Aging. Deteriorating. Dangerous. That’s how EGLE describes dams in Michigan.
EGLE said that there’s just not enough money to take care of Michigan’s dams -- especially the ones that have gone decades putting off maintenance. And it’s putting people and property at risk.
“Neglect any infrastructure long enough, and it will fail,” said Luke Trumble, head of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy’s (EGLE) Dam Safety Unit. “Dams that have lasted a lifetime can fail in an instant. Preventive action must be our top priority when people’s lives and homes are at risk.”
National Inventory of Dams
There are more than 2,500 dams in Michigan and 1,039 of them are tracked by the National Inventory of Dams -- that’s the database maintained by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The National Inventory of Dams only includes dams that meet certain criteria:
- Dams that have a high hazard potential. That means that if the dam failed it could flood main highways, homes, and people could die.
- Dams that have a significant hazard potential.
- Dams that meet a minimum height and reservoir size.
What is a high hazard dam?
If a high hazard dam were to fail then flooding would impact main highways, or expressways, flood homes, potentially wash out commuter railways, and more, according to Trumble. The biggest takeaway is that a high hazard dam failure could lead to loss of life.
The National Inventory of Dams has 161 dams in Michigan with high hazard potential. Three of those dams do not have an emergency action plan in place -- that’s the plan the dam owner and emergency responders are supposed to have in case the dams fail.
How do Michigan’s dams compare the the nations?
According to the National Inventory of Dams the national average dam age is 64 years old. Michigan’s average dam age is older than that . . . our dams average 80 years old.
“Since 2020, the State of Michigan has awarded grants and emergency funds, improved enforcement, and expanded its Dam Safety Unit, but it’s not enough to hold back the pressure on Michigan’s numerous aging, deteriorating, dangerous dams,” Trumble wrote in an Oct. 21, 2025 article for EGLE.
Here’s a chart that shows how Michigan’s dams compare to the nationwide data. The numbers in this chart come from the National Inventory of Dams. Click the tabs to switch between Michigan’s data and the nationwide data.
How are the dams in your county? Check here
This data comes from the National Inventory of Dams and only includes information for the dams the military tracks. Click the dropdown menu to choose your county.
Which county has the most dams?
This chart includes data from the National Inventory of Dams and Michigan’s List of Dams -- just click the tabs to switch between the maps.
Across both datasets Oakland County has the most dams. There are 69 dams in Oakland County tracked by the National Inventory of Dams and 150 dams on Michigan’s list.
Hover over the map or click on a county to see the number of dams in that county.
High hazard potential dams without emergency action plans
There are 161 dams in Michigan that are classified as having a high hazard potential. Only three of those do not have a required Emergency Action Plan in place.
There are three dams in Michigan on the National Inventory of Dams that do not have emergency action plans:
- Impoundment No 1 in Chippewa County. It’s privately owned by Michigan Limestone OPLTD. Its stated purpose is tailings and it was last inspected on March 15, 2010.
- Lake 13 Dam in Clare County. It’s privately owned by the Lake 13 Association. Its stated purpose is recreation and it was last inspected on Oct. 14, 2019.
- Myers-Henderson Detention Pond in Shiawassee County. It’s privately owned by the Eaton County Drain Commissioner. Its stated purpose is flood risk reduction. It was last inspected on Oct. 30, 2020.
High hazard potential dams that aren’t required to have an emergency action plan
There are four dams on the National Inventory of Dams that are not required to have an Emergency Action Plan in place:
- Brown Bridge Dam in Grand Traverse County. It’s government-owned by the city of Traverse City. Its stated purpose is recreation and it was last inspected on June 18, 2008.
- Grand Rapids West Side Dam in Kent County. It’s government-owned by Kent County. Its stated purpose is recreation and it was last inspected on January 1, 1901.
- Middle Comstock Dam in Kalamazoo County. It’s government-owned by Comstock Township. Its stated purpose is recreation and it was last inspected on Nov. 29, 1979.
- Lower Comstock Dam in Kalamazoo County. It’s government-owned by Comstock Township. Its stated purpose is recreation and it was last inspected on Nov. 29, 1978.