Overview:
- Water at Cheboygan Lock and Dam reaches its highest level yet — just under 5 inches from the top.
- At least 14 bridges across eight Michigan counties have closed or failed due to flooding, with two bridges collapsing over rivers in Grand Traverse and Manistee counties.
- Sixty homeowners in Monroe County have seen their wells run dry.
➡️ Cheboygan dam crisis prompts round-the-clock emergency response Michigan officials gathered in Cheboygan Thursday as water at the Cheboygan Lock and Dam Complex reached its highest level yet — just under 5 inches from the top of the structure. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who has extended a state of emergency to 32 counties, visited the site alongside state and local officials. Crews are working around the clock to prevent dam failure. A dormant hydroelectric powerhouse could increase water flow through the structure by 30%. 📌 Source: Cheboygan Daily Tribune
➡️ Detroit’s AB Ford Park renovation draws fury from neighbors Months after Detroit celebrated the reopening of AB Ford Park, neighbors say the renovated waterfront site is a mess. The $11.9-million project left behind flooding, dying saplings, construction debris, and a crumbling, unrepaved parking lot. Promised pickleball and tennis courts were never built. The city says contractors are still addressing final issues this spring, but frustrated residents — including former city ombudsman Durene Brown — say the park is worse than before renovations began. 📌 Source: Metro Times
➡️ Flooding closes 14 bridges across 8 Michigan counties At least 14 bridges across eight Michigan counties have closed or failed due to flooding as of Thursday, April 16, according to the Michigan Department of Transportation. The affected counties are Arenac, Muskegon, Manistee, Grand Traverse, Oakland, Osceola, Menominee, and Midland. Two bridges have fully failed, one over the Boardman River in Grand Traverse County and another over Big Bear Creek in Manistee County. The State Emergency Operations Center is tracking closures online. 📌 Source: Detroit Free Press
➡️ ‘Who’s going to pay for this?’ Monroe County residents fight back after wells run dry At least 60 homeowners in Whiteford Township and surrounding Monroe County communities have seen their wells run dry, forcing costly repairs and leaving residents without reliable water. Many blame the nearby Stoneco limestone quarry and its high-capacity pumps. Whiteford Township has hired engineers to investigate the cause. A grassroots group has formed in response to the issue, though Michigan law largely shields mining dewatering operations from groundwater dispute resolution. 📌 Source: The Detroit News
➡️ New research says Atlantic current collapse far more likely than thought New research finds the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (Amoc) is far more likely to collapse than previously believed. Scientists determined that climate models predicting the steepest slowdown — between 42% and 58% by 2100 — are actually the most accurate when tested against real-world ocean data. A collapse would devastate weather patterns across Europe, Africa, and the Americas. One leading researcher now estimates the probability of an Amoc shutdown exceeds 50%. 📌 Source: The Guardian
➡️ Consumers DTE customers among thousands without power after Michigan storms Nearly 59,000 Michigan customers lost power Wednesday, April 15, after thunderstorms swept across the Lower Peninsula. Outages were concentrated in southern Michigan, with Allegan, Washtenaw, and Barry counties hit hardest. Consumers Energy reported the most affected customers at 38,127, while over 8,300 DTE Energy customers in Wayne County lost service. Allegan County alone saw more than 10,000 outages, making it the most impacted county statewide. 📌 Source: Detroit Free Press