Cofferdams upstream and downstream of Sanford Dam have kept the area dry so crews could work on the primary spillway and low-level outlet (LLO). During this time, the Tittabawassee River was temporarily routed around the dam (labeled 1 in photo below) through the breach channel.
![]() As we shared earlier this week, no opinion or ruling has been issued from the U.S. District Court regarding the two federal lawsuits filed by Heron Cove Association against the counties and FLTF, however, if all legal matters are resolved in the next two months then we can resume construction on all four dams this summer. It’s important for us to begin construction by April so we do not miss the summer construction season. We’ll share more about this in our January 22nd webinar which you can register for here. Secord, Smallwood and Sanford dams are fully permitted. Secord and Smallwood construction was suspended in 2024 due to a lack of funds. Sanford construction will be suspended shortly because of a lack of funds. It was documented in the January hearing and February county meeting that FLTF was planning to obtain $80 million in municipal bonds in June of 2024 to pay for construction work on all four dams through 2024 and 2025. Municipal financing has not occurred as a result of the appeal.
Last week the Michigan Court of Appeals granted our motion to expedite the briefing schedule in connection with Heron Cove Association’s (HCA) Claim of Appeal. Under the Michigan appellate court rules, HCA must submit its appellate brief by September 5. FLTF will only have 14 days to file our response brief (which would have been 21 days if we hadn’t filed the motion to expedite). HCA will then have an opportunity to file a reply to our response, but that must be filed within seven days after we file our response brief.
Construction Suspension Based on this timing, there will not be a resolution to the appeal by the end of September. Consequently, we will suspend work on the three remaining dams under construction:
FLTF Continues to Push Forward HCA has used every legal opportunity to delay the process required to restore the lakes, and their legal actions have and will continue to delay dam safety upgrades and environmental mitigation, as well as increase costs to property owners. To date, HCA has presented no feasible alternative, and one can only assume HCA intends to completely stop the project which if successful, will result in the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars in property values. Hopefully, HCA’s appeal and their lawsuits currently pending in federal court, will be resolved before the end of the year so FLTF can move forward with financing the final phase of construction in early 2025. Even so, this delay will add an estimated cost of $10 to $20 million to the project. This year's construction work was impacted and will push back the restoration of the lakes. If we are not able to start early in 2025, another year would likely be added to the table below. We understand the frustration of all those in the community with these delays. If construction cannot start in the spring then FLTF has the funds to maintain operations and manage all matters through 2025 until construction can begin. The FLTF Board appreciates the continued support of the lakes' restoration. Dave Kepler With the completion of the Edenville Dam cutoff wall, we are at a point where crews can safely suspend construction work at the Edenville Dam site at the end of June while Four Lakes Task Force awaits direction on financing. The embankment work was initially expected to suspend in September.
An updated suspension schedule was posted May 17, 2024. Please view it here.
Today Four Lakes Task Force (FLTF), the Delegated Authority for restoring the four lakes and dams in Midland and Gladwin counties, announced the Schedule for suspending restoration construction work in the coming months on Secord, Smallwood, Edenville and Sanford dams, and that the start of Edenville Dam’s final phase of construction will be delayed. |
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