Northern Michigan dam fails, section of U.S. 127 could flood

mlive ^ | 4-15-2014 | Andrew Krietz

[Darren McCarty]

ROSCOMMON TOWNSHIP, MI — Flood water reportedly is moving quickly downstream toward Old 27 and U.S. 127 after a dam failed in the area.

A flash flood warning is in effect for southwestern Roscommon County until 6 p.m. Tuesday following the breakage of the Wraco Lodge Dam. Shortly after noon, the National Weather Service reported water was just inches below a U.S. 127 bridge.

There is the possibility of water overtopping the highway between mile markers 185 and 186. Motorists are advised to not drive over flooded roads.

"The water is about a foot and a half from the top of the bridge, (and) traffic is still flowing over the freeway," Michigan State Police Trooper Kevin Flick said. He added there are no plans as of yet to shut down the highway.

[Darren McCarty]

This is over near Houghton Lake just SW of where I used to live. US-127 is one of the five major routes "up North", and one of the three expressways. Keep an eye out that way. I'd be taking I-75 for awhile if I'm going to up to visit family and my old stomping grounds.

[dfwgator]

Just dam.

(Somebody had to say it)

[MarMema]

ping

[palmer]

AT 257 PM EDT...EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FROM THE COUNTY REPORTS THAT WATER LEVELS ARE NOW APPROXIMATELY ONE FOOT BELOW THE US-127 BRIDGE AND SLOWLY FALLING. HOWEVER...OLD 27 NEAR WOLF CREEK REMAINS UNDER WATER AND CLOSED. OTHER ROADS THAT REMAIN CLOSED INCLUDE WRACO AND ROLLWAY ROADS FROM OLD 27 EAST TO RESERVE ROAD...AND NEWAYGO AND TOWNLINE ROADS FROM WRACO ROAD SOUTH TO ROLLWAY ROAD.

from http://forecast.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=apx&wwa=flash%20flood%20warning

[jayrunner]

Houghton lake is a wonderful vacation site.

[Mastador1]

Damn failings, what else could be expected with zero in the House.

[cripplecreek]

Global warming?



Michigan legislative action thread

[jayrunner]

GLOBAL WARMING!!!!!!!!!

[cripplecreek]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEKkJHSO8A0

[Veggie Todd]

Bush’s fault.

[Sacajaweau]

How the hell can a damn fail in this day and age.

[AppyPappy]

Sometimes they are just piled up dirt.

[Enterprise]

"The dam reportedly was installed by the Department of National Resources in 2012"

Even if it was installed in 2012, it's still Bush's fault because he didn't do enough to stop Global Warming.

[Enterprise]

"How the hell can a damn fail in this day and age."

"The dam reportedly was installed by the Department of National Resources in 2012"

Just another of Obama's "shovel ready" stimulus projects.

[cripplecreek]

Uppper reaches of the Muskegon River.

[OldMissileer]

Back in the 80’s the State of Michigan told a small northern village the dam for their Mill Pond was sub-standard. The village finally got the state to build a new dam. That new dam lasted only a few years before it collapsed during a heavy rain storm.

Just because it is new does not mean the engineers can’t screw it up.

[cripplecreek]

The USACE rebuilt the earthen dam where in live in the early 90s.

[publius911]

Damn failings, what else could be expected with zero in the House.

Not a shovel-ready job, I guess.

[Mastador1]

Not a shovel-ready job, I guess.

A new “maintenance free” dam was installed by the Department of Natural Resources on Wolf Creek at the outlet of Wraco Lake

Not so “maintenance free” after all, perhaps they should have kept their shovels ready!

[cripplecreek]

The idiots can't do anything right.

Dam Removal Mishap Raises More Questions, Concerns

In this case the locals didn't want the dam removed and were ignored. A local businessman even offered to pay to restore the dam and restart the power generating station at no cost to anyone but himself and they still said no.