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Cheboygan business owners brace for the worst as dam water levels continue rising

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Terrance Friday
Terrance Friday
Terrance Friday joins CBS News Detroit from KDFW FOX 4 in Dallas, Texas. During his time in the Dallas Fort Worth area, Terrance worked as a weekend morning anchor and reporter for the FOX-owned and operated television station.
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Terrance Friday

/ CBS Detroit

In downtown Cheboygan, Michigan, businesses are preparing for possible flooding as water levels remain high at Cheboygan Lock and Dam Complex along the Cheboygan River. 

As of 5:30 p.m. Thursday, the Cheboygan River was at 4.92 inches below the top of the dam, according to the State of Michigan Emergency Management and Homeland Security officials. 

With the waters reaching closer than 6 inches, the Cheboygan County Sheriff's Office says status has reached the Level 2 or "set" stage in the Ready, Set, Go instructions to the public.

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The Cheboygan Lock and Dam Complex as seen on April 16, 2026. CBS News Detroit

As water levels are just inches below the top of the dam, business owners are bracing for the worst while hoping for the best. 

"We keep going through these daily motions of trying to keep a business afloat," said Jennifer Thorton, general manager of Cheboygan Title Agency. "I have employees who are in fear for their family and their life, so I am sending them home right now and again try to keep the day-to-day operations going in the business."

Some businesses near the river have set up sandbags and are moving inventory to higher ground, while other businesses are holding off for now and watching conditions closely.   

"We keep thinking, 'Are we way overreacting?' But again, is it going to hurt anything? No. I hope we laugh about this and make a sandbox of all this extra sand, that is my hope, but again, it isn't going to hurt anything," Thorton said. 

cheboygan-county-house-flood.jpg
The woman who lives in this house in Cheboygan County, Michigan, said her home was damaged beyond repair as a result of the flooding in April 2026. CBS News Detroit

"I think a lot of the people are not as well off as I am through this because our home is safe and we don't have high water there," added Cheboygan resident Tami Byron-Okuly. "We are going to be involved in this because this is our community.

"Help one another and see what you can do for somebody else who needs help right now, and give someone some relief. It's going to be okay, and we are all going to be okay. We are all here to help."

Local officials are reminding residents to stay cautious, to keep an eye on changing conditions and to be ready to act quickly if flooding worsens. 

If conditions worsen, downtown Cheboygan and the surrounding areas will move to the "go" stage, signaling an evacuation. 

Paula Wethington contributed to this report.

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