Drain Office

NOTICE:  The Eaton County Drain Commissioner cannot close any county roadway.  Only the Eaton County Road Commission has the authority to close a road or give authorization for a road to be closed.  


Kalamo Highway Road Closure

**UPDATE** Due to unforeseen circumstances, Kalamo Highway will be closed between Battle Creek Highway and Stine while we work through some structural issues at this crossing.  We apologize for the inconvenience and will work to get the road back open as quickly as possible.  

The Eaton County Drain Office has a petition project currently in construction that will require that Kalamo Highway be closed between Battle Creek Highway and Stine Road beginning Tuesday, May 16 through Friday, May 19.  Weather could alter this schedule.  Our contractor has obtained the necessary permits from the Eaton County Road Commission and had notified the road commission, the Charlotte Public School systems, and emergency services.  We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and hope to have the road back open as quickly as possible.  

Canal Road Closure **UPDATE** Road is now open.  Drive safely.

Canal is closed between Bentley and Bunker for a culvert replacement as part of a petitioned drain project.  It will be closed through Friday, May 27.  Weather and conditions could alter this schedule.  We apologize for the inconvenience.

Bishop Hwy Update:

Last year, the Eaton County Drain Office made repairs to the county drain crossing Bishop Highway between Williams Rd and Waverly Rd. Although the installation was fully inspected during construction, the trench settled causing a dip in the road. With all the rain recently, the drain pipe is full of water so inspection can’t occur to determine the issue. The inspection schedule will be dependent on the weather as a dry stretch of weather will be necessary for the sewer to be drained.

The Drain Office is aware of the issue and has placed a temporary patch across the road. After the sewer is inspected and repairs are made, the road surface will be repaved with the final wearing course. Until then, the Eaton County Road Commission will continue to monitor the road crossing and work with the Drain Office to maintain the surface. Please drive carefully and expect a slight bump in this area until final repairs can be made.




Clafliin Drain

Drain Commissioner

The Drain Commissioner is an elected official responsible for constructing and maintaining public storm drains throughout Eaton County, Statutory authority for the office is derived from Public Act 40 of 1956, as amended, commonly referred to as the Michigan Drain Code. On behalf of over 800 drainage districts (including two lake levels), the drain commissioner may acquire temporary and permanent easements, own and sell lands, execute contracts and levy assessments to cover the expense of building and maintaining an adequate stormwater infrastructure.

Not all storm drains are managed by the Drain Commissioner. Cities and villages often own their own systems although most ultimately discharge to a county or intercounty drain. The Eaton County Road Commission and Michigan Department of Transportation also maintain systems of drains. The Drain Commissioner works cooperatively with these agencies to assure widespread protection against damage caused by flooding.

Focus

The focus of the Eaton County Drain Commissioner’s Office is threefold:

  • To provide adequate drainage and assure protection of downstream properties and existing storm drains
  • To implement and manage regional flood control measures on public drains
  • To protect surface waters of the county and state against degradation

County Enforcing Agent

An active drain maintenance program, thorough review of private development proposals, and pretreatment requirements for stormwater runoff from construction sites all play important roles in achieving this goal. The Drain Commissioner also serves as the County Enforcing Agent, administering the Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control Ordinance (PDF) and program on behalf of the Board of Commissioners.

Michigan Association of County Drain Commissioners

For more information visit the Michigan Association of County Drain Commissioners website. This is a great resource for information regarding the Drain Commissioners in Michigan.