​In late May, 2022 Four Lakes Task Force began flood debris removal from the Wixom and Sanford lake bottomlands. Most debris is wood in some form. Mangled boat lifts, dock parts, boats and other heavily damaged debris have been scrapped. We found a few personal items of potential value.

The personal items include boat lifts, boats and dock sections. None of these items bear any information that allows identification of the owner, but the owner may be able to recognize an item and provide FLTF with proof of ownership. Proof may include owner’s existing photos of the item or description of characteristic marks, features or damage on the item. The first person to provide suitable proof of ownership will be allowed to inspect the item and decide whether to take possession. All of these items suffered damage during the flood. Lift damage may include, but is not limited to, damaged winch, bent frame members, damaged boat support parts, broken welds and missing parts. Boat damage may include, but is not limited to, hull dents and leaky seams. Dock sections may be missing some decking and frame condition is unknown. FLTF accepts no responsibility for the condition of the personal items.

Items that remain in FLTF possession on Dec. 31, 2022 will be considered abandoned and either sold or scrapped.

On October 20, 2022, over 200 attendees, 16 vendors and 11 presenters filed into the Midland Center for the Arts for an all-day event about the path to Four Lakes restoration. What follows is a summary of the symposium.

In the October edition of the "Log Marks" newsletter by the Sanford Area Historical Society, they included a brief story about a trestle that was removed and restored from the Edenville Dam during reconstruction work on the site in 2021. 

Please be advised that flood debris removal on the Wixom and Sanford lakebottom lands has begun and will continue through the summer. You will see equipment and crews on the bottomlands of both lakes removing uprooted trees, loose stumps, dock parts, boat lifts, hazardous substances like gas cans, watercraft, and other man-made objects within the 100-year floodplain. Trees and stumps attached to the lake bottom will be left in place. Some mowing of vegetation on the lake bottom will be done as part of this project, but only enough to allow crews to find and remove debris.

​Summer will be a busy time on the Four Lakes, with work continuing to stabilize the dams, remove debris and vegetation from the lakebottoms, and activate new monitoring instrumentation. Here’s a rundown of what to expect: