Michigan's dam problem

Since 2020, the State of Michigan has awarded grants and emergency funds, improved enforcement, and expanded its Dam Safety Unit, but it’s not enough to hold back the pressure on Michigan’s numerous aging, deteriorating, dangerous dams. 

With more than 1,000 state-regulated dams – many of them decades or even a century old – the need for regulatory reforms and sustained investment in dam safety has never been more urgent. 

“Neglect any infrastructure long enough, and it will fail,” said Luke Trumble, head of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy’s (EGLE) Dam Safety Unit. “Dams that have lasted a lifetime can fail in an instant. Preventive action must be our top priority when people’s lives and homes are at risk.” 

The consequences of failure are severe. In May 2020, the Edenville Dam collapsed and the Sanford Dam overtopped during record-setting rainstorms, displacing 10,000 residents and causing more than $200 million in damages in one of Michigan’s worst dam-related disasters. 

Across the U.S., dam failures have claimed at least 140 lives over the past 50 years. In 2006, seven people died in Hawaii when the Ka Loko Reservoir Dam burst after poor maintenance, lapsed inspections, illegal modifications, and extreme rainfall. Michigan is not immune to these risks. 

State action and investment 

Following the Edenville and Sanford dam failures, the Association of State Dam Safety Officials called for increased investment in dam safety, staffing, and enforcement. The Michigan Dam Safety Task Force issued 86 recommendations across key areas including funding, compliance, and emergency response. 

In response, the State of Michigan and EGLE took significant steps: 

• Expanding EGLE’s Dam Safety Unit from two to eight staff members. 
• Standardizing enforcement practices to ensure consistent oversight. 
• Creating a $6 million Dam Safety Emergency Action Fund to support urgent repairs. The fund has about $3 million remaining for use before the end of fiscal year 2026. 
• Launching the Dam Risk Reduction Grant Program (DRRGP), which invested nearly $44 million over three fiscal years to help private owners repair or remove 57 dams statewide. 

Urgency remains 

Despite these efforts, the threat remains severe, costly problems remain, and the Dam Risk Reduction Grant Program announced its final awards in May 2025.  

Many dam owners and local governments lack the financial capacity to address decades of deferred maintenance. In some cases, public pressure to preserve recreational lakes and ponds has delayed necessary safety actions. 

Recent orders by EGLE to draw down structurally deficient dams in the Holly and White Cloud have been met with local push back over impacts to the Holly Mill Pond and Lake White Cloud. But the risks of inaction are far greater. 

“Boating, fishing, and swimming are part of Michigan’s identity, but public safety must come first,” Trumble said. “We all share the goal of preventing another tragedy.” 

Safeguarding dams in Michigan 

Many of Michigan's more than 2,500 publicly and privately owned dams are decades past their design life. The state regulates more than 1,000 of them based on height and hazard potential. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) regulates 99 Michigan hydroelectric dams owned by individuals, companies, and local and state governments.  

More than 160 state-regulated dams are classified as having high hazard potential, meaning their failure would likely result in loss of life and significant property damage. About 15% of these have been rated in poor condition or do not have a current rating. 

EGLE’s Dam Safety Unit focuses on identifying and assessing dams that pose the greatest risks to public safety. The unit ensures that dams are properly built, inspected, and maintained, and that owners are prepared for potential emergencies. Among staff duties, many required by statute, are: 

• Inspecting, on request, dams owned by the state or local governments. 
• Reviewing the adequacy of dam construction or reconstruction plans. 
• Reviewing safety-related reports, including inspection reports. 
• Performing compliance activities as necessary to enforce the law. 
• Responding to dam safety emergencies. 

For more on dams and dam management in Michigan, visit Michigan.gov/DamSafety.