When Consumers Energy announced it might stop generating power at the Calkins Dam, which formed Lake Allegan, the residents along the lake feared what that would mean for their neighborhoods.
Out of that disruption emerged an unexpected benefit: a tighter-knit, more engaged community rallying to protect the place they love, says Coco Soodek, a business lawyer and political activist.
"We were just getting organized," she says of the group of nearly 500 residents, "mostly due to some unrelated issues, like noise pollution from a nearby gun range. Then, Consumers Energy dropped the news that they might not renew their license to generate power, which could result in draining the lake. That threw everything into a tailspin."
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Courtesy Lake Allegan Association, Inc.Coco Soodek, a business lawyer and political activist.
The announcement prompted an outpouring of emotion from residents.
"At the first meeting, people were crying," Soodek recalls. "For some, their homes and lives were invested in this lake. It was a terrifying prospect to think the dam could come down and the lake might disappear."
Lake Allegan, created by damming the Kalamazoo River in the 1930s, is home to a mix of year-round and seasonal residents, some of whom like Soodek hail from the Chicago area. She and her partner bought their 3-acre plot a dozen years ago, and she works remotely from the home.
"For a long time, there was no formal organization around the lake," Soodek says. "People just wanted to be left alone. But if you're going to live on a body of water, you need to take care of it."
Soodek quickly found herself at the forefront of the newly formed Lake Allegan Association, working to engage Consumers Energy and advocate for the community.
"Consumers has been a good partner, but it took some effort to get there. They’re a big company, and you have to reach out and build relationships," she says. “It was only when our community’s survival was threatened did we become determined to learn about Consumers Energy and meet its people.”
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Courtesy Lake Allegan Association, Inc.Lake Allegan, created by damming the Kalamazoo River in the 1930s, is home to a mix of year-round and seasonal residents.
Creating opportunities to speak out
The energy company has brought in the Outdoor Discovery Center
(ODC) Network to set up discussions about the future of the hydroelectric dam and groundwater management in Allegan County. With federal permits set to expire in the next decade, Consumers is evaluating whether to maintain, sell, or remove its hydroelectric dams across Michigan.
Dan Callam, ODC's greenway manager, says the utility was looking for someone to facilitate meetings with stakeholders such as government officials, business owners, and neighbors. He said ODC will work to ensure a diverse range of community input on long-term options for the dams and surrounding areas.
One key issue under discussion is the impact of dam removal on local groundwater.
"Groundwater came up as a concern,” Callam explains. “If the lake stays or goes, we need to understand the impact on the groundwater."
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Courtesy Lake Allegan Association, Inc.Lake Allegan, created by damming the Kalamazoo River in the 1930s, is home to a mix of year-round and seasonal residents,
ODC has previously worked with Ottawa County on groundwater — by participating in an advisory group and reviewing plans and material — and is monitoring the situation in Allegan. While Allegan does not face an immediate threat to its groundwater supply, the county shares similar geology, prompting local officials to take a proactive approach.
The Holland nonprofit is also collaborating with the Kalamazoo River Watershed Council and other stakeholders.
“We’re working to ensure that everyone who needs to be at the table is there,” Callam says. "There's a fear that if Consumers sells to an investor who doesn't maintain the dam properly, it could lead to issues. It's infrastructure that needs care.”
ODC’s meetings include two dozen key participants, and while they are not open to the public, meeting minutes and discussions are shared with the community at this Consumers Energy website.
“We’re making sure it’s not a secretive group,” Callam says, noting that either this year or early next year, ODC,
Public Sector Consultants, which is assembling the report, and Consumers Energy will release a report summarizing community input.
“We’re compiling all the comments and questions,” Callam says, “and putting together a roadmap of what the community wants to see.”
Dan Wedge, executive director of services for Allegan County, says he has been impressed by the level of collaboration.
“Attending the 'Calkins Bridge Dam Prosperity Group,' I applauded the efforts of the Lake Allegan Association, Consumer Energy local government officials, and stakeholders working toward a common goal and vision for our community. ODC Network's expertise on this process has been very helpful," says Wedge.
Positive effect
Soodek adds that she’s been impressed with Consumers Energy’s response to concerns raised by her association.
"They’ve been responsive to us, but it took making friends to see results." Soodek says. "For example, we’ve had power outages for years — persistent and long power outages, but other than calling the outage line, we never talked to anyone at Consumers, and never seemed to make progress.
“But, then we started making friends at Consumers Energy because we are fighting for our life. When the power started going out again, we called our new friends at Consumers Energy and got a town hall meeting. And, then Consumers really invested in our community by burying our power lines underground, which will make a huge difference during storms."
Because of their new relationships with Consumers Energy, the community has benefitted from improvements.
Consumers Energy has invested in upgrading the power infrastructure, including burying lines underground to reduce outages, which had been a frequent issue. The Jackson-based utility company has also worked with residents to ensure tree cutting is done thoughtfully, preserving natural areas around the lake.
This project is part of Consumers Energy’s larger Reliability Roadmap, which recently announced plans to bury nearly four miles of power lines in Allegan, as well as other locations throughout the county, for a total of 10 miles.
“Consumers Energy is committed to creating a future with fewer outages by setting the course for a more dependable system,” says Chris Laird, Consumers Energy’s vice president of electric operations. "By burying electric lines, we’re able to avoid most weather-related disruptions, lighting the way for uninterrupted power."
While the Reliability Roadmap brings direct benefits, the community’s work with Consumers Energy isn’t just about immediate concerns. The association is also thinking long-term, considering the environmental impact of the dam, future upgrades to infrastructure such as sewers and water systems, and even addressing invasive species in the lake.
The community’s relationship with Consumers Energy has paid off in more reliable power.
The Allegan County project will bury power lines along Monroe Road between 36th and 39th streets and along 39th Street to Lake Allegan. It’s part of Consumers Energy’s broader plan to bury 1,000 miles of power lines over the next five years to improve reliability across Michigan.
Lake’s existence in question
However, the central question facing Lake Allegan is whether the dam should stay if Consumers Energy decides to stop generating power. Some environmental groups advocate for removing dams to restore natural river ecosystems, but Soodek argues that in the case of Lake Allegan, the dam must remain.
"Removing the dam would be an economic and environmental catastrophe," she says, explaining that Lake Allegan acts as a sediment sink, and removing the dam could release an enormous amount of sediment downstream, potentially harming Saugatuck and other areas. The dam also plays a critical role in controlling invasive species like the sea lamprey, which could devastate the Great Lakes’ fish populations if left unchecked.
"We've also learned that if the dam were removed, it could impact the aquifer that supplies water to the homes and businesses around the lake, drying up wells throughout the area. It would be devastating for our community," Soodek says.
What began as a crisis has also led to deeper connections within the Lake Allegan community.
"This experience has affirmed my faith in working together as a community," Soodek says. "We all have different backgrounds and perspectives, but we’ve come together around something we all care deeply about: our lake, our home.”
Since the announcement, the community has expanded its activities beyond just lake management.
"We’ve gone from one annual Labor Day party to multiple community events," Soodek says. "For instance, we held a kayak carnival where people from all over the region came to participate. Homeowners around the lake hosted stations, and people kayaked from spot to spot, playing games and winning prizes. It was a great way to bring people together."
Soodek emphasizes that the process of organizing has had unexpected benefits. "We’ve really grown as a community. We’re having more in-person meetings, and they’re well-attended. People are really interested in the health of the lake."
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Courtesy Lake Allegan Association, Inc.Sunset at Lake Allegan.
The road ahead
Despite the progress made, Soodek acknowledges that there’s still a long way to go.
"We’re not done," she says. "This is a 20-year fight. But for now, we’ve built a strong foundation. We’ve formed committees that focus on different aspects of lake life, from monitoring invasive species to improving utilities and infrastructure."
The association has ambitious plans, including mapping the depths of the lake next year, identifying areas where the fish are biting, and working to expand the recreational and commercial amenities on the lake.
“Lake Allegan is a gorgeous lake with great fishing, swimming and boating,” Soodek says. “We even have a deserted island. We believe it can become a jewel in the crown for Allegan County recreation. That is how we will make Lake Allegan permanent, healthy, and modernized community.”