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Roscommon County reports Houghton Lake gates open; Higgins Lake gate extensions complete
Summary
County officials reported USGS monitoring is active for Houghton Lake, all gates on Houghton Lake are open, Higgins Lake gate extensions are complete and the Advisory Board will meet Feb. 20; a letter and drawing regarding Lake St. Helen’s fixed-crest weir are slated to be mailed to SAD residents.
County officials provided an update on lake-level control structures on Jan. 28. Chair Darlene Sensor reported that USGS monitoring for Houghton Lake is operational during a website transition and that "all gates are open." The minutes note Lake Manager Schepke advised there are several ice dams downstream but that removal and authority fall under the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
Separately, officials said gate extensions at Higgins Lake have been completed per permit and that the Higgins Lake Advisory Board is scheduled to meet Feb. 20, 2026 (time and location TBD). For Lake St. Helen, staff have drafted a letter to residents in the special assessment district (SAD) and prepared a drawing showing a fixed-crest weir; once letters are mailed a three-week reply period will follow.
The board did not take formal action to change lake-control operations at the Jan. 28 meeting; updates were presented for information and scheduling. Commissioners discussed tree debris and ice dams in local rivers and noted that some removal responsibilities rest with the DNR rather than the county.
