I'm focusing on the dams and canal. There are a lot of videos showing water close to, or in, homes, but they generally don't have information on their location.
I have seen comments that the evacuation of the downstream area is due to the large discharge, not because the dam itself is in trouble. Note that 6 of the 8 gates are open on Apr 16. I had been seeing posts for a few days that showed just 4 gates open. There was no talk about evacuation when just 4 gates were spilling. Yet, if the order is not for dam failure, why is such a large area being evacuated. Social media is worse than evening news sound bites in terms of trying to understand what is really happening.
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West Michigan Weather posted
🚨EVACUATION ORDER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🚨 MUSKEGON RIVER DOWNSTREAM OF CROTON DAM IN NEWAYGO COUNTY! All residents located downstream of the Croton Dam are directed to EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY! WATER LEVELS AT THE DAM CONTINUE TO RISE RAPIDLY! ANYONE REMAINING IN THE FLOODPLAIN IS AT SERIOUS RISK OF INJURY OR DEATH, AND FIRST RESPONDERS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO RESPOND UNTIL CONDITIONS ARE DEEMED SAFE! EVACUATE NOW!!!!!!!! An emergency evacuation center is available at the Newaygo County Commission on the Aging at 93 S Gibbs Street in White Cloud. EVACUATE NOW!!!!!!! DO NOT WAIT!!!!!!!! |
Meteorologist Kolton Woods posted two photos with the comment:
The Croton Dam Thursday afternoon thanks to Nathan Voytovick. Appears 6 of the 8 gates are open to let the high water through.
An evacuation order is in place for those along the Muskegon River downstream of the Croton Dam in Newaygo County.
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Robin L Harps posted
The Muskegon River has entered major flood stage at the Croton Dam, they have all doors open and a MANDATORY evacuation notice is out downstream… it’s flowing at 13,300 cubic feet a second right now [Apr 16, 2026 6:30pm] according to USGS…a major situation is unfolding… significant erosion occurring…
[I saw a comment on another post that said the owner of the dam said there are no structural problems. Did he add the adjective "structural" because there are other problems such as erosion? I saw another comment on yet another post that said the FERC had the owners of the dam in their Chicago office.] |
Or is Robin's statement about erosion just click-bait hype?
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Facebook Reel
"Authorities stressed the dam itself is not at risk." |
Apr 16:
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| Deb Swanson comment on a post |
This is what four gates open looked like the day before, (Apr 15).
3 of 15 photos
posted by Parsley's Sport Shop, LLC with the comment:
Water water every where.....
Took some pictures of the Might Muskegon this morning. It is definitely roaring and hasn't crested yet.
Todd VerWys: What I find strange is Hardy isn't up to level yet and they have that dam open as well.. couldn't they just fill hardy back up. and deal with the water from hardy down and little muskegon at croton.
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Under M37 downtown |
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Terri Maki commented on Photo c
1986
[I wonder how close 6 gates open got the water to the bridge.] |
Apr 19:
Meteorologist Brad Sugden
posted five photos with the comment: "Croton Dam release April 19th. So much power. The amount of water is insane. There's so much flooding and standing water all over Newaygo County."
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Rogers Dam on Muskegon River (Satellite)
Bellaire Dam on Intermediate River (Satellite)
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Meteorologist Tom O'Hare posted
4.14.26 5:30pm - Bellaire Dam - "Ready" Stage Reached Water behind the Bellaire dam has reached within 12" of the Top of the dam. The graphic highlights (yellow) those who need to be prepare in case an evacuation order is given. [The description continues with advice concerning the Ready status and how to register for alerts.] |
They sandbagged the dam.
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freep
[Please access the link for the caption. Basically, the dam was stable as of the morning of Apr 16, but still in the Ready stage.] |
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mlive
The Bellaire Dam is under 24-hour watch after high water and seepage raised downstream flooding concerns on Monday, April 13, 2026. (Courtesy | Patrick Boyd, Paddles & Pedals)Patrick Boyd |
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mlive
Antrim County began emergency repairs at the Bellaire Dam on Tuesday, April 14, 2026 after seepage was found following a spring rainstorm which has sparked flooding across northern Michigan. (Courtesy | Melanie Hurst).Melanie Hurst
[The repairs must have been successful because the dam was considered stable on Apr 16.] |
By Apr 17, it was trending down.
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UpNorthLive
The discharge was high enough that some of the buildings downstream of the dam had to use sandbags. |
Hesperia Dam on White River (Satellite)
I've seen several posts claiming this dam might fail. But no details. Posts during the last few days have been consistently showing water flowing over the emergency spillway.
A better view of the hydraulic jump.
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Facebook Reel
"Waiting for the dam to go. It may not be too long." |
Many campgrounds use floodplains. But that works well only if the campers leave when there is a threat of a flood.
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| Same Reel |
I wonder what the little excavator is trying to fix.
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Derk Smith posted
Hesperia dam. 4/15/2026. |
Apr 15, 7:13pm The comments on this post answers my question about what the excavator is trying to do. Namely, remove boards to relieve pressure on the bridge.
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Lisa Judi Sherm posted
❗️ 𝗛𝗘𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗔 𝗗𝗔𝗠 𝗔𝗧 𝗥𝗜𝗦𝗞 𝗢𝗙 𝗙𝗔𝗜𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗚❗️ 𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧'𝗦 𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗘𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚? The waters of the White River continue to rise rapidly in Hesperia. The spillways are currently doing their job as water is flowing over it, but may soon begin overtopping the dam itself. As a result, the dam is at risk of failing. 𝗪𝗛𝗘𝗡 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗪𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘? Hesperia, MI in Newaygo/Oceana Counties are now under a FLASH FLOOD WATCH, should the dam fail and flash flooding happen downstream. Watch is in effect until 8am on 4/16/2026 𝗖𝗨𝗥𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗖𝗟𝗢𝗦𝗨𝗥𝗘𝗦 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗜𝗠𝗣𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗦 -Maple Island/Division St Bridge is CLOSED -W Michigan Ave Bridge is CLOSED -Oxbow Park is CLOSED 𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗖𝗘𝗦 Michigan Storm Chasers Newfield Township Hesperia Area Fire Department Oceana County Sheriff's Office US National Weather Service Grand Rapids Michigan WOOD TV8 Ellen Bacca Please have multiple ways to receive updates and vital weather information, by tuning into the resources above. (Photo from Hesperia Dam Live Cam) |
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| Robert Skillern commented on Lisa's post |
The YouTube link is a live cam. This is what I saw a little after Noon on Apr 18. It looks like water is still going over the emergency spillway, but it is a light flow.
Morley Pond Dam on Little Muskegon River (Satellite)
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Paul Wolbers posted
Short video I took around the Morley Pond Dam 04/16/2026 |
This dam has a strange structure. It appears to be three concrete walls with a notch in the middle one and little sluice gates in the outer walls. Actually, I now see a chain hoist for a middle sluice gate, it just isn't hooked up.
Kleber Dam (Satellite) and Alverno Dam (Satellite) on Black River
The photo is of the Alverno Dam.
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MSP Emergency Management & Homeland Security Division posted
As work to get the Cheboygan Lock and Dam Complex hydroelectric plant up and running continues, a team of up to 70 workers pitched in to shore up an upstream dam. On Wednesday, it was reported that water had eroded a spillway of the Kleber Dam on the Black River. Work on repairs there had to pause on Wednesday due to issues on an access road. MSP Emergency Management & Homeland Security Division |
Cheboygan County Sheriff's Office
posted four photos with the comment: "Emergency crews continue to place sandbags at the Alverno Dam to help reinforce the structure. The efforts will continue and updates will be provided if conditions change."
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Tower Dam on Black River (Satellite)
5 Channels Dam on Au Sable River (Satellite)
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| Same Reel |
Finally, a landscape reel of this dam.
Mio Dam on Au Sable River (Satellite)
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Detroit News posted
Flood warnings issued for the Au Sable River upstream from the Mio Dam 📸 David Guralnick, The Detroit News |
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| Same Reel, just turned around to look downstream |
4 more dams along the Au Sable River: 15:31 video (I didn't watch because I'm in overload.)
Tippy Dam on Manistee River (Satellite)
Apr 14:
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| Alanson Griffus commented on the above post |
This is probably an example of why officials complain about sensationalism on social media, but some of the comments are informative.
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Facebook Reel
Mike Wilson: If it's still there after 1986 and 2014 this is nothing. Lol. Grant Douglas: Mike Wilson I was camping on the pond in 2014. 10.5 inches in one night. All the gates were open and you could hear it a mile down the power line trail. Todd McLain: Mike Wilson it was said yesterday that 9 rivers in North and N.W. Michigan are at the highest level ever recorded since 1927 when water levels were first reported. Lisa Kennedy: Mike Wilson it has bigger number than those times. It is at record high right now. Third flood gate opened tonight and it’s at 12 ft and over 9000 CFS that last record high was 7760 It’s rockin! |
Apr 16:
Matthew Cox
posted six photos with the comment:
Tippy dam this morning with three gates open just insane the amount of water coming down
Update!! Tippy dam is now closed to the public as 4-16-26
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Facebook Reel
Mark Kopfman: 4th gate is open now [Apr 16, 2026, 8:19pm] |
Ford Dam (Cowboy Lake) on Menominee River (Satellite)
It looks like one of the gates was broken, and they could not get it up. But the workers appear to be working on the gate next to the broken gate.
It looks like they got the broken gate fixed because they are all up in this view except for the ones close to the powerhouse. It is typical to avoid opening the gates by the building. I presume they want to minimize the chance of eroding the foundation of the building.
Hattie Street Dam on Menominee River at Marinette, WI (Satellite)
Chalk Hill Dam on Menominee River (Satellite)
Jason Asselin
posted three photos with the comment:
Impressive water flow over the Chalk Hill Dam between Wisconsin and Michigan next to County K near Amberg. All the flood gates are open!
Watch my video posted on my page!!
Bill Rice: All gates are open but only about a foot or so.
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It looks like they have had trouble getting one of the gates to go up.
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| Same Reel |
Hillman Dam on Thunder Bay River (Satellite)
Bonus:
Brush Creek Mill is a museum. I found it while looking for the dam.
Alpena (9th Street) Dam on Thunder River (Satellite)
It looks like this dam also has a gate that doesn't work.
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| Same Reel |
Spencer Grotto posted nine photos with the comment: "Taken tonight. 4/15."
Beitner Road Washout near Boardman River (Satellite)
Apr 15:
Breaking News 989
posted three photos with the comment:
Grand Traverse County Road Commission is reporting the Beitner Bridge collapsed
Beitner Road is no longer passable. The Grand Traverse County Road Commission has put barricades up at Chums Corners and at Keystone and River Rd.
Additionally, things didn't get any better for S. Airport Rd last night. It will remain closed at Park Rd and Cass Rd.
[I saw a lot of photos of the guard rails hanging in the air. Those posts also called it a bridge collapse instead of a culvert washout. These photos show that a culvert, not a bridge, failed. It is easy for a culvert to fail if it is not big enough to handle the storm. But those two big pipes show that this flood was exceptional. I first learned about the vulnerability of culverts when
EJ&E had a washout.]
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Homestead Dam on Betsie River (Satellite)
Apr 14 at 5:58pm:
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Michigan snow forecast gold standard posted
Tuesday, April 14, 2026, 6:54 PM – GOLD STANDARD EMERGENCY ALERT 🚨 READY STAGE ACTIVATED – HOMESTEAD DAM (BENZIE COUNTY) 🚨 [The description continues with more information about a READY alert.] |
Sinkhole next to Boardman River in Traverse City
And the river is getting close to the bottom of the bridges.
Fish Wier on Boardman River in Traverse City (Satellite)
They are trying to figure out how to remove the debris from the fish wier.
This is evidently part of a fish hatchery.
I presume the weir holds the instrumentation tht senses the tagged fish.
Escanaba Dam on Escanaba River (Satellite)
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Facebook Reel
Tonya Treichel Albers: I drove by yesterday but couldn’t get a pic. I don’t remember the last time I saw all the gates open! Susan VanDrese: I thought Dam #1 was Boney Falls, Dam #2 west Gladstone, and this one is Dam #3. Stephan Ballance: Susan VanDrese They are numbered from the mouth to upstream. So #1 is by the highway, #2 is a diversion weir at the mill, #3 is at the escanaba river bridge in W gladstone, #4 is Boney Falls. |
This must be Dam #1.
Michigan is not the only state that has excessive water in April 2006
Necedah Dam on Wisconsin River (Satellite)
This is another dam that really needs a landscape video instead of a profile video. I count 16 gates.
Castle Rock Dam on Wisconsin River (Satellite)
This dam needs landscape instead of profile. As the reel panned across the gates, it looks like all of them were open.
The 18th gate has training walls so that the discharge doesn't erode the powerhouse foundation.
Menasha Dam on WI Fox River (Satellite)
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USACE, Chicago District posted
🚧𝙇𝘼𝙆𝙀 𝙒𝙄𝙉𝙉𝙀𝘽𝘼𝙂𝙊 𝙃𝙄𝙂𝙃-𝙒𝘼𝙏𝙀𝙍 𝙐𝙋𝘿𝘼𝙏𝙀 🚧 The Chicago District, in coordination with our Lake Michigan Project office in Appleton, WI, is providing support to local partners and the State of Wisconsin as water levels continue to increase in Lake Winnebago, U.S Army Corps of Engineers Chicago District. All of the gates with Lake Winnebago’s discharge are in an open position. This operation is in accordance with our water control manual. No downstream impacts have been reported at this time. Chicago District has personnel on site with additional dam safety professionals and flood teams to inspect projects and provide technical assistance. The Chicago District emergency management team is working closely with Federal, State, and local partners to make flood fighting materials available. Currently, one automatic sandbagger is deployed to Janesville, WI assisting the Rock County Department of Public Works with additional materials pre-staged in Kewaunee, WI. We're working closely with Wisconsin National Guard to assist with these sandbagging efforts. To find more information about Lake Winnebago, including current data and forecasts, visit https://www.lrd.usace.army.mil/.../3623884/lake-winnebago/ City of Janesville, WI Rock County Sheriff's Office [Please use the "posted" link to access the other links.] |
Oneida Street Dam on WI Fox River (Satellite)
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Facebook Reel
He points out that a log is jamming the gate that they are trying to open. |
Paper Mill Dam on WI Fox River in Appleton, WI (Satellite)
The Class 5 rapids are a little further downstream.
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| Same Reel |
Not much room left to pass debris under the railroad bridge.
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| Same Reel |
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| A, Jul 2017 |
Part of the paper mill building is now the Paper Industry International Hall of Fame. The dam is in the left background.
Norway Dam on Tippecanoe River north of Monticello, IN (Satellite)
Lake Hurst Dam on Maquoketa River near Maquoketa, IA (Satellite)
A broken wall in the stilling basin explains the inconsistent water jump levels in the above image.
Dams were not the only thing that got stressed.
There is a locomotive down in the washout under the two locomotives that we can easily see.
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2:57 video @ 2:02
Train Washed Out By Flood - Janesville WI 4/17/26 |
As if the flooding is not bad enough, Pontiac had a tornado.
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