Michigan leaders are again promising dam safety reforms after a recent dam failure scare, according to major media reports. A state House committee is expected to take up a bill that would strengthen flood control standards at Michigan dams. The legislation is a second attempt at reforms first proposed after the 2020 Edenville dam failure, which forced 10,000 people to evacuate and inflicted hundreds of millions of dollars in damage. Lawmakers vowed to enact similar proposals after the 2020 failure but never did, major media reports note.
The bill would require greater assurance that dam owners can afford to maintain their structures, increase inspection frequency, and require federal regulators to coordinate more closely with state counterparts on dam safety. Rep. Bill Schuette, R-Midland, is a key sponsor of the latest legislation, according to major media reports. According to The Independent - Main, Rep. Schuette described the need for strong, sustainable water infrastructure as more pressing than ever.
The Midland dam failures of May 2020 exposed multiple weak points in the regulatory system governing Michigan's 2,600 dams, including low flood control standards, lack of staffing, and poor communication between federal and state officials. Major media reports indicate that the Midland area dams were old, undersized, privately owned, poorly maintained, and on regulators' radar for years before a massive spring flood destroyed them. Much of the damage from the 2020 failure has been paid by taxpayers, according to major media reports. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ordered state officials to investigate the incident and recommend solutions, and two separate task forces blamed the catastrophe partly on weak dam safety standards. Owner Boyce Hydro operated the dams with spillways too small to handle a major flood while pleading poverty as regulators pushed for upgrades, major media reports state.
House lawmakers are also considering steep cuts to the agency that regulates dams, according to major media reports. The exact amount of the proposed cuts has not been disclosed. Advocates say the cuts indicate lawmakers struggle to prioritize safety when it competes with cutting regulations and spending, major media reports note. According to The Independent - Main, Dana Infante, chair of the Michigan State University Department of Fisheries and Wildlife and a member of the Michigan Dam Safety Task Force, described the situation as kicking a can down the road, which is not a good strategy.
We’ve been kicking a can down the road, and that’s not a good strategy.
Meanwhile, the 2025 Queensland floods caused at least two fatalities from flooding and 31 fatalities from a disease outbreak, according to research from seven sources. The disease responsible for the 31 deaths has not been identified. The flooding was caused by two tropical lows that produced rainfall comparable to cyclonic conditions, research indicates. Major flooding impacted the Shire of Hinchinbrook and suburbs of Townsville, including Giru. The estimated cost to the Queensland economy exceeds $1.2 billion AUD, according to research.
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli said the recovery would take years, according to a press conference. He noted that the town of Adavale had all 20 homes damaged, with no habitable place for rebuilding. Graziers in outback Queensland lost thousands of livestock; one grazier lost 6,000 merino sheep, research shows. The Department of Primary Industries reported 110,000 head of livestock confirmed dead and almost as many missing, according to research. The total number of livestock deaths, including missing animals, remains unknown.
The Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) provide financial assistance to natural disaster-declared areas in Queensland, according to research. Personal hardship assistance is available in eight local government areas (LGAs) for the Western Queensland flooding event. Concessional loans and freight subsidies are available for primary producers in 12 LGAs, and concessional loans for small business are available in 10 LGAs. Counter Disaster Operations assistance is available in 41 LGAs, and Reconstruction and Essential Public Assets assistance is available in 39 LGAs. Personal hardship financial assistance is available for Queensland communities impacted by severe weather, and primary producers can access assistance for equipment, cleanup, debris removal, fencing, and other recovery costs, according to research.
Clear skies are forecast for Thursday, but flooding may continue for weeks in south-west Queensland, according to Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Dean Narramore.