The 2020 dam break and the lakes that are coming back

In May 2020, after days of heavy rain, two old dams on the Tittabawassee River gave way — first the Edenville Dam, then the Sanford Dam just downstream. The flood that followed tore through Edenville and Sanford, drained Wixom Lake and Sanford Lake down to mud flats, and pushed on to flood parts of the city of Midland. Thousands of people had to leave their homes. It was one of the worst floods in the area’s history.

If you’re looking at property here, there are two things to understand. First, the lakes are being rebuilt. After the dams’ private owner went broke, Midland and Gladwin counties took over the dams, and a group called the Four Lakes Task Force is repairing them and slowly refilling the lakes — a process that’s still going as of 2026. Second, much of the cost of that work is being charged to lakefront property owners through a special assessment that runs for years. So if you buy near one of these lakes, ask exactly what the lake looks like right now, when it’s expected to be full again, and what the special assessment on the property will be. And anywhere near the river, it’s worth checking the flood maps before you buy.