ABOUT
Our Mission
The purpose of Wixom Lake Association is to improve, maintain and protect the waterways of the Tittabawassee and Tobacco river systems, known as Wixom Lake. We do this by providing a consolidated voice for the common good of the community and acting as a liaison between members, county government and Four Lakes Task Force.
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Since the May 2020 flood event, our mission remains the same but is first and foremost focused on bringing back Wixom Lake.
History
1925
The Edenville Dam was built to control the water level of the lake for the purpose of hydro-electric power generation. The lake is named after Frank Wixom who was instrumental in building the Edenville Dam in 1925.
Sept. 10, 2018
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) assumed authority for Edenville Dam after its license to generate hydropower was revoked by FERC because of the dam owner’s (Boyce Hydro) “long-standing failure to increase the project’s spillway capacity to safely pass flood flows.” At this point, the dam was no longer allowed to generate hydropower.
May 19, 2020
An extreme rain event caused the Tittabawassee and Tobacco rivers to swell and resulted in the breach of the Edenville Dam. A portion of the Dam’s earthen embankment failed causing an uncontrolled release of impounded water to rush downstream toward Edenville, Sanford Lake and Sanford Dam. While more than 11,000 people were evacuated and 2,500 structures were damaged (including the collapse of the M-30 bridge) by the floods, no major injuries or fatalities occurred.
1998
Edenville Dam receives its original hydro power license from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).
May 5, 2019
Midland Circuit Court Judge Stephan Carras (also sitting on special assignment for the Gladwin Circuit Court), signed the Lake Level Order under Part 307 of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act. This established legal lake levels for Wixom Lake and its neighboring lakes of Secord, Smallwood and Sanford. Part 307 also established the Four Lakes Special Assessment District, and appointed Four Lakes Task Force (FLTF) as a delegated authority to acquire, repair and operate the four respective dams on behalf of the counties. FLTF represents the lake property owners within the Four Lakes Special Assessment District.
June 2020
In the days that followed, the river rerouted to a new course and the lake completely drained. Investigations, litigation and studies immediately began and many of these are still ongoing.
About Wixom Lake
Wixom Lake is a reservoir in Gladwin and Midland Counties in Michigan, created by the impoundment of two rivers: Tittabawassee and Tobacco. Edenville Dam is an earth-filled embankment dam with two spillways (the west spillway is referred to as the Tobacco Spillway) and a powerhouse. State highway 30 bisects the dam.
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When at its legal summer level, Wixom Lake is approximately 1,980 acres and can reach depths up to 40 feet. Michiganders from across the state visit the lake to boat and fish in its freshwaters. Anglers love the lake for its variety of fish including Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Largemouth Bass, Muskie, Northern Pike, Rock Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye and Yellow Perch.
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