Rising water sets off alarm, forces cancellation of Shanty Aid benefit event

By Linda Alice Dewey

Sun contributor

Safety issues due to rising waters has forced Leland’s Fishtown Preservation Society (FPS) to cancel its June 21 “Shanty Aid” kickoff fundraiser. Ironically, the event was to be a benefit to save Fishtown from rising water. Meanwhile, the water continues to rise, threatening shanties and docks.

More than 300,000 visitors come to Fishtown each year, and thousands attended the popular Leland Wine & Food Festival earlier this month. Yet, Fishtown Preservation decided against holding the event, executive director Amanda Holmes wrote in a June 4 press release, “because the docks and some shanties have been inundated by high water several times in the past few weeks. Predictions that the base water levels may rise more than 6 inches, not accounting for other water incidents, like seiches, make any planned event in Fishtown precarious.”

Read related story: High water levels: Negotiating between Lake Michigan and Lake Leelanau

Four inches below all-time record

The decision proved fortuitous. The Army Corps of Engineers, which measures water levels, states that Lakes Michigan-Huron (considered one body of water, hydrologically) rose 7 inches in May. New predictions show them slated to rise another 7 inches in June. In addition, the water level for the week of June 7 was predicted to be 13 inches above its level from the same week last year, and 29 inches higher than the long-term monthly average.

“It’s been 33 years since we’ve seen water levels this high,” said Keith Kompoltowicz, chief of the Detroit District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Watershed and Hydrology Branch. “And it’s just the result of how extremely wet it has been across the lakes.”

According to Army Corps, precipitation over Lakes Michigan-Huron was 31% higher than normal in May, adding to its already high-water level. Lake Michigan-Huron was just 4 inches below the all-time high-water level record for the month of May—the fourth highest May since 1918.

“The record high for all the months was set in October 1986 at 582.35 feet,” said Kompoltowicz. Our forecast for the month of June is 581.82 feet, so still 6 inches or so below that record high for all months going back to 1918.” 

The Army Corps can’t tell yet whether we will hit an all-time record water level this year. “Right now, that’s at the very end of our forecast horizon,” said Kompoltowicz. “Our highest scenario, what we would expect if extremely wet weather occurs over the next months, does not eclipse that record.”

Several seiches, caused by low air pressure pushing water toward the coast, which might otherwise be benign, also caused flooding at Fishtown this spring. “You’re literally standing there and water rushes up to the point where people have to step back,” described Holmes’ assistant, Summer Meyer.

May 9 was the first one they noticed, and it was a big one. Tenant businesses began calling to say, “It’s coming in!”

“We called the fire department, and they started filling sand bags,” Meyer said. “We had ordered 100 bags; they just weren’t filled with sand yet. We got desperation calls from the tenants and couldn’t work fast enough. So the fire department came and helped.”  

Meyer says seiches “happen all the time. I think we’re just more aware because of the water being so high. They can go up 5-6 inches. The Morris shanty has been under water quite a few times [since then].

Back to the ’80s

Lake Michigan water levels were also high during the 1980s, setting records for June and July in 1986. So, how did Leland deal with record high-water levels then? Bill Carlson, who began purchasing deteriorating shanties in the ’70s until 2001 in an effort to save Fishtown, said they elevated some shanties and all of the docks in ’86.

“We were faced with the question, is this a cycle or a trend?” he said. “Will the water continue to rise, and what is our next step? We did not have the financial resources that Fishtown Preservation has— we financed ourselves—so wait and see was our best option and possibly our only one.

“We got lucky and the water did go down,” Carlson added. “I’m not sure that will be the case this time.”

This year, the monthly average water level for Lakes Michigan-Huron rose 7 inches from May to June, and the forecast is not good, admits Kompoltowicz. “It looks like Lake Michigan will at least tie some record in the next month and approach record highs as we move toward August and September. Our forecast nearly mirrors those levels in 1986. We are tying for June-July. One scenario that might lead to lower water levels is a hot dry summer followed by a cool dry fall.”

Shanties in trouble 

“The recent high-water crisis adds urgency to protecting Fishtown today for the future,” said Amanda Holmes. “All of the shanties are in trouble, some more than others.” 

The structure in the most trouble is also the oldest. Built in 1903, the green-roofed Morris shanty sits on the south shore opposite most of Fishtown. “Deeded to only house commercial fishing, it houses all the fishing equipment that we use for our boats,” said Summer Meyer. Fishtown Preservation owns two fishing tugs. Continuing commercial fishing is an important part of its mission.

The organization, formed in 2001 by Fishtown owner Bill Carlson and area locals, became a nonprofit in 2004. Three years later, it bought structures and docks from Carlson. In 2016, it acquired two more buildings. It maintains the grounds and structures, and administers its business rentals and the commercial fishing business. Earlier this year, it celebrated paying off a 12-year, $3 million mortgage for the purchase of most of Fishtown from the Carlson family. 

In 2016, Fishtown stabilized the Morris shanty by running duckbill cables under it to keep the building from falling into the river. The plan now is to raise it one foot. 

This spring, an alarm sounded intermittently next door to the Morris shanty, signaling that shanty’s septic system was flooded. Officials at Fishtown Preservation scrambled to control the situation, which they did earlier this month. “The maintenance crew on call came in and built a sandbag wall and backfilled it, put in a new pump and crock, filled it.” Basically, she said, “They built a levy around it to keep the water away from entering the pump house where the crock sits. There’s no water entering the area now. 

“We’re doing all these stopgaps, anticipating things that are going to be addressed. That was a new thing for us,” she said, “because that building was not part of the construction plan, but now it may have to be.”

The shanty functions as a summer rental, generating a needed $20,000 annually. 

Shanties that house Village Cheese, Carlson’s Fishery and Dam Candy all face water issues. Meyer says Fishtown Preservation will know more about what has to be done once they get under the buildings. Add to that list raising 200 feet of docks, repairing a leaning roadside break wall, and repairing drainage stations, electrical along the docks, and mold issues.

What next?

“At this point all of the buildings Fishtown Preservation owns may be under consideration for raising,” Holmes said. “Unfortunately, this will also come at a cost, with most of the project funds still needed. We haven’t determined the final height at this time. We have to see what the season and other predictions bring, and be prepared to be flexible.”

The original campaign budget was $1.6 million, but that price tag will rise.

Carlson sees it this way: “Two choices I see are ‘wait and see’ or make a plan for future high water,” he said. “If it were me, and I had the resources, I would go with the latter.”

County drain commissioner Steve Christiansen looks on the bright side. “It’s kind of a good thing that they have to look at it now, with the water going high. Thank goodness [the work] wasn’t already done.”

What if the water keeps rising: would Fishtown close? 

“We are facing a new situation, and we hope that conditions will not merit closing for any length of time,” Holmes said.

Meyer monitors the situation every day. “With all of the stopgaps we have in place, we are hopeful in keeping every business open,” she said.

How you can help

Two grants will match incoming donations to launch Shanty Aid. To donate, call Fishtown Preservation at 231-256-8878 or visit FishtownMI.org.

Track the weekly and monthly Army Corps of Engineers lake levels forecasts here: