Six Years Later, One Mid-Michigan Lake Is Finally Coming Back

The summer after vacationing on Wixom Lake for a family reunion, we were heartbroken when we heard about the cascading dam failures that sent floodwaters rushing throughout Mid-Michigan.

When both the Edenville Dam and the Sanford Dam were overwhelmed by torrential rain, leading to their failure in May of 2020, it drained four primary Michigan lakes, including Wixom Lake, Sanford Lake, Secord Lake, and Smallwood Lake. Six years after the catastrophe, one of these lakes is finally approaching normal levels according to a report from WJRT.

Sanford Lake Water Levels Finally Rebound in Mid-Michigan

First, here’s what’s happening on the ground. Sanford Lake is finally starting to look like a lake again. Water levels have climbed to about 630 feet, which puts it within its legal range and just inches away from its normal summer level. That might not sound like much, but if you’ve been staring at a mud pit for the last several years, this is a big deal.

READ MORE: Mid-Michigan Residents Fed Up With Ongoing Flooding Problems

People are already back out there fishing, walking the shoreline, just trying to get a sense of normal again. Even the fish are making a comeback, which tells you things are trending in the right direction.

Six Years After Dam Failures, Progress Brings Mixed Emotions

But it’s not all celebration. There’s still a lot of frustration, especially from homeowners who’ve been stuck footing the bill.

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Many didn’t have a say in the rebuild but are now locked into paying for it for decades. So yes, there’s excitement, but it comes with a bit of a sting.

Michigan Lawmakers Revisit Dam Safety After Close Calls

At the same time, lawmakers in Michigan are basically saying we can’t let this happen again according to MLive. Nearly six years later, they’re finally taking a serious look at overhauling dam safety laws. The push is to tighten oversight and prevent another disaster like 2020, especially after recent flooding nearly caused more failures.

READ MORE: Sinkhole Triggers Long-Term Mid-Michigan Road Closure

The problem is the same question as before, who pays for it, and will anything actually get done before the next crisis? While Sanford Lake filling back up feels like a long-overdue win, it’s also a reminder. This took way too long, cost a lot of people a lot of money, and there’s still work to do to make sure history doesn’t repeat itself.