Residents Urged to Stay Off Wixom Lake Bottom Lands

State officials at the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy are warning residents to stay off the bed of the former Wixom Lake.

The exposed bottom lands of the lake and of the Tittabawassee and Tobacco rivers remain unsafe to walk or ride on. Officials say fires can easily spread, accidents can happen and emergency responders will have a difficult time reaching anyone in distress, lacking proper access to assist.

In addition to staying off the bottom lands, the state is also asking residents to allow the vegetation which has sprung up to continue to grow. The plant life helps to stabilize the soil in the area. None of it should be burned and campfires will need permission from the Four Lakes Task Force, which owns the bottom lands. Herbicides should also not be used. Most of the plant life is native, though residents can be on the lookout for invasive species like phragmites.