Michigan to dismantle century-old Sanback Dam, reviving cold-water creek and wetlands

Constructed in 1920 to serve a flour and later a lumber mill, the concrete Sanback Dam on Beechwood Creek has deteriorated into a hazard for people and wildlife. Its removal, scheduled for 2026, will re-establish a half-mile stretch of cold-water stream that has been blocked for more than a century, allowing native fish such as brook, brown and rainbow trout to move freely. A coordinated effort involving the US Fish and Wildlife Service Midwest Coastal Program, Huron Pines Resource Conservation and Development Council, and Michigan’s EGLE and DNR will employ controlled dewatering and sediment containment to prevent arsenic-laden material from reaching the Rifle River and Saginaw Bay.

Wetland recovery will include eradication of invasive vegetation and planting of native flora like milkweed to support pollinators. The initiative, financed in part by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and state grant programs, also aims to involve at least 50 local residents through outreach and volunteer opportunities.