'Crisis mode:' Michigan and Wisconsin battle historic flooding with final shot of rain still ahead

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Heavy rain, snowmelt cause devastating flooding across Michigan and Wisconsin

Homeowners across northern Michigan are unable to clean up amid record-breaking inundation caused by heavy rain and the melting of a historic winter snowpack. Governor Gretchen Whitmer said on Thursday that the state is still in crisis mode. FOX Weather Correspondent Katie Byrne has the latest from Cheboygan, where officials are trying to prevent the river from overtopping the city's dam.

CHEBOYGAN, Mich. — Dangerous flash flooding is unfolding across parts of Michigan and Wisconsin after days of heavy rain from severe storms and rapid snowmelt have pushed rivers into major flood stages and forced evacuations. Governors of both states declared states of emergency.

Floodwaters have washed out roads and pushed dams and levees to the brink of failure after a widespread 3 to 5 inches of rain has fallen over the past five days from repeated rounds of severe storms.

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Inundation is ongoing across northern and West-Central Michigan, north of Grand Rapids, as well as parts of Southeast Wisconsin and Central Wisconsin, including Milwaukee and Madison.

Flood watches and warnings were in effect through Saturday morning across eastern Wisconsin, northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula.

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See it: Aerial footage highlights severe flooding in Cheboygan, Michigan amid critical dam levels

Aerial footage highlights the severe flooding in Cheboygan, Michigan, on Tuesday as continued rapid rain and snowmelt sent water levels surging in the Cheboygan Dam, forcing evacuations.

Some residents in Cheboygan, in northern Michigan, were prepared to evacuate Friday, after water levels rose to within 6 inches of topping part of the 104-year-old Cheboygan Dam. A hydraulic dam at the Cheboygan Lock and Dam Complex is now online, with hopes of decreasing water levels.

State officials are also working with private dam owners to bolster dams further upstream to prevent breaches or flooding. Boats are being used to collect debris from the river to keep it from entering the Cheboygam Dam, according to Michigan State Police. Authorities said the danger of overtopping is still on the table.

"The turbines are running and moving a substantial amount of water," Mike Janisse, co-leader of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Incident Management Team, said. "We are grateful to the many local, state, federal and private partners that have worked beside us in this effort."

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At full capacity, the hydroelectric turbines can move nearly one-third more water through the dam than previously, pumping an additional 2,000 cubic feet per second.

The statewide coalition of incident response teams is doing everything possible to protect the aging dam, while also leveraging natural mitigation strategies to reduce dangerous flooding.

This comes after the Little Black River breached a different levee Tuesday, triggering evacuations and flooding in parts of downtown.

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"We are in crisis mode right now," Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer said after visiting the dam on Thursday.

Both Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers and Michigan Gov. Whitmer cited damage from this week's severe weather and flooding as the impetus for disaster declarations. Gov. Whitmer expanded Michigan's state of emergency to include 33 additional counties Wednesday evening.

The county sheriff's office said Friday there were new washouts along the western part of Black Lake.

Drone footage from Cheboygan revealed the staggering extent of river flooding that has submerged entire neighborhoods.

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Watch: Drone footage captures massive flooding in Michigan

Drone footage captured by the FOX Flight Team shows the extensive flooding in Cheboygan, Michigan. There is a high probability of a need to evacuate the area as water levels continue to rise.

Several Cheboygan residents told FOX Weather Correspondent Katie Byrne Thursday that they were self-evacuating due to rising water levels — many with snow still peeking out of floodwaters on their driveways.

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Neighbors Byrne spoke to Thursday estimated hundreds of homes have already been flooded. With inches of lingering water after the initial flooding, homeowners said they haven't been able to start cleaning up.

"I've worked my butt off my entire life for everything, this is above and beyond what a lot of people are going to be able to handle," Cheboygan resident Jon Bison said.

Cheboygan flooding Friday.

(FOX Weather Correspondent Katie Byrne / FOX Weather)

In West-Central Michigan, the Newaygo County Sheriff's Office ordered additional flood patrols along the Muskegon River Friday, and said propane tanks and other debris have been spotted in the floodwaters.

Evacuations were ordered Thursday across parts of Newaygo and Oceana counties. Newaygo County ordered evacuations along the floodplain below the Croton Dam on the Muskegon River Thursday morning.

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Hesperia officials said life-threatening flooding was possible for areas below the Hesperia Dam along the White River after it overflowed the dam's spillway Wednesday.

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Hesperia Dam is close to failure as heavy rain and snowmelt fuel floodwaters

The Hesperia Dam in Michigan is inching closer to failure as floodwaters continue to rise. Heavy rain and snowmelt have fueled dangerous conditions across the region. Officials continue to monitor the situation closely.

The Bellaire Dam in Antrim County reached the "ready" stage Tuesday night, prompting evacuation preparations.

Officials said water levels had risen within a foot of parts of the dam's crest.

 Rising water levels in Northern Michigan prompted the area near the Richardi Park Dam along with the Peninsula area to temporarily close on April 13. 

(Village of Bellaire)

Also on Tuesday, a heavily-traveled bridge in Traverse City was overtaken and destroyed when the Boardman River surged over the bridge barrier.

Local officials said the span in Grand Traverse County supported thousands of vehicles a day.

Traverse City, Michigan bridge washed out by floodwaters.

(FOX Weather Correspondent Katie Byrne / FOX Weather)

Historic flooding was also reported along the Menominee River near the Wisconsin border with Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Menominee County sheriffs said roads and bridges have been washed out.

Numerous locations across northern Michigan have already recorded their wettest spring on record, including Cheboygan and Traverse City.

The Boardman River at Beitner Road in Traverse City crested at historic levels on April 14, according to the National Weather Service. 

(Grand Traverse County Road Commission)

Milwaukee sets new monthly rain record

Milwaukee has now recorded its wettest April on record with 8.03 inches of rain, according to the FOX Forecast Center — the previous record was set in 2013.

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On Friday, the city asked people to put off doing laundry and take shorter showers to ease the strain on the sewer system, which had to release untreated wastewater into Lake Michigan to stave off widespread basement flooding.

Flooding closes Interstate 43 in Milwaukee Wednesday.

(@MilwCoSheriff/X / FOX Weather)

Interstate 43 was submerged on the south side of Milwaukee Wednesday night, paralyzing traffic as a rush of fans left the Milwaukee Brewers game. I-43 reopened with residual delays Thursday.

In cental Wisconsin, cars were flooded and abandoned in parts of Fond du Lac on Thrusday.

Cars flooded in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, on Thursday.

(WITI / FOX Weather)

Officials in the state capital of Madison said flooding reached historic levels in parts of the downtown Tuesday night.

Waupaca County officials said flooding was ongoing with new road closures issued near the city of New London on Friday due to river flooding.

Flooding in Madison, Wisconsin, Tuesday.

(City of Madison, Wisconsin Government/Facebook / FOX Weather)

The rain, combined with the transition to warmer temperatures, is rapidly melting what was a historic snowpack for many places in both states.