TALK MIDLAND w/ Logan Richetti
A podcast with a mission to promote small businesses in the Midland, Michigan community. The show is hosted by Logan Richetti, the managing broker of Modern Realty, the largest real estate brokerage in Midland. He has a passion for supporting small business leaders in our area, and this podcast is a spotlight for their stories. Follow along to learn more as we #talkmidland.
TALK MIDLAND w/ Logan Richetti
The $200M Plan to Restore Sanford, Wixom, and More | #79
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In 2020, the dams failed — and everything changed overnight.
This week on Talk Midland, Logan sits down with Kayla Stryker of the Four Lakes Task Force to walk through the full story behind Midland’s lake restoration — from devastation to rebuilding.
Kayla shares what happened when the dams failed, how entire communities were impacted, and what it’s taken over the last several years to bring the lakes back.
They dive into:
- The moment the dams failed and the aftermath
- Why the dams weren’t properly maintained
- How the Four Lakes Task Force stepped in
- The massive process of rebuilding four dams
- Funding, grants, and the true cost of restoration
- What’s reopening in 2026 and what comes next
- And what this means for homeowners, property values, and the future of the region
This episode is about resilience, leadership, and rebuilding something a community thought it lost.
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Chapter Notes
00:00 – The 2020 Dam Failure
What it was like when the lakes drained overnight
04:20 – The Devastation Across Midland County
Homes, businesses, and community impact
09:15 – How the Four Lakes Task Force Began
From Sanford Lake Preservation to a larger mission
14:40 – Why the Dams Failed
Ownership, maintenance, and hydropower economics
20:10 – What Happened After the Failure
Condemnation and public ownership
25:30 – The Plan to Rebuild the Lakes
Feasibility studies and early decisions
31:45 – Engineering & Permitting Challenges
Designing for a 5,000-year flood
38:20 – The Cost of Rebuilding
Hundreds of millions and funding strategy
44:10 – Grants & Funding Success
Over $200M secured to support the project
49:30 – Construction Strategy & Local Contractors
Breaking projects into smaller bids
54:45 – Timeline for Lake Returns
Sanford, Secord, Smallwood, and Wixom
1:00:10 – What This Means for Midland’s Future
Community, recreation, and property values
Keywords
Kayla Stryker, Four Lakes Task Force, Midland Michigan dam failure, Sanford Lake restoration, Wixom Lake rebuild, Midland flood 2020, Dam reconstruction Michigan, Talk Midland podcast, Michigan infrastructure, Lake restoration project, Midland MI real estate impact, Dam engineering and funding, Public infrastructure projects, Michigan lakes recovery, Community rebuilding efforts