The Michigan Department of Natural Resources plans to remove the Roberts Lake Dam in Cheboygan County in August and replace it with a channel-spanning culvert.
According to the DNR, the “new culvert will allow water and debris to pass beneath the road, reconnect aquatic habitat and protect road infrastructure and downstream habitat, as well as prevent a future dam failure event.”
The Roberts Lake Dam was constructed in 1948. Although it was intended to enhance fishing opportunities in the area, DNR officials said it never produced a high-quality recreational fishery and experienced multiple winter fish kills attributed to shallow water and low dissolved oxygen.
At 78, the structure has also exceeded the 50-year life expectancy for dams of this type, as determined by the American Society of Civil Engineers. It was rated in poor condition by Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy Dam Safety Unit inspection reports in 2020 and 2025.
Construction will begin in August and is expected to take around four weeks. The work includes the incremental lowering of the lake level, full dam removal and installation of a new, 16-foot-span bottomless box culvert. The project is estimated to cost $335,000, and is fully covered by grant funds.
Roberts Lake Road will be closed during construction. No water change at nearby Cochran Lake is expected due to the project.
The dam is currently owned by the State of Michigan and maintained by the DNR’s Fisheries Division. After the dam is removed, DNR officials said the new culvert will be owned and maintained by the Cheboygan County Road Commission while the surrounding land will continue to be managed by the DNR.
This article originally appeared on Cheboygan Daily Tribune: Roberts Lake Dam in Cheboygan County set for removal in August
Reporting by Jillian Fellows, Cheboygan Daily Tribune / Cheboygan Daily Tribune
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Jillian Fellows, Cheboygan Daily Tribune | USA TODAY Network
