Industrial History: weather

Showing posts with label weather. Show all posts

Saturday, May 23, 2026

?+2026 TN-353 Floyd W. "Jason" Lamb, Jr. Memorial Bridge over Nolichucky River

(no Bridge Hunter; no Historic Bridges; Satellite)

With the completion of building this bridge, TDOT has finished replacing all of the bridges that were destroyed by Hurricane Helene.

Street View, Oct 2023

"Today" in the reel's description is May 13, 2026.

Facebook Reel

Why didn't TDOT choose a photo that looks further to the left so that we can see the other side of the destroyed bridge. In particular, did the flood remove all of the piers?

Same Reel

The new bridge uses concrete girders.

Same Reel

I can't tell if the old bridge used concrete or steel girders. I'm guessing concrete.

Street View, Oct 2023

Monday, April 20, 2026

Lock #34 on Trent-Severn Waterway at Fenelon Falls and April 2026 Flood

Lock: (Satellite)

Dam: (Satellite)

Falls: (Satellite)

April 2026 Flood

Apr 17:

Andy McNeilly posted, cropped
A boat going over Fenelon Falls. April 17, 2026. Be safe everyone. Fenelon Falls, Ontario.

I put a yellow box around the boat.

Reel plus Paint

Same reel just a little later

This is the dam that the boat went through.

Street View, Sep 2021

And it gets worse! This falls is just downstream from the dam. We can see a couple of the danger signs on the dam peaking out from under the bridge.

Street View, Jun 2015

This is the lock that the boat was supposed to go through.

Street View, Sep 2021

Navigational data
Lock length: 36.6 m (120 ft)
Lock width: 9.7 m (32 ft)
Average lift: 7.2 m (24 ft)
Max. mooring period: 2 nights
[parks]

At one time, this must have been a double lock.

Street View, Sep 2024

The boat was supposed to stay to the port side of the markers.

Why didn't it get caught by the safety chain?

Satellite

This is what those markers look like.

David Triggerson, Oct 2021

Facebook Reel
[Some comments indicated that the box caught in the hydraulic jump was part of the boat that went through the dam.]

Charles Gamble commented on the above reel.
Burnt river beach park today

Lock #42 on Trent-Severn Waterway near Couchiching and April 2026 Flood

Lock: (Satellite)

Bobtail Bridge: (Satellite? I could not find it. It is not this "Historic Railway Bridge.")

Part of the Trent-Severn Waterway

parks, cropped
47.2m (155') x 9.7m (32') x 6.2m (20')

Mark Culp, Jun 2023

April 2026 Flood

Facebook Reel

He mentions these picnic table tops.

Same Reel

Here is a normal view of those picnic tables.

Boats are allowed to moor there for up to two nights. [parks]

Peter P., Jun 2022

Facebook Reel

Bobtail Bridge

I can't tell for sure because this photo is just part of the bridge, but it looks like it may be a bobtail (asymmetric) bridge rather than a swing bridge.

Jason Edgar, Jun 2022

Sunday, April 19, 2026

April 2026 Flood Stressing Dams, Cadillac Canal and Homes

In April 2026, Northern Michigan got hit with the triple whammy of a record March snowfall melting, several inches of rain in just a few days and frozen ground. I'm focusing on the dams and the Cadillac Canal. There are a lot of videos showing water close to, or in, homes, but they generally don't have information about their location.

So much work had to be done to keep the Cheboygan Dam and Lock from overflowing that it has its own April 2026 Flood notes.

Croton Dam on Muskegon River (Satellite)

Facebook Reel

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.

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.

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?

Facebook Reel
"Authorities stressed the dam itself is not at risk."

Apr 16:

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.

b
Under M37 downtown

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."

Rogers Dam on Muskegon River (Satellite)

Facebook Reel

Bellaire Dam on Intermediate River (Satellite)

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.

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.]

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

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.

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.

Facebook Reel

A better view of the hydraulic jump.

Facebook Reel
"Waiting for the dam to go. It may not be too long."

Facebook Reel

Many campgrounds use floodplains. But that works well only if the campers leave when there is a threat of a flood.

Same Reel

I wonder what the little excavator is trying to fix.

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.

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)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8nja1Bq0t4

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.

YouTube

Morley Pond Dam on Little Muskegon River (Satellite)

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.

Street View, Nov 2016

Kleber Dam (Satellite) and Alverno Dam (Satellite) on Black River

The photo is of the Alverno Dam.

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.

📰Find details in the latest Michigan Department of Natural Resources news release below.

MSP Emergency Management & Homeland Security Division

https://www.michigan.gov/.../teams-bolster-upstream-dam...

"Cheboygan Cement Products provided 50, 3,000-pound sandbags as well as 2,000 smaller sandbags for the effort." [michigan_black_river_problems]

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."

Apr 20: Note the industrial strength sandbags behind the powerhouse.

MSP Emergency Management & Homeland Security Division posted

With recent promising developments, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources is reminding the public that the situation at the Cheboygan Lock and Dam Complex and the Alverno Dam remains fluid and work continues at critical locations.

📰https://www.michigan.gov/.../water-levels-stable-work...

👍Click “follow” to ensure you see important updates. This page is the official source of emergency and disaster information from the State of Michigan.

Tower Dam on Black River (Satellite)

Facebook Reel

5 Channels Dam on Au Sable River (Satellite)

Facebook Reel

Same Reel

Facebook Reel

Finally, a landscape reel of this dam.

Facebook Reel

Mio Dam on Au Sable River (Satellite)

Detroit News posted

Flood warnings issued for the Au Sable River upstream from the Mio Dam

Full story: bit.ly/4vpIHLG

📸 David Guralnick, The Detroit News

Facebook Reel

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:

Riverside Charters posted

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.

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

Facebook Reel

Mark Kopfman: 4th gate is open now [Apr 16, 2026, 8:19pm]

Facebook Reel

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.

Facebook Reel

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.

Facebook Reel

Hattie Street Dam on Menominee River at Marinette, WI (Satellite)

Facebook Reel

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.

Facebook Reel

It looks like they have had trouble getting one of the gates to go up.

Same Reel

Bonus: Brush Creek Mill is a museum. I found it while looking for the dam.

Alpena (9th Street) Dam on Thunder River (Satellite)

Facebook Reel

Facebook Reel

It looks like this dam also has a gate that doesn't work.

Same Reel

Spencer Grotto posted nine photos with the comment: "Taken tonight. 4/15."

[Some comments about never seeing it his high before.]

Just a few days earlier, one gate open was considered significant.

Facebook Reel

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.]

Homestead Dam on Betsie River (Satellite)

Facebook Reel

Apr 14 at 5:58pm:

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.

Facebook Reel

https://www.9and10news.com/2026/04/14/downtown-traverse-city-sinkhole-swallows-lamppost/

At least the above sinkhole ruined just grass and a sidewalk. This one swallowed a car and severed a road.

rystal

Facebook Reel
https://www.woodtv.com/news/newaygo-county/large-sinkhole-opens-west-of-newaygo/

Fish Wier on Boardman River in Traverse City (Satellite)

They are trying to figure out how to remove the debris from the fish wier.

Facebook Reel

This is evidently part of a fish hatchery.

John Terrill, Oct 2025

I presume the weir holds the instrumentation tht senses the tagged fish.

John Terrill, Oct 2025

Escanaba Dam on Escanaba River (Satellite)

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.

Street View, Aug 2022

Apr 20:

Facebook Reel

Cadillac Canal (Satellite)

Facebook Reel

Satellite

Crystal Falls Dam on Paint River (Satellite)

One gate is wide open while the one by the powerhouse is shut. The other two are partially open. It is interesting that they let the water go over the fixed weir rather than open the gates some more. I guess they want to spread out the flow.

Lois K. Haglund posted
Crystal Falls Power Dam on the Paint River.

Jason Asselin Facebook Reel

Apr 17

Facebook Reel

lpha Mastodon Historical Society posted

It looks like a person was able to walk out into the river between the power house and the dam flow before the gates were put in.

I hope to find more photos of the saw Mill in the future; the large building on the right.

Crystal Falls

Michigan is not the only state that has excessive water in April 2006

Necedah Dam on Wisconsin River (Satellite)

Facebook Reel

Petenwell Dam on Wisconsin River (Satellite)

Facebook Reel

Apr 16

Brian Lojeski Facebook Reel
Apr 16

Glenn Jones: Thats petonwell dam

Kevin Wells: The last number I saw posted was 34,999 cfs at Pentenwell.

Facebook Reel

This is another dam that really needs a landscape video instead of a profile video. I count 16 gates.

Street View, Sep 2024

Castle Rock Dam on Wisconsin River (Satellite)

Facebook Reel

This dam needs landscape instead of profile. As the reel panned across the gates, it looks like all of them were open.

Street View, Sep 2024

Ned Bajramovic, Aug 2025

The 18th gate has training walls so that the discharge doesn't erode the powerhouse foundation.

Ned Bajramovic, Aug 2025

Menasha Dam on WI Fox River (Satellite)

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.]