The multi-billion-dollar water infrastructure bill (Senate Supplemental Bill 565) was unanimously reported Wednesday, December 1, to the Senate Appropriations Committee, and included an allocation of $250 million to be used to restore the Four Lakes Task Force dams and Secord, Smallwood, Wixom and Sanford lakes.

Since the release of the interim Independent Forensic Team (IFT) report, Four Lakes Task Force and its consulting engineers have conducted their review of the report to get a better understanding of how the team formed its conclusions. 

Please see the FLTF Response to the IFT Report for more details, and watch this video to learn more about why Edenville Dam failed.

Key Takeaways for the Restoration of the Dams:

Below is an excerpt from an article in the Detroit News written by Beth LeBlanc. Subscribers to The Detroit News may read the full article.
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"... The task force, whose authority is rooted in state law and a state court order, has stressed its transparency and accountability to the people of Midland and Gladwin counties. The group also is essentially the last one left to carry the load.

​A packet of letters of support for the House and Senate dam repair and safety bills, signed by key public and private entities in the Four Lakes region of Gladwin and Midland counties, was sent to Michigan elected officials last week. 

The letters expressed gratitude for their leadership and foresight in sponsoring the bills and reiterated the impact of the legislation if the funding is approved. 

Even though the Michigan legislature and the administration have agreed to a budget for the next fiscal year that includes funds for dam safety, this is not the same as legislation that was introduced in the Michigan House and Senate in May that could allocate millions of dollars for dam repairs to restore the Four Lakes. The May legislation is not included in the recently announced budget

A new fact sheet about Four Lakes Task Force provides background information and summarized plans for the recovery and restoration of the four dams. The document includes background information about the lakes and dams, details about estimated funding, and an overview of the four critical issues for success. We encourage you to take a look and even print a copy for yourself!​

​Legislation was introduced in the Michigan House and Senate in May that could allocate millions of dollars for dam repairs to restore the four lakes. Even though the Michigan legislature and the administration have agreed to a budget for the next fiscal year, any financial allocation for the dams would more than likely come in the approval of a supplemental appropriation, with discussion on these types of investments beginning in October. Financing for the bills is possible because of excess available funds.