Important Michigan DAM dig
I live nearby, not that close - an hour away. Someone I was talking to told me that there had been a lot of dispute over water levels this Spring. They said that the management company had been fighting with the state. Basically, the dam was in such bad shape they wanted to lower the water levels and the State Gov said NO. It was being litigated.
From what I know about dams, they require constant management. If the water level ever goes over the spillway - it will fail. There are emergency spillways and regular controls for preventing this from happening. POTUS, in Detroit yesterday, said there may have been human error involved.
We know the dam was old. The locals have been crying about it for years, it's a big problem with all of our infrastructure here in Michigan. Nonetheless, it should not have failed like this. Mismanagement is a major factor and perhaps the entire cause of the failure.
Small extra note, we've had a wet year. Water levels all over the state are kinda high, there's no water shortage here like there is in California. Plus we have the great lakes. I'm just saying this because our reservoir isn't mission critical like the southwest.
>https://www.mlive.com/news/2020/05/owner-of-failed-dam-state-fought-over-wixom-lake-levels-before-flood.html