This archive report was first published on 20 May 2020.
On May 19, 2020, two dams in Michigan, the Edenville Dam and the Sanford Dam, approximately 140 miles northwest of Detroit, were breached following days of heavy rainfall.
The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for areas near the Tittabawassee River, with downstream effects expected from Midland to Saginaw overnight.
Residents in nearby towns, including Edenville, Sanford, and Midland, were evacuated as officials warned of life-threatening flooding.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer stated at a news conference that downtown Midland, with a population of over 41,000, could be under nine feet of water by May 20, 2020.
While urging residents to take the threat seriously and evacuate immediately, Governor Whitmer emphasized the importance of observing precautions related to the coronavirus, including wearing masks and maintaining social distancing.
"To go through this in the midst of a global pandemic is almost unthinkable," she said. "But we are here, and to the best of our ability we are going to navigate this together."
The Tittabawassee River was expected to crest at 38 feet by 8 a.m. on May 20, 2020, more than four feet higher than its record of 34 feet set in 1986.
Dow Chemical Company, based in Midland, activated its emergency operations center and adjusted operations in response to the flooding.
