Flood — Keweenaw, Michigan

2023-04-22 · near Delaware, Keweenaw, Michigan

Event narrative

Local media reported Highway M-26 was closed on the evening of the 22nd due to the collapse of a retaining wall at the Silver River Bridge in Keweenaw County. The bridge's already compromised stone retaining wall eroded due to the heavy runoff from spring snow melt forcing the closure of Highway M-26. Traffic has been rerouted along US Highway 41. While MDOT was already planning on a $2.9 million project to remove and replace the bridge this summer, the snowmelt runoff contributed to the bridge failure closing the road sooner than anticipated.

Wider weather episode

Highway M-26 was closed on the evening of the 22nd due to the collapse of a retaining wall at the Silver River Bridge located between Eagle Harbor and Copper Harbor in Keweenaw County. The bridge's already compromised stone retaining wall eroded due to the heavy runoff from spring snow melt forcing the closure of Highway M-26. MDOT will be working on a $2.9 million project to remove and replace the bridge this summer.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (47.4627, -88.0725)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1093904. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.