Edenville Dam Assessment Begins This Week

State investigators and contractors will begin an assessment of the remaining portions of the failed Edenville Dam in Midland County this week. The assessment will determine whether additional work is necessary to ensure the dam’s safety and stability to protect the residents of Mid-Michigan who were affected by flooding due to the collapse of the Boyce Hydro Edenville and Sanford dams.

On June 15, federal District Court Judge Paul Maloney ordered Boyce to perform the assessment by July 24. The order required the company to assess the stability of the remaining structure on the Tobacco River side of the dam and recommend measures necessary to ensure the safety of downstream residents and property.

Boyce Hydro, which declared bankruptcy July 31, did not complete the assessment. The company provided a report on the dam’s condition, but the report acknowledged it did not perform the assessment the court had ordered.

The state’s engineering assessment will contain recommendations and designs for mitigation measures to address ongoing dam safety, transportation and natural resource issues at Edenville Dam, and are expected to be implemented this year.