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Board debates fixes for Houghton, Higgins and Lake Saint Helen as stakeholders press for advisory committees
Summary
County lake manager and commissioners discussed engineering options (weir, restrictor plates, dam replacement), EGLE permit questions and potential advisory committees; public commenters warned of shoreline erosion and asked for standardized datum and stakeholder inclusion.
The Roscommon County Board spent a substantive portion of its Feb. 25 meeting on lake‑level control structures for Houghton Lake, Higgins Lake and Lake Saint Helen, with county lake manager Chase Shepke reviewing current operations, engineering work and outstanding regulatory questions.
Shepke reported Houghton Lake’s gates were “wide open” and raised concerns about the downstream gradient, saying the gauge shows only about six inches of fall over six miles — a condition that makes moving water difficult. He said he plans to FOIA the 2021 design plans and operation documents to confirm the design elevations and intended operating tolerances. Commissioners asked for additional follow‑up with Tom (the consultant) and for updated timelines.
On Lake Saint Helen, engineering borings and topographic surveys were completed but, Shepke said, a weir may be less viable than previously thought; the board agreed it should query the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) about what variations and flow requirements it would accept before selecting a final design. "What EGLE would require to design and or install a restrictor plate?" Shepke asked the board, urging that EGLE be brought into the discussion to clarify design and permit expectations.
Multiple members of the public urged broader stakeholder participation. James Johnson, identified as secretary of the Saint Helen Shooting Club, asked that the advisory committee include North Shore stockholders and that any modeling show potential shoreline erosion and flood scenarios for extreme rainfall events. Craig Carterman (Houghton Lake) asked the county to standardize datum usage (the 1988 datum was recommended) and to correct website information so lake levels are consistent and comparable.
Commissioners emphasized forming advisory committees for each lake, coordinating with townships (Higgins Township and others were named), and (for Saint Helen) notifying counsel and parties about an upcoming court date. The board directed staff to reach out to EGLE, to involve township and stakeholder representatives in advisory groups, and to make sure engineering timelines are updated for affected property owners.
