Warning issued after heavy rain creates threat on Lake Norman, NC police say

Days of relentless rain across the Charlotte area have resulted in an unusual warning for people venturing onto Lake Norman.

The lake is rising, resulting in odd things being picked up and carried away, according to the Cornelius Police Department.

“The rise in lake levels has led to an increase in floating debris, posing a significant hazard to navigation,” police said in a news release.

“Boaters are strongly advised to exercise caution and be vigilant for floating debris, particularly just above the waterline.”

Among the things reported floating around are trees and parts of docks that were once on dry land, police said. Canoes and even jet ski ramps also drifted away in the rain, according to commenters on the police department’s Facebook page.

“The lake is currently just shy of its water level target for this time of year, having risen 1.5 feet very recently and resting only 2 inches below the targeted ... full pond level,” police said.

Much of the rain moved Wednesday, after more than 5 inches fell in some parts of western North Carolina, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Rain gauges in the Lake Normal area recorded more than 3.5 inches of rain in spots, the USGS says.

Minor flooding is predicted in some parts of the state, including the Lowell area of Gaston County, the National Weather Service says.

Lake Norman is the largest of Duke Energy’s hydroelectricity lakes, “covering more than 32,000 acres of surface, spanning four counties, and 520 miles of shoreline,” according to Visitlakenorman.org.

This story was originally published December 27, 2023 at 10:40 AM with the headline "Warning issued after heavy rain creates threat on Lake Norman, NC police say."