State Representative Bill G. Schuette today highlighted House passage of his bill that will create new, needed oversight of Michigan’s dams and shore up preparedness. 

House Bill 5485 creates a statewide registration system, strengthens inspection requirements, bolsters design parameters, works to improve communication between federal and state entities and expands state oversight and emergency authority to reduce the risk of dam failures.

“This is an important step to protect Michigan communities, the people who call them home and our natural resources,” said Schuette, of Midland. “By earlier monitoring of a dam’s condition and having a mechanism to address risks, we can have better information and provide accountability for people before a crisis unfolds. This is a massive win for our state and how we protect those who live downstream of our more than one hundred high hazard dams.”

Schuette’s legislation was spurred by the Edenville and Sanford dams failing in 2020, which caused catastrophic flooding, hundreds of millions of dollars in damage and forced thousands of people in Midland and Gladwin counties to evacuate.

“The unfortunate reality is there are many other high hazard dams throughout the state that are facing problems,” Schuette said. “We don’t want to see another situation like what happened with the Edenville and Sanford dams wreak havoc on other communities in our state. This will give us the opportunity to be proactive, recognize where there is a problem and facilitate changes.”

“I am grateful to see legislation moving forward that would position our state to be aligned with the best practices in the country,” said Four Lakes Task Force President David Kepler. “This will help better protect more communities across our state from the risks of dam failure like the one that occurred in Gladwin and Midland.”

Historically, regulatory framework in Michigan has focused on ensuring dams meet basic safety standards and that major activities like construction, repair or removal are reviewed by the state. However, this system has not required a comprehensive statewide inventory or long-term asset management planning for dams. This “bare minimum” creates clear vulnerabilities for public safety, property and environmental protection.

The dam registration portion of Schuette’s bill requires dam owners to submit detailed information about ownership, condition, risk and management plans with registrations valid for 15 years. The plan strengthens inspection and reporting requirements by increasing frequency, requiring comprehensive safety evaluations every 10 years and mandating detailed Emergency Action plans. The state will have authority to issue emergency orders and take direct action when it deems that a dam poses an imminent risk.

Work on dams will also be held to a high standard to protect the public. The legislation enhances engineering requirements by mandating professional engineers and more rigorous design criteria, particularly for spillway capacity and flood events.

“This is a wholesale approach to dam safety in our state – from downpour to the pouring of concrete,” Schuette said. “I want to thank experts and officials who provided critical input as we crafted this legislation. We have a strong plan that provides us with a better way forward as a result.”

HB 5485 is soon expected to be presented to the governor for review.