration will continue to monitor the situation and work with local communities to get them the resources that they need. We are in crisis mode now," Whitmer said. "Recovery mode will take additional work and we will continue these partnerships."

She said crews are working around the clock to stop the Cheboygan Dam from failing there.

"Crews have been working incredibly hard to put down sandbags, place pumps, remove gates, restart the turbine, and increase the flow of water around and through the dam," Whitmer said.

In addition, a representative for Consumers Energy said they were optimistic that the closed hydro plant at the lock sit could re-open today.

Officials have been working to get it back online in order to increase water flow at the dam.

As of the last update, the Cheboygan River is just under 5 inches away from the top of the dam. On Tuesday, a DNR official said flooding would likely be kept to around 2 feet if there were a breach.

The Cheboygan County Sheriff's Office is now encouraging residents of the Alverno, Cheboygan and Black River areas to prepare for an evacuation.

They anticipate increased water passage through the Alverno Dam over the next several days.

People can sign up for live updates through Smart911, including information on if an evacuation is put in place.

Shelter information can be found by calling 211.

A map of the evacuation zone can be found HERE.

Officials in Cheboygan County say water levels continue to rise on Black Lake and in the Black River due to increased water flow through the emergency spillway gate at the Klieber Dam.

Crews remain on scene at the Alverno Dam working to reinforce the structure.

Officials are encouraging residents in the Black Lake, Black River, and Alverno areas to begin preparing for rising water levels.

They say if you feel unsafe, you can self evacuate. If you do, they're asking people to tie fabric to their door handle so first responders are aware.

Consumers Energy said in a news release that it will attempt to power the turbines at the Cheboygan Dam hydroelectric generation station Thursday. An exact timeline has not been released.

Crews have been working for days to try and revive the shuttered plant after it was damaged in a 2023 fire.

Officials say that the hydro power will help speed up water flow through the dam.

The facility was previously responsible for around 30% of the water release capacity into Lake Huron from the Cheboygan River.

Consumers said that if the facility is powered up, people in the area can expect a power outage that will affect 5,000 residents. More than one power shut off is possible.

From the Cheboygan County Sheriff's Office:

The Cheboygan Dam Area, and north of Cheboygan Dam is moving to the Level 2 “set” stage of the "Ready, Set, Go" model.

This indicates the water level is below 6 inches of topping the lowest point of the Cheboygan Dam Complex. Level 2 indicates a high probability of a need to evacuate.

You should prepare now by packing necessary items and preparing your family, pets, and vehicle for potential departure. Remember the 6 P’s: plan, personal items, prescriptions, photographs, pets and papers.

Click HERE to view and download a map of the safety zone and escape route

The Cheboygan County Sheriff's Department issued a release updating shelter hours and locations.

Wolverine Senior Center
6554 Wolverine Rd -- Monday-Friday 9am-5pm

Waverly Township Hall
11133 Twin School Rd -- CLOSED

Benton Township Hall
5012 Orchard Beach Rd -- CLOSED

Benton Township Community Center
5014 Orchard Beach Rd -- CLOSED

Cheboygan Senior Center
1531 Sand Rd -- Monday-Friday 8am-4pm

KofC Hall
9840 N Straits Hwy -- 24 HOURS

Church of Straits
307 N Huron Ave -- CLOSED

Alverno Fire Department
5009 Orchard Beach Rd -- CLOSED

News release from the Michigan State Police:

A temporary flight restriction up to an elevation of 1,000 feet and within a one-mile radius is now in effect at the Cheboygan Lock and Dam Complex. Flying drones over the dam and in the work area is prohibited.

The restriction was implemented to prevent interference with crews working on the ground and large cranes being used to move equipment and supplies.

Work at the dam continues today. Wearing hard hats and high-visibility vests, staff from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources on Tuesday strategically placed sandbags around the Cheboygan Lock and Dam while contractors set up additional high-volume pumps to move water around the structure.

Inside the hydroelectric powerhouse, experts from the Army Corps of Engineers arrived Tuesday to work with the private facility’s owners and Consumers Energy to restart the hydroelectric plant’s turbine and return it to full capacity. This will help move water through the dam.

“We all have the same goal, which is getting all of this water safely around and through this structure,” said Mike Janisse, leader of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Incident Management Team at the dam. “We are grateful for all of our cooperators and the hard work that everyone is doing.”

Gov. Whitmer declared a state of emergency Friday after meltwater from record spring snowfall and persistent rain threatened to overwhelm the dam.

More than 70 DNR staff and other state employees were working on the Cheboygan dam effort Wednesday.

“There are a lot of moving parts here, and we are working to make sure everything moves as smoothly and efficiently as possible,” Janisse said.

Residents near Little Black River in Cheboygan County are still feeling cautious despite the evacuation order being lifted. The order had nothing to do with the situation at the Cheboygan Dam and Lock Complex.

As they still feel uncomfortable being at home, one location seeing extra traffic is the Cheboygan Big Boy, one of the few places still open in the area.

Restaurant General Manager Trevor Auger told WCMU that a lot of people have no idea where to go.

“I will be here and I will be staying open as long as possible,” Auger said. “That 'go' phase does not start till that one inch mark. And people need to eat, the need to go somewhere that they can rely on.”

The restaurant is on one of the banks of the Cheboygan River, but Auger said he won’t evacuate unless things get bad and is choosing to keep the restaurant open as long as possible. It was one of the few business open in Cheboygan on Wednesday.

Emma George-Griffin

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WCMU

Water pump equipment is now being installed on the Cheboygan Dam to try and mitigate the raising water levels.

According to the Michigan DNR’s Nate Stearns, once they’re running the pumps will be able to divert 40,000 gallons of water per minute into the spillways.

“That’s effectively increasing what we can get through the spillway by going around it,” Stearns said.

All six spillway gates are currently open to get as much water out as possible.

Cheboygan Emergency Management Office recently announced that Consumers Energy will be facilitating a planned outage between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. Wednesday to work on the electrical system.

It’s estimated that 1,078 customers will experience a temporary loss of power. Safety officials are asking people to plan accordingly.

As central and northern Michigan deal with historic flooding, we want to know what's happening where you are.

Dial 989-774-NEWS (6397) to leave us a voicemail. We'll ask you to tell us your name, where you're calling from, and how the flood is impacting you, your family, and your community. If you would like us to call you back, please include a phone number at the end.

By leaving a message, you agree to allow WCMU to use the audio, at our discretion, in a future broadcast. We will not disclose your contact information on air.

The Cheboygan County Emergency Management Office has lifted the Little Black River Watershed evacuation, according to WCMU's Emma George-Griffin, who is on the ground in Cheboygan.

From the Cheboygan County Sheriff's Department

Please avoid these areas due to roads being flooded over and unsafe for travel. Turn around, don’t drown!

Closures include:

Paradise Lake Rd (Lake Shore Dr → Hebron Townhall Rd)
Brill Rd (near MacArthur Rd)
Engilside Dr
Inverness Trail (Campbell → Levering Rd)
Campbell Rd (Inverness Trail → Rose Rd)
Levering Rd (I-75 → Hebron Mail Rte)
Old School Rd (E Mullett Lake → Derby Rd)
Silery Rd
Wildwood Rd (Straits → Reams Rd)
Pigeon River Rd (Afton → Brauser Rd)
Trowbridge (near Lance)
Quarry Rd (M-68 → Ostrander Rd)
Eddy Rd
Afton Rd (M-68 → Pigeon River Rd)
Tyler Rd (near Black River Rd)
Kisser Rd (near W Brady Rd)
N County Line Rd (near N Allis)
S Black River Rd (near Oxbows Creek Clark Bridge)
Milligan Hwy (near Black River)

Residents who live near Black Lake, southeast of Cheboygan and north of Onaway, should prepare for a significant influx of water in the next 24 to 48 hours.

That's the word from the Cheboygan County Sheriff's Office, which says residents should "take time now to secure any valuables, outdoor items, or debris that could be damaged or carried away by increasing water."

Many there are already experiencing flooding in their homes, officials say. If water levels are rising and you deem it unsafe, officials say you should leave the area.

Courtesy of Interlochen Public Radio

As of 9 a.m. on Wednesday, the Cheboygan Lock and Dam complex water levels have reached 6.6 inches below the top. This is up 1.44 inches from yesterday at 5:30 p.m.

The county has a three step "ready, set and go" evacuation plan. The "set" stage goes into effect when the water levels reach six inches below the top of the dam or are predicted to top the dam within 48 hours.

Residents will be told to prepare their family, pets and vehicles for potential departure during that stage.

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Michigan State Police

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The Michigan State Police say that the Cheboygan River is currently 8.06 inches from the top of the dam, a decrease of .96 inches.

That figure is accurate as of last night at 5:30 PM.

The county will reach the "set" stage of its "Ready, Set, Go" evacuation plan if the level of the river rises to under 6 inches beneath the dam. Residents in the concern zone would be advised to prepare family, pets and vehicles for a potential evacuation.

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Michigan State Police

During a press conference on Tuesday night, state officials said they are doing everything in their power to keep water levels down.

That includes installing new water pumps that can divert 10,000 gallons of water per minute.

They also opened all of the dam’s spillway gates and are trying to fix the dam’s hydroelectric power to help water move faster as the water levels are inching towards dangerous levels.

If the dam were to break, DNR Engineer Michelle Crook said flooding outside of the riverbanks would be less than two feet.

“If this dam were to breach, it would not be the some of the big failures you may have seen on TV or what we saw in Edenville. You would not get that big wave crest um coming forward,” she said.

Mike Janisse from the DNR said the dam’s infrastructure won’t immediately crumble as soon as water spills over it will take some time.

“It's going to start eroding and the erosion is going to start and work its way back into the dam,” Janisse said. “That’s why you won’t see a big wall of water.”

Even though the Cheboygan River and Dam aren’t causing major problems for the area yet, some Cheboygan County residents were asked to evacuate Tuesday evening after a levee breach from the Little Black River watershed that was unrelated to the dam.

Officials asked residents to leave a towel or piece of fabric on their doors to indicate their evacuation.

Strong thunderstorms, heavy rain and even some tornadoes are possible across much of the listening area tonight.

According to the National Weather Service, storms will begin developing after 8 p.m. this evening with the severe threat continuing until close to daybreak Wednesday.

Meteorologists say there are multiple ways to receive warnings tonight.

That includes mobile phones with wireless weather alerts enabled in the settings, NOAA Weather Radios, and local media outlets like WCMU

Saturated soils, spring snowmelt and heavy rain aren’t the only factors pushing the Cheboygan Lock and Dam complex to the brink of failure.

The list also includes an aging structure owned by two separate entities, where an inoperable powerhouse and outdated design hinder the ability to pass a massive flood like the one now brewing in northern Michigan.

The federal government ordered fixes at the privately owned powerhouse months ago, only to repeatedly grant extensions.

Ownership of the dam complex in downtown Cheboygan is split between the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, which owns the dam built in 1922, and Hom Paper XI LLC, the latest in a series of private owners of an adjoining hydropower plant that once provided electricity to a now-shuttered tissue factory.

The powerhouse has been offline since 2023, when a fire in an adjacent building triggered years of legal disputes and confusion about the mill property’s ownership.

Read the full story here.

As rising water levels at the Cheboygan Dam raise flood concerns, state and local officials are continuing to urge people in the area to prepare for a potential evacuation.

The Cheboygan County Sheriff's Department released a map online showing the downtown district is the most at risk of flooding if the dam fails.

Ashley Miller is with the Michigan State Police. She says residents need to be putting things together.

"Have a go-bag. So, any prescription medication, any pictures or family documents that need to be kept,” she said. “Make sure your pets are in order, your vehicle is topped off with gas, you have everything you need in the vehicle."

Officials are also encouraging people to sign-up for local alerts through Smart911.

As of this morning, the Cheboygan River was about seven inches from reaching the top of the dam.

If it reaches six inches, that will trigger the second phase of the county's emergency plan, also known as the set phase. People will then be encouraged to prepare for a potential departure.

Evacuation notification from the Cheboygan County Sheriff's Office:

The County Office of Emergency Management has issued a notice to evacuate low areas now due to a levee breach of the Little Black River Watershed, unrelated to current activities at Cheboygan Dam and Lock. Please leave your residence and travel south of the City of Cheboygan.

Affected Areas:

US-23 shoreline from approximately Pries Landing south to the Cheboygan River, down to Lincoln St., back along Court St., to Levering Rd., and Inverness Trail, up to the US-23 Shoreline.

When you evacuate, please leave a towel or some type of fabric on the door handle visible from the road. If you are unable to evacuate, dial 9-1-1 for assistance.

First responders are currently assisting with evacuation efforts.

You can view and click the evacuation map HERE.

List of shelters, open 24-7:

Wolverine Senior Center
655 Wolverine Rd

Waverly Township Hall
11133 Twin School Rd

Benton Township Hall
5012 Orchard Beach Rd

Benton Township Community Center
5014 Orchard Beach Rd

Cheboygan Senior Center
1531 Sand rd

KofC Hall
9840 N Straits Hwy

Church of Straits
307 N Huron Ave

Alverno Fire Department
5009 Orchard Beach Rd

In response to more rain in the forecast, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer extended the activation of the State of Emergency Operations Center Tuesday afternoon.

This comes as rising water levels at the Cheboygan Lock and Dam Complex continue to rise.

The operations center helps local and federal agencies coordinate responses to a disaster, according to Michigan State Police.

Whitmer said the extension will continue the work at the Cheboygan Dam, to increase the number of water pumps and sandbags.

“We continue to support the response efforts happening at the Cheboygan Lock and Dam Complex and have our MSP/EMHSD district coordinators working with local emergency managers across the state to make sure communities have the support and resources they need,” Col. James F. Grady II, director of the MSP and state director of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, said in a press release.

State of Emergency Operations Center was originally activated on April 10.

Crews continue to work around the clock at the Cheboygan Dam and Lock Complex to try and prevent any flooding as rainfall and melting snow continue to raise water levels. As of Tuesday morning, water levels rose to 7.6 inches below the top of the dam.

Several mitigation measures remain ongoing.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources says the parts to try and revive the dam's hydroelectric generation station were delivered Tuesday morning. They're hoping the hydro power will get more water flowing through the dam and lower the levels. Federal inspectors will then work to make sure it can be turned on.

Kathleen Lavey, a spokesperson with the DNR, told WCMU they also brought in a large crane Tuesday morning that dropped several giant sandbags known as "super sacks" at strategic points along the dam.

"People think the sandbags are to keep rising water out, which is partially true,” Lavey said. “But in this case, sandbags are being used to help control the flow of the water."

Lavey said more water pumps are in transit to the dam to help divert water onto the spillway in addition to several other water pumps working to bring down water levels near the dam.

“We have some new pumps that are going in,” Lavey said “Two of them that have a 24-inch capacity.”

Officials have also placed hundreds of large boulders around the dam to help prevent any erosion.

Release from Cheboygan County Sheriff's Office:

Cheboygan County Emergency Management, in coordination with the Cheboygan County Road Commission, is urging all residents and travelers to use extreme caution while driving.

Due to recent rainfall, many roads across Cheboygan County have areas of standing water.

Please remember:

Do not drive through flooded roadways. Even shallow water can cause loss of control

Turn around, don’t drown.

Water may be deeper than it appears and road conditions underneath can be compromised.

Increased stopping distance

Emergency crews are actively monitoring conditions and do not have enough signage to mark all the locations.

The Michigan state Police said the Cheboygan River is 7.68 inches away from the top of the Dam, as of this morning.

That’s around an inch away from the second stage in the state’s “Ready, Set, Go” evacuation plan.

If the levels hit 6 inches beneath the top of the dam, residents will be told to begin packing emergency items and preparing pets, family and vehicles for evacuation.

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Michigan State Police

Residents between the Cheboygan Dam and Lake Huron have been advised to begin preparing for potential evacuations amid rising water levels at the dam.

Sarah Olsen lives about three blocks away from the "cautionary zone," listed in a map released by the Cheboygan County Sheriff’s office. Even though she’s outside of the zone, she’s still preparing.

“We have… three technically, people in the house with severe chronic illnesses," Olsen said, “So, we had all the bags packed with medications and documentation and all of our devices and device chargers and that kind of thing.”

Olsen said Cheboygan and next-door Emmet county have been hit with localized flooding.

“Black Lake, which is quite close to us, just down the road here, they're having a lot of roads are covered in water,” she said. “So, currently my basement is wet, my garage is wet, there's moving water in all of the parking lots that I've been in today.”

Olsen said she’s optimistic the dam will hold, but she’s still preparing and checking in with neighbors to make sure they’re aware of the warnings.

In a social media post, the Cheboygan County Humane Society said the organization is willing to provide temporary housing for any pets unable to evacuate with their owners should phase two (set) of the county’s emergency safety plan be enacted (see full "ready, set, go" safety plan details at the top of this live blog).

The CCHS has room available for dogs and cats at its shelter, located at 1536 Hackelburg Rd, Cheboygan, MI, 49721.

Officials are asking anyone in need of temporary housing or transportation for their pets to call the shelter at (231)-238-8221.

The humane society is also asking for donations of the following items: paper towels, garbage bags, bath towels, Clorox bleach, and small bags of dog and cat food

The Cheboygan County Sheriff’s Department released a map of areas in Cheboygan that may experience flooding. The areas shaded in green are “the target area for potential flooding,” according to the department. Residents outside the green zone should still use caution and monitor the Cheboygan County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page for updates,” the department said. Click HERE to view and download the full map.

Consumers Energy is assisting the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, the owners of the Cheboygan Dam, as well as the Michigan State Police, to provide temporary electrical power at the dam to try and restart the hydroelectric generation station, according to a spokesperson for the utility.

Officials have been trying to restart the hydroelectric generation station for days and have had federal inspectors on site to approve repairs and modifications. It hasn’t been operational since 2023 following a fire. A spokesperson for the Michigan DNR told WCMU they’re still waiting on parts to arrive at the station.

“There's more that needs to be done than just flipping the switch and turning back on the electric,” Laurie Abel, a spokesperson for the Michigan DNR, told WCMU on Sunday afternoon. “It's all just about getting more flow through getting more water through that area and out into Lake Huron.”

Consumers Energy has also deployed crews in the area that are bringing a mobile command station and mobile substation to the Cheboygan area. The substation is being set up on along the trails to rails walking path in the Cheboygan area.

“This is in preparation for potential flooding and the potential of a public safety power shutoff, which may be needed due to flooding if that does happen because of continued severe weather,” Consumer Energy spokesperson Trisha Bloembergen said in a phone call with WCMU.

We note Consumers Energy is a sponsor of WCMU. We report on them as we do with any other organization.

The Michigan State Police said in a social media post that a large crane was brought to the Cheboygan Dam and Lock Complex to remove gates at the dam "in an effort to increase water flow and manage rising water levels."

Heavy rain showers are expected to continue Monday morning, according to Nicole Sprinkles, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Gaylord. Accumulation is expected to be between 1-2.5 inches.

“We're seeing some models even throw in some totals of upwards of 3 inches,” Sprinkles said. “As we move into Monday, it does start to look like we might actually have a bit of a lull in the actual shower activity… But then again, Monday night, it just comes brewing back up.”   

Sprinkles added that overnight lows are not expected to drop below freezing for most of northern Michigan this week and will likely lead to more snow melting across the region.

The highs for the area are expected to be in the low to mid 50s. Portions of eastern upper and northern lower Michigan are under flood warning throughout the week.

The area near the dam is under warning until Sunday.

C. Hanchey

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Flickr

The U.S. 23 bridge in Cheboygan will be closed Monday due to rising water levels at the Cheboygan Dam and Lock Complex, the Michigan Department of Transportation announced in a news release.

MDOT officials say the closure will keep pedestrians safe from potential damage from the debris flowing down the Cheboygan River.

Pedestrians and vehicles could be in danger if the Cheboygan Lock and Dam were to fail, due to debris from upstream possibly being caught beneath it.

The bridge will need to be inspected before it can open again, and an operator from the Cheboygan County Road Commission is on site ready to open the bridge if needed.

Traffic will be re-routed south to the Lincoln Avenue Bridge, which is located upstream of the dam. There’s currently no timeline in which the bridge will be re-opened.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency for Cheboygan County on Friday, allowing additional state resources into the area to help with flood mitigation and the emergency response. The declaration also makes certain communities eligible for financial assistance from the state.