HOLLY, Mich. – Residents living near Stiffs Mill Pond are raising concerns about the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy’s (EGLE) decision to lower the pond’s water levels this off-season, citing worries about the impact on wildlife, the community, and the lack of clarity regarding plans for restoring water levels.
Early Monday (July 21) morning, EGLE’s Dam Safety Unit began drawing down water at Stiff’s Mill Pond. Mill Pond resident and Dam Committee spokeswoman Ragina Kakos said, “The water level has already dropped several inches, exceeding the initially stated six-inch limit.”
Kakos, a Holly resident whose backyard borders the pond, expressed frustration with the agency’s actions. “My backyard is the pond,” Kakos said. “We don’t know what the actual impact would be because we’ve never done a summer drawdown before.”
Village Manager Tim Price echoed concerns about the potential effects on local wildlife and neighboring communities.
“We haven’t seen anything that is telling us that it is in imminent collapse and danger right now,” Price said.
Price also shared details about ongoing efforts to find a compromise with EGLE.
“Over the past week, we have collaborated with the Attorney General’s office to seek a compromise between EGLE and the Village,” Price said. “Unfortunately, while the Attorney General and the Village proposed terms for a compromise, EGLE has rejected them. Although we wish to comply with EGLE’s requests, agreeing to a temporary drawdown based on the permit would mean accepting the terms and conditions set forth by the Dam Safety Unit, several of which may negatively impact our residents and surrounding communities.”
Price added that the Village does not oppose the eventual drawdown or necessary repairs, but is concerned about the process and urgency.
“Currently, our mill pond dam does not meet the emergency criteria established by EGLE. The latest assessment rates our dam as ‘poor,’ indicating that further investigations are needed to assess risk. An ‘unsatisfactory’ rating could lead to immediate actions that the Dam Safety Unit is currently advocating for, but we have not yet received this classification,” Price said.
The dispute centers on the earth embankments near the historic Holly Dam.
Inspections have found the dam’s earthen embankments to be unstable, putting them at elevated risk of failure during a high-water event — a failure that could endanger lives and property.
EGLE states that the state has collaborated with the Village of Holly on measures to mitigate this risk; however, the Village never completed the work that EGLE permitted in 2003. Several inspections since then have raised the same concerns about the embankment and spillway conditions.
EGLE cited an engineering report for the Village, which found that unauthorized modifications made by the Village to the dam’s embankment in 2021 had worsened the situation.
EGLE and engineers advised the Village to draw down the water level behind the dam to reduce the risk of failure until a long-term solution, such as dam rehabilitation or removal, can be explored. This drawdown is now underway. EGLE is not currently calling for the permanent removal of the dam.
An EGLE spokesperson acknowledged the community’s frustration.
“The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy knows the situation is frustrating, and we share that frustration. Michigan residents should be able to feel confident in the safety of our dams, and the use of our lakes and streams should not be interrupted because of failure to maintain infrastructure. We will continue to work with Holly and all other communities facing similar challenges to ensure that safety risks posed by dams are addressed,” the spokesperson said.
Despite these safety concerns, residents worry about the broader consequences.
“There are hundreds of homes that this will impact,” said one neighbor, Ashley Schuler. “In my neighborhood alone, we’re all on wells — destabilizing the water table like this may have impacts on us.”
Schuler, a Rose Township resident, said she is already feeling the effects of the drawdown.
“I love being on the water. It was my dream, so to literally have it taken away is really sad,” Schuler said.
In response, the Village of Holly has filed an injunction in the Court of Claims to halt further drawdown actions.
Officials argue the process should be more thoughtful and intentional, considering both community and ecological impacts.
“What we are arguing is the process,” Village Manager Price said. “We believe we should be thoughtful on this, intentional, community and ecological.”
Both parties are scheduled to appear in court on July 29, 2025.