Curious about the history of the Four Lakes dams? We have you covered. Check out a new timeline that covers the entire history, including ownership, compliance, communication efforts, and construction milestones.

We still expect Sanford Lake to reach its normal legal level by Memorial Day. We are currently holding at the winter lake level and expect to start raising the water level again early next week. As a reminder, we can raise the lake 1 foot per day if the water flow into the lake allows. We want to emphasize exercising caution around the lake. Three main points:

1. Debris will come down the lake as we fill it, and FLTF is still collecting debris in front of the dam. We are aware there are a number of locations that have a lot of debris - we are monitoring them as we fill the lake. If it is safe to do so, please remove debris in front of your property. This helps with clean-up by the dam. If you choose to go on the lake, stay alert and watch out for floating objects.
2. The lakebottom and shoreline have changed. Water depths are different and there are new fishing structures and riprap in various places. Please stay alert.
3. Water quality will not immediately be what it used to be. With debris and sediment jostled, it will take time for the quality to return. We are continually monitoring water quality.

We published a new page that includes all lake use rules and regulations for Sanford Lake. We encourage property owners to view the page to refresh their memories.

If you see substantial debris on the lake by your property that cannot be removed easily, please email [email protected] your address, photos of the water and shoreline, and your concerns. We are in the process of surveying the lake to see where it is feasible for volunteers to help remove debris and where additional resources may be needed if the debris build-up is complex or substantial. 

Four Lakes Community - 
We are seeing the most rain and flooding in Gladwin and Midland counties since 2020. FLTF is monitoring flows and lake levels and communicating with county emergency managers per protocol. Lake and river levels are elevated throughout Michigan. Water is flowing through all four dams as expected and we see no integrity issues with the dams at this time.

We are receiving inquiries asking why we aren’t doing more to control flooding downstream. As a reminder, the dams are not intended for flood control, nor do the lakes have the capacity for flood control storage. The dams are designed and operated as run-of-river, with the intention of not increasing downstream risk from dam failure.

We are excited to announce two new advisors, Mary Draves and Kevin Kolevar, to the Environmental, Health and Safety (EH&S) Advisory Committee. The purpose of the EH&S advisory committee is to review environmental, health and safety policies, practices and requirements related to the operations of FLTF. ​

To the Four Lakes Community –
This holiday season, I am filled with gratitude for the efforts that so many people and organizations have put towards restoring the four dams and lakes in Gladwin and Midland counties over the last five years. The construction work is very visible now, and it’s inspiring to reflect on just how many individuals have contributed their time, funds and expertise to this project to get to this point, where we are on a certain path to restore the lake levels and the benefits they bring.

We want to thank Congressman John Moolenaar, who advocated on behalf of the Four Lakes community to secure a  $2,250,000 grant for Four Lakes Task Force to install AMEP (architectural, mechanical, electrical and plumbing) equipment necessary for long-term operations and monitoring of Edenville Dam. The AMEP project consists of design and construction of the utilities system to operate dam components such as gates and de-icing units. AMEP work can also include the following: 

• Architectural: Constructing infrastructure for dam operations to monitor and control dams and gates
• Mechanical and Plumbing: Running pipes, laying down equipment, building handrails and installing walkways
• Electrical: Wiring for items like safety lights and lights in the control buildings, as well as power to the different hydrologic units and side seal units that are needed to operate the dams. There is also an instrumentation component that includes measuring water levels around the dam and installing controls

While these funds are directed to a specific project, they will help reduce overall project costs, which benefits everyone in the special assessment district.