An Update on Cornwall Flooding in Northern Michigan
by Carole VanSickle Ellis
In 2023, REI INK published an article by northern Michigan real estate investor and author Dana Nutt about how water and lake-quality management practices affect property values of non-water-adjacent properties.
At that time, a longstanding, manmade reservoir in northern Michigan called Cornwall Flooding was at risk of elimination due to Department of Natural Resources (DNR) assessments indicating the dam that created the reservoir would be better removed than repaired. The dam’s removal would not only eliminate the 167-acre Cornwall Flooding reservoir; it would also result in the departure and death of many species of native wildlife, permanently damage local, small-town economies, and potentially decimate property values in the surrounding areas.
At the time of publication of Nutt’s original article, a group called Save Cornwall Flooding had formed in an attempt to bring state-level attention to the looming disaster. Curtis Goldsborough, a local business owner and avid outdoorsman, organized the group and, through the group and with the help of other individuals and groups supporting the Save Cornwall initiative, had managed to gain the attention of multiple state representatives who were attempting to either raise money for the dam’s repair or halt the process of removing the dam.
This is an update on the results of those efforts and what those results will mean for the communities around Cornwall Flooding.
Did They Save Cornwall?
Yes, They Did.
Through the combined efforts of the Save Cornwall supporters and state legislators like Cam Cavitt (R), Ken Borton (R), and John Damoose (R), the DNR was ultimately convinced dam repair costs were not insurmountable. Funding came from a vast array of sources both public and private to meet the multimillion-dollar repair bid.
At the time, Cavitt said, “The Cornwall Flooding community…took on a state agency that was ready to sign the Cornwall Flooding death certificate [and] advocated so successfully that the DNR…reversed course altogether. More so, [the community] got the DNR to pay a large portion of the repair expense.”
“Having that certainty that the flooding is going to stay and the dam is going to be in better repair than it ever has been is really good for local property values and for the communities in the area,” said Nutt, who owns multiple small businesses in the area as well as dozens of investment properties throughout northern Michigan.
He continued, “Cornwall serves as a hub for the Pigeon River Forest and the towns all around it, so there were a lot of towns that would have been negatively affected if Cornwall Flooding had been shut down that are now benefitting from the continued traffic. To get out to the impoundment (reservoir) area, people have to pass through those towns, and it’s good for local businesses there.”
Although most of the work on the new dam was completed toward the end of 2025, water levels may remain low into the summer of this year.
“It probably will take even a year-and-a-half to get it up to full pool elevation to where what people are used to,” said Tim Cwalinski, a DNR Fisheries Unit Supervisor. “Just because construction is done does not mean the impoundment water levels are there. That is going to take a longer time.”
In the meantime, the community is already gearing up to thankfully enjoy the flooding in every season, although ice fishing will be limited in 2026 due to the still-low water levels that will not rise significantly until snowmelt in the spring. Members of the Save Cornwall Flooding community reported seeing many different types of wildlife, including elk and owls, and enjoying stargazing in the area.
In November, Goldsborough summarized, “It is incredible what has been done out here. It can be a little bit overwhelming to see how big the project is.” He predicted ice and snowmelt would contribute to refilling the flooding over the course of this spring.
This is good news, since anglers contribute an estimated $100,000 annually to local economies in the Cornwall Flooding area, according to state officials. This revenue is spent largely in nearby towns in Cheboygan County at gas stations, lodgings, diners, and shops. “Cornwall Flooding is an economic engine for the region,” Cwalinski said.
The area is also recognized by the Michigan DNR as a “top-tier bluegill fishery,” and the retention of the dam means the local environment remains a haven for bald eagles and loons. “My son and I love to winter camp and ice fish and the flooding, and paddling a kayak there at sunrise is an otherworldly experience,” Goldsborough said of the area. He concluded, “Families have generational memories and traditions centered around it, [and] that connection to nature is important to a lot of people and…a big part of what motivates us all to make sure Cornwall Flooding is preserved.”
End Notes
On February 25, 2025, Curtis Goldsborough received a state tribute as a “token of gratitude” from the Michigan Legislature “for all his efforts in helping to preserve our outdoor recreation in Northern Michigan.”
Cam Cavitt continues to serve as a republican member of the Michigan House of Representatives, representing the 106th District. He serves on the House Appropriations Committee and subcommittees for Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), Military and Veteran Affairs, Labor and Economic Opportunity, and Corrections and Judiciary.
Ken Borton continues to serve as a republican Michigan state representative for the 105th District.
John Damoose continues to serve as a Michigan state senator for the 37th District.
Access to Cornwall Flooding is expected to be open in Spring 2026.
