April 15, 2026
A temporary flight restriction up to an elevation of 1,000 feet and within a one-mile radius is now in effect at the Cheboygan Lock and Dam Complex. Flying drones over the dam and in the work area is prohibited.
The restriction was implemented to prevent interference with crews working on the ground and large cranes being used to move equipment and supplies.
Work at the dam continues today. Wearing hard hats and high-visibility vests, staff from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources on Tuesday strategically placed sandbags around the Cheboygan Lock and Dam while contractors set up additional high-volume pumps to move water around the structure.
Inside the hydroelectric powerhouse, experts from the Army Corps of Engineers arrived Tuesday to work with the private facility’s owners and Consumers Energy to restart the hydroelectric plant’s turbine and return it to full capacity. This will help move water through the dam.
“We all have the same goal, which is getting all of this water safely around and through this structure,” said Mike Janisse, leader of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Incident Management Team at the dam. “We are grateful for all of our cooperators and the hard work that everyone is doing.”
Gov. Whitmer declared a state of emergency Friday after meltwater from record spring snowfall and persistent rain threatened to overwhelm the dam.
More than 70 DNR staff and other state employees were working on the Cheboygan dam effort Wednesday.
“There are a lot of moving parts here, and we are working to make sure everything moves as smoothly and efficiently as possible,” Janisse said.
For more information on how to prepare before, during and after an emergency or disaster, visit MIReady or follow MSP/EMHSD on X at @MichEMHS.
