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The Roscommon County Board of Commissioners would like to address the current water levels at Houghton Lake, the challenges, and the constraints we are facing.
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The DNR and EGLE must authorize dredging of the river downstream from the Houghton Lake Structure. Our ability to release water is limited by the river's capacity, which has been significantly reduced due to over 50 years of sediment build-up.
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Roscommon County manages one of the most complex watersheds in Michigan, receiving water from multiple areas. We are legally required to maintain court-ordered levels at three different structures, including Higgins Lake and Lake St. Helen. Consequently, we cannot stop the flow of water into Houghton Lake.
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Regarding the Houghton Lake structure, all gates have been open since January in accordance with the operations manual. We cannot fully remove the remaining boards without jeopardizing the integrity of the structure. Furthermore, if the lake level were not at its current height, the water would not be in contact with these boards.
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Currently, Houghton Lake is approximately 23 inches over the legal summer level. Under ideal conditions, the water level typically drops by about one inch per week. Given our current circumstances, it will take considerable time for the water to return to the court-ordered legal level.
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Regarding Higgins Lake Structure, three gates are open, and the log bays are not. The reason for this is that after 2 gates are open, the flow is maxed out because of the culverts downstream.
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Currently, Higgins Lake is approximately 6” over the legal summer level. These gates will remain open until we hit our court-ordered legal level.
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Regarding Lake St. Helen, the flop-gate is open, and all boards are out. The flow is restricted due to the river and the bridge.
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Currently, Lake St. Helen is approximately 14” over the legal summer level. These gates and boards will remain open until we hit the court-ordered legal level.
Thank you for your understanding as we manage these environmental constraints that Mother Nature has given us.
About
Roscommon County is responsible for the operation, maintenance and improvement of the lake level control structures (LLCS) that impact Houghton Lake, Higgins Lake, and Lake St. Helen. Legal lake levels were established for each lake by a Roscommon County Circuit Court order in accordance with Part 307, Inland Lake Levels, of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, 1994 Pa 451. Since that time, Roscommon County has paid for the operations, maintenance and improvement efforts for the structures out of the county's general fund.
The structures are in need of repairs that Roscommon County alone can no longer pay for. To defray these costs, the county established special assessment districts that finance the maintenance of the legal levels of the lakes consistent with the vast majority of legal lake levels throughout Michigan.
With a surface area of 20,044 acres, Houghton Lake is Michigan's largest inland lake. It receives water from the Cut River and four major tributaries and drains into the Muskegon River. The Houghton Lake legal lake level was last revised by a 1982 circuit court order. On December 8, 2022, a special assessment district was legally established.
Houghton Lake
Higgins Lake has a surface area of 9,900 acres. This spring-fed and stream-fed lake drains into Marl Lake by the Cut River where a lake level control structure regulates flow. The structure was originally constructed in 1950. The Higgins Lake legal lake level was last revised by a 1982 circuit court order. On September 15, 2023, a special assessment district was legally established.
Higgins Lake
Lake St. Helen is 2,400 acres in size. It drains into the South Branch Au Sable River. In 1930 a lake level control structure was built on the river. The Lake St. Helen legal lake level was last revised by a 1998 circuit court order. On December 15, 2023, a special assessment district was legally established.