The Pigeon River's headwaters start just north and east of Gaylord, Michigan, at the Otsego Club and Resort.
This dam failed in the late 1950s, washing accumulated sediment downstream, harming fish and insect populations and habitat.
Golden Lotus Inc. bought the property from the club and set up a retreat called Song Of The Morning Ranch (SOM).
In 1984 SOM conducted planned drawdown of the pond in order to perform maintenance work on the dam.
A heavy rainstorm resulted in another large sediment release from the pond, with another massive fish and habitat kill.