Cheboygan Ferry Delayed as High Water Strains River Dams

Chris Izworski, reporting from Bay City for the Great Lakes Gazette, turns to disruptions at the start of the 2026 navigation season: the seasonal Lake Huron carferry *Kristen D* faces a delayed launch from Cheboygan due to high water overwhelming the Cheboygan River watershed. On Sunday, state and federal officials closed all boating access to the Cheboygan and Black rivers and connecting lakes below the Cheboygan Lock and Dam, where Plaunt Transportation's ferry normally launches for its May-through-November schedule of seven-days-a-week service. Owners and operators across the lakes are watching closely as intense rain and snowmelt continue to test aging infrastructure along Michigan and Wisconsin waterways. Meanwhile, shipping activity picked up momentum in earnest at month's end, with vessels like the *Albert-Margaret* now inbound to Green Bay as the broader season unfolds. The Port of Green Bay handled 1.6 million tons of cargo in 2025—down 6 percent from the prior year—but Port Director Dean Haen is cautiously optimistic that tariff concerns and regional manufacturing headwinds are easing. Water levels remain healthy across the system: Lake Huron sits 1.62 feet above Low Water Datum, Lake Michigan 1.74 feet, and Lake Erie a robust 2.75 feet, supporting navigation even as inland river conditions pose localized challenges. Conditions on the main lakes look stable through the weekend. Lake Huron is calm, with one-foot waves forecast as high pressure holds before a warm front approaches late today. Lake Michigan will see fog lift northward early this morning, then clear skies and modest two-foot waves. These are workable conditions for vessels resuming their routes after the off-season layover, though crews should monitor the developing low pressure system tracking across the southern lakes Friday night into Saturday. The infrastructure strain visible at Cheboygan reflects a broader climate reality: extreme rain-on-snow events are becoming the norm in a warming Great Lakes region, testing dams built decades ago. That reality underscores why the season ahead matters—for commerce, for communities, and for the lakes themselves.