Nearly one month after parts of Grant Township were hit with devastating floods, residents are still trying to clean up.
Grant Township was one of many Cheboygan County communities hit by significant flooding in April. A combination of rapid snowmelt, heavy rainfall, high lake levels and shifting ice conditions caused Black Lake and Mullet Lake water levels to rise. Many homes, docks, shorelines and roads around the lakes were damaged.
According to township officials and regional reporting, floodwaters inundated numerous lakefront properties around Black Lake, forcing evacuations and leaving many homes temporarily uninhabitable. Township supervisor Gil Archambo told the Detroit Free Press on April 22 that water levels peaked in mid-April before slowly receding, but many residents were still displaced days later.
The cleanup continues, said Grant Township Clerk Debi Kuczynski.
“We’ve had a lot of demand for cleaning buckets and supplies, bleach and (bottled) water,” Kuczynski said. “We’re trying to get extra supplies to everyone we can.”
Elected officials and employees at Grant Township have worked with area nonprofits, churches, donors and good Samaritans to help distribute these items to Grant and Waverly township residents impacted by the inland lake floods.
Grant Township has regularly scheduled “dump days” during the year, defined as an opportunity for residents to bring large household waste items, appliances, furniture, brush and other non-hazardous materials for disposal. The township approved the addition of two additional dump days following the April floods for May 2 and May 9. A third extra dump day may be added in the coming weeks.
Items for disposal can be taken to the Alverno Fire Department Hall at 2778 S. Black River Road for the dump days.
“There are a lot of people coming here who need help with (disposal) of things,” Kuczynski said.
Kuczynski estimates that three extra dump days will cost around $15,000, although the township expects to receive financial support from local nonprofits to offset some of the costs. That is just one example of multiple municipalities, departments and organizations supporting each other as the flood recovery continues.
“I feel like everyone is jumping in and doing what we all can to support from (law enforcement agencies) to churches and all of our (township) departments,” Kuczynski said. She added that numerous motels in Cheboygan and Onaway counties have reduced their rates to help support displaced residents.
Areas around Black Lake also experienced what has become known as an “ice tsunami,” where large sections of lake ice broke free and were driven toward shorelines, causing damage along the way. The Free Press reported the ice advanced rapidly and with enough force to threaten foundations and exterior walls.
Several nonprofits and churches continue to provide area residents with meals and supplies, Kuczynski said. Anyone interested in donating their time can reach out to local organizations or Grant Township.
Visit granttwp.com for additional information, and the latest on the township’s dump day schedule.
This article originally appeared on Cheboygan Daily Tribune: Flood recovery, cleanup continues in Black Lake area
Reporting by M. Alan Scott, Cheboygan Daily Tribune / Cheboygan Daily Tribune
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
