Interlochen Public Radio | News and Classical Music from Northern Michigan

Fred Chacon lining up sandbags along the banks of the Intermediate River at his home in Bellaire at around noon on April 14, 2026. His is one of the first houses downstream of the Bellaire dam, and he says he's prepared to evacuate if he needs to. (Photo: Claire Keenan-Kurgan/IPR News)

LATEST: Rising water at Black Lake, and increased risk from an Ellsworth culvert

Dangerous flood waters and strained dams are raising alarms in Cheboygan, Bellaire and across northern Michigan. Here's what we know.

Dam operator Leslie Meyers monitoring water levels at the Bellaire Dam. (Photo : Austin Rowlader/IPR News)

Northern Michigan Flood and Dam Resource Guide

Austin Rowlader, Claire Keenan-Kurgan, Ed Ronco

Waters are rising across Northern Michigan. Interlochen Public Radio has compiled a list of resources to help you navigate the effects in your area.

Water behind the Cheboygan dam was within 14 inches of the top of the dam on April 13. Officials were stacking sandbags in hopes of avoiding a failure.

Ownership disputes, aging design add to Cheboygan dam's failure threat

Kelly House | Bridge Michigan

Federal officials have repeatedly told the owner of a nonfunctioning hydro plant connected to the dam to bring it back online, but the company has not done so. Now, state officials are scrambling to restart the plant in hopes of staving off dam failure.

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