Overnight flooding causes concern for Lake Linden homes, residents

LAKE LINDEN, Mich. (WLUC) - Lake Linden residents woke up Wednesday morning to find parts of town damaged by flooding water.

While most noticeable on the town’s 5th Street, Poplar and Saw Streets saw more damage to roads, driveways and yards.

According to the Michigan DNR, the force of water from melting snow is to blame. Culverts under railroad grades in the area direct water down a ravine toward Torch Lake.

However, they are not infallible.

“Those grades, the way they sit on that ravine in Lake Linden are very prone to erosion,” said DNR Upper Peninsula Trails Coordinator Ron Yesney. “Because we get some really fast water that comes off that hillside, and unfortunately, one of the grades has washed out.”

The washout resulted in a runoff that continued into the town, causing damage during the night. The DNR was first given notice of this around 8 p.m. Tuesday.

The ruined grade is owned by The Rohatyn Group and is set between two other grades owned by the DNR. The DNR is now monitoring its grade closest to the town to make sure it also doesn’t give way due to backed-up water.

The DNR says they will take steps to keep this from happening.

“We’re going to do whatever we have to do,” continued Yesney. “We’ve got the go-ahead from some of our contractors and our department of management budget to do operations if a grade needs to be taken out or a culvert needs to be taken out in order to move the water through and eliminate a flood situation.”

If flooding does occur, the Houghton County Road Commission (HCRC) encourages people to contact them to help with the situation.

“If you see flooding, just give us a call here at the office, and we can dispatch crews,” said HCRC County Highway Engineer and Manager Kevin Harju. “If it’s after-hours and it’s an emergency, dial 911 and we’ll be dispatched through 911.”

We will continue to monitor the situation as it develops.

Last published: Apr 12, 2023 9:39:16 AM

Many residents in Lake Linden experienced flooding overnight with a majority of the damage on Poplar Street and Saw Street.

TV6′s Colin Jackson was on the scene Wednesday morning and reported the flooding has currently stopped but most streets are still damp and covered in sand and debris.

The Lake Linden Fire Department’s Facebook page said to “use caution in town on Calumet Street between 6th and 4th street.”

Michigan State Police Lt. Mark Giannunzio advised residents to drive slowly and avoid the impacted areas.

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