Michigan feared Cheboygan Dam danger for years before rains pushed it to brink

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.





https://www.michiganpublic.org/transportation-infrastructure/2026-04-18/michigan-feared-cheboygan-dam-danger-for-years-before-rains-pushed-it-to-brink