UPDATE - January 13, 2022, 3 p.m.: Officials in Gladwin County have advised that the issue with the Beaverton Dam has been resolved. Continued monitoring of the dam will occur. Midland County residents are encouraged to remain off the river through the weekend as a precaution due to possible fluctuating current speed and river levels.
January 13, 11:30 a.m.: Midland County Emergency Management was notified of an issue at Beaverton Dam. Currently, one of four flood gates is stuck open, allowing water to free flow through the gate.
The Beaverton Dam is upstream of the Edenville Dam and a tributary to the Tobacco River in Gladwin County. Given the changes to the river channel and lake bottoms since the failure of the Edenville Dam in 2020, emergency officials want to be aware an increase in water levels and current speed downstream of the dam, through Edenville, Sanford Lake, Sanford Dam and the City of Midland.
The fluctuating river level will impact the stability of both ice and open water and make it unsafe for residents to ice fish, walk, or recreate on the river. The public is asked to be aware of the potential changes and to stay off the river over the next few days.
