Sanford Lake was a man-made reservoir located in Midland County, Michigan, but is no longer present since the failure of the dam in May 2020. It was formed by the damming of the Tittabawassee River near the village of Sanford, Michigan. It was built for flood control and the production of hydroelectric power. The dam is owned and operated by the Four Lakes Task Force, a property owners' group that was established by the Midland and Gladwin County boards of commissioners to oversee the dams and the impoundment lakes created by them, who took over ownership as a condition of the settlement agreement that resulted from the condemnation proceedings with former dam owner, Boyce Hydro, LLC.
Sanford Lake Park
Up the river on Sanford Lake
Dock fishing at Verity Shores
Copernicus Programme image of the dam after the flood.
Midland County is a county located in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the population was 83,494. The county seat is Midland. The county's name is due to its closeness to the geographical Lower Peninsula's geographical center. It was founded in 1831. However, it was not until 1855 that the county was effectively organized.
Midland County Courthouse