Light rain early. Clearing overnight. Widespread frost likely. Low 26F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%..
Light rain early. Clearing overnight. Widespread frost likely. Low 26F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
Updated: May 1, 2026 @ 5:34 pm
Cadillac resident Mike Kornacki beside his reinforced Chestnut Street property on May 1, 2026. Kornacki said he’s spent two weeks protecting his home from flood damage, and that waters are beginning to recede faster after a pump was placed nearby.
Cadillac resident Tracie Neumann stands on the porch of her partially-flooded Chestnut Street home on May 1, 2026. In her hands are peanuts for the squirrels and chipmunks trapped on her property.
Cadillac resident Mike Kornacki on May 1, 2026. Kornacki said he’s spent two weeks protecting his Chestnut Street home from flood damage, and that waters are beginning to recede faster after a pump was placed nearby.
Cadillac resident Mike Kornacki steps over a water pump on May 1, 2026. Kornacki said he’s spent two weeks protecting his Chestnut Street home from flood damage. A pump on his property and another on the street were in use.
Pooled water is pumped from Chestnut Street near Viking Learning Center in Cadillac on May 1, 2026. Nearby residents say water levels have already receded significantly since pumping began.
Utilities Director Jeff Dietlin, left, and resident Mike Kornacki look at flooding on Chestnut Street on May 1, 2026. Beside the pair is a pump draining the water into a nearby reservoir.
Cadillac resident Mike Kornacki beside his reinforced Chestnut Street property on May 1, 2026. Kornacki said he’s spent two weeks protecting his home from flood damage, and that waters are beginning to recede faster after a pump was placed nearby.
Cadillac resident Tracie Neumann stands on the porch of her partially-flooded Chestnut Street home on May 1, 2026. In her hands are peanuts for the squirrels and chipmunks trapped on her property.
Cadillac resident Mike Kornacki on May 1, 2026. Kornacki said he’s spent two weeks protecting his Chestnut Street home from flood damage, and that waters are beginning to recede faster after a pump was placed nearby.
Cadillac resident Mike Kornacki steps over a water pump on May 1, 2026. Kornacki said he’s spent two weeks protecting his Chestnut Street home from flood damage. A pump on his property and another on the street were in use.
Pooled water is pumped from Chestnut Street near Viking Learning Center in Cadillac on May 1, 2026. Nearby residents say water levels have already receded significantly since pumping began.
Utilities Director Jeff Dietlin, left, and resident Mike Kornacki look at flooding on Chestnut Street on May 1, 2026. Beside the pair is a pump draining the water into a nearby reservoir.
CADILLAC — Nothing has brought Chestnut Street’s homeowners together like the 50 feet of water between them.
As pumping efforts continued to drain floodwaters from streets north of Lake Cadillac on Friday, neighbors like Mike Kornacki and Tracie Neumann were thinking about a neighborhood barbeque when things dry out. Or perhaps a bonfire.
“We’re all talking about getting together when things are all done,” Neumann said. While speaking, she tossed peanuts into the front yard for the squirrels and chipmunks trapped by the moat surrounding her home.
The newfound camaraderie — both with neighbors and rodents — has kept the northern Michigan retiree optimistic as she deals with a flooded family room and basement.
Neumann, who has rheumatoid arthritis, said the unprecedented disaster has forced her to delay a hip replacement. The submerged street displaced her daughter, who left to stay somewhere with a passable path to work.
Since their homes began flooding in mid-April, Neumann has made hand gestures and phone calls to communicate with Kornacki across the street.
On Friday, Kornacki continued reinforcing his property with a ring of sandbags and a walkway of trash-picked boards.
“I don’t know where he gets his strength,” Neumann said, watching Kornacki work. “I’d think everything is dead quiet, but this man shows up all the time, pounding away.”
Kornacki, who works in water treatment, said the efforts to drain his own backyard floodwaters have required absolute delicacy. If the groundwater drains too fast, he said, his basement wall could collapse.
“Going from not knowing if we’re going to have this house to just needing to worry about the foundation, we’ve been fortunate,” Kornacki said.
Kornacki and Neumann are among several residents benefitting from the City of Cadillac’s top strategy to address the flooding: moving water from one place to another.
For several hours a day, a pump beside Kornacki’s house whirs as it sucks water out of Chestnut Street and into a retention pond beside the Viking Learning Center.
As the waters around his house recede, Kornacki said he plans to end his two-week work leave.
The pumping strategy has been slow but effective where applicable, said City Manager Marcus Peccia. Pumps can only be used where floodwater has receded to an isolated pool, he said, and pumping too fast can overflow the alternate reservoir.
Pumps are being used in other areas like North Boulevard, Peccia said, while a flooded section of Pennsylvania Avenue has naturally drained. Parts of Sunset Lane and Forest Lane are still heavily flooded, he added.
Still, much of the recovery is a matter of waiting for water to naturally drain.
“Even if we had more pumps and more people, we couldn’t deal with this faster,” Peccia said.
Officials like Peccia continue to stress the importance of reporting property damage, as the data will be used in a request for federal disaster relief. The federal government could potentially distribute funding to local governments, community support agencies and homeowners, with the amount dependent on reported damage.
The disaster’s cost to the city is “frankly underminable” right now, Peccia said, and disaster relief funding will be important to repair city property. Lake Mitchell Sewer Authority board chair Dave Kuyers said Thursday that the cost of damage from the flooding made him shudder.
Homeowners can self-report damage to a primary residence here, by dialing 2-1-1 for Michigan Information, or by visiting the Wexford County Emergency Management Facebook page.
Lift station fully operational
A major flashpoint of the flooding disaster last month was the April 19 sewer lift station failure on the corner of West Division and Leeson. The incident left a large chunk of residents unable to use their water or sewer for days.
That station is now fully operational, Utilities Director Jeff Dietlin said Friday, though it’s still powered by a backup generator.
A mound of sand surrounded the station Friday, used to protect it from the floodwaters that knocked out the three pumps and a transformer.
Approximately 10,000 gallons of diluted sewage overflowed when the lift station failed, Dietlin said.
Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy policy requires the city to disclose this, he said, but residents shouldn’t be concerned as much of it ran into a contained storm pond nearby.
Curbside sinkhole appears
A two-foot-wide sinkhole was filled on the corner of Baker Street and Powers Street Friday afternoon, Dietlin said.
Peccia said that officials are still investigating the cause. The sinkhole’s proximity to the Clam River or a hole in a storm drain are possible explanations, Dietlin said, as either could have washed out the soil below the street.
Dietlin said the curbside sinkhole didn’t block traffic, adding that he’s not very concerned about other sinkholes occurring due to flooding.
As for broader road conditions, Wexford County Road Commission has re-opened more roads, engineer and manager Karl Hanson said Friday morning. For an up-to-date list of road closures and openings, visit wexfordcrc.org.
All Wexford County seasonal roads are still closed until further notice, Hanson added, as crews have not yet been able to address downed trees and washouts.
Giving, receiving help
Resources are still available to those affected by flooding. The Salvation Army continues to provide cleanup kits to homeowners affected by flooding, said Cadillac Captain Greg Bock.
Love Inc. Operations Manager Paul Ting said their center has partnered with Super Kleen Laundry to offer free laundry services. Those who need help finding a temporary place to stay should call 211, Ting said.
Ting directed those who want to help toward the Cadillac Area Community Foundation’s Emergency Disaster Response Fund. The charity’s funds are being distributed to partner organizations like Salvation Army and Love Inc., executive director Doreen Lanc told the Cadillac News.
Lanc declined to share an exact fundraising dollar amount, but said that the foundation has received several generous donations from local organizations.
Current funding is being used for immediate needs, like tools and supplies to address flooded areas, Lanc said. Any leftovers will eventually go toward home repairs.
Those who want to donate can call the foundation at 231-775-9911 or visit cadillacfoundation.org. Checks or online donations are preferred, Lanc said.
Cold weather, chance of showers forecast
The National Weather Service continues to see northwest Michigan water levels trend downward, said Gaylord office meteorologist Faith Fredrickson.
Widespread frost is expected Friday night with temperatures dipping into the twenties, Fredrickson said, followed by a warm-up and chance of showers on Sunday and Monday. Cold temperatures may hang on until mid-May, she added.
Daniel Schoenherr’s position is funded through Report for America and local fund-raising. To help continue local reporting please consider contributing to the Cadillac Area Community Foundation’s Local Journalism Fund at www.justgiving.com/cadillacareacommunityfoundation .
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