Michigan Structure That Caused Flooding May Be Used Again

A Michigan official says a construction device that failed during a dam removal project in the northwestern Lower Peninsula, causing flooding, must be used again.

Byron Lane of Michigan’s Dam Safety Unit leads the investigation into what caused Brown Bridge pond to empty Oct. 6 into the Boardman River, damaging at least 53 properties. He tells the Traverse City Record-Eagle the dewatering structure must be used to reroute the river before it can be fully inspected.

The flood happened during a span of hours in what was supposed to be a slow draining of the Brown Bridge Dam in Grand Traverse County’s East Bay Township.

Boardman River dam project managers plan to hold a public meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Grand Traverse Civic Center to provide an update.