State Steps In To Operate Dam Amid Heavy Rain, Legal Spat

CENTREVILLE, Mich. (AP) -- Michigan environmental officials say they have stepped in to begin the emergency drawdown of water from a southwestern Michigan dam.

The Department of Environmental Quality announced Friday it's acting at the Centreville Dam amid recent and forecast heavy rainfalls - and a dispute that's left the dam without an operator. The department recently ordered the owner to take action, but he hasn't been able to gain access to the Prairie River dam because of a legal spat with an adjacent landowner.

Luke Trumble, a state dam safety engineer, says officials intervened because overflowing water could cause the dam to fail and threaten residents' health and safety. He says somebody needs to operate the dam's movable gates during heavy rainfall or floods.

The drawdown is expected to be done by Wednesday.

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