Renovation of Michigan’s Cornwall Dam slated for spring/fall 2025

Gaylord, Mich. — Renovations to Cornwall Dam will begin in May and extend through fall to satisfy state dam safety requirements. Vehicle access to the Cornwall Creek Flooding’s day-use area will be closed during this period, and a detour of the Shore-to-Shore equestrian trail will be in place.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Division, which owns the dam, committed to restoring the Cheboygan County dam in 2019. The flooding’s water levels were partially lowered in 2024, following a Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy’s Dam Safety Program recommendation to address concerns with aging infrastructure and embankment seepage issues.

Randy Claramunt, DNR Fisheries Division chief, explained the current dilemma: “Fisheries Division has $175 million in collective maintenance needs for all assets, including dams, but only $300,000 available annually to manage those needs. We are following through on our 2019 commitment to repair Cornwall Dam. But looking forward, the fiscal imbalance to address our fisheries management needs is unsustainable.”

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Construction will include further dewatering by approximately 1 foot, installation of a new water intake structure and outlet, and the permanent decommissioning of the existing water control infrastructure. Per the permit, water will continue to flow through the dam at all times to sustain Cornwall Creek downstream from the dam. After construction is complete, the flooding will gradually return to its previous water levels, a process which will take an indeterminate amount of time as water will continue flowing into Cornwall Creek downstream.

Public access via Tin Bridge Road will remain open during the project, but vehicle access to the Cornwall Flooding day-use area and launch site will be closed during construction for public safety and to allow space for staging equipment and materials. A detour is in place for the Shore-to-Shore equestrian trail, which crosses the dam, and detour information is available at Michigan.gov/DNRClosures and huronpines.org/savecornwall.

Construction will adhere to engineering designs approved in the EGLE permit and the DNR Natural Rivers zoning permit, and the work is expected to be finished before the end of 2025. Taplin Enterprises, Inc. of Kalamazoo has been awarded the construction contract.

The renovation project also includes development of an updated emergency action plan as required by EGLE for all high-hazard dams, which establishes a chain of command and provides contact information for those who would respond in the event of an emergency.

Total project cost is approximately $2.46 million. Funding specific to the rebuild was provided by the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, the Michigan EGLE Dam Risk Reduction Grant Program, the public Save Cornwall fundraising campaign, and DNR appropriations.

The DNR is working with conservation nonprofit Huron Pines, engineering firm Wade Trim and contractor Taplin Enterprises, Inc. to renovate the dam and install a new water control structure and outlet.

For a full list of contributors, or to donate to the project, visit huronpines.org/savecornwall. Regular updates throughout the course of the project will be shared on this webpage.

Questions about the project can be directed to Tim Cwalinski, fisheries unit supervisor, DNR Fisheries Division, Northern Lake Huron Management Unit, at CwalinskiT@Michigan.gov or 231-340-0276, or Josh Leisen, senior project manager, Huron Pines, at josh@huronpines.org or 989-448-2293, ext. 16