Lake Lure Dam in Western NC stable after imminent failure warning; emergency repairs begin
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Hurricane Helene Aftermath
Hurricane Helene swept across the Southeast, causing major flooding and destruction throughout North Carolina. Here is ongoing coverage from The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer about Hurricane Helene and the aftermath, particularly in Western North Carolina.
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The Lake Lure Dam, which was feared doomed to collapse on Friday, is stable and emergency repairs are set to begin.
At the peak of Helene’s rains, a warning went out that the Lake Lure Dam was at imminent risk of failing, as water spilled over the top of its 124-foot tall structure. An evacuation order was issued for residents below, but the dam held. On Friday, an engineer assessed the dam and found the water level receding.
By Sunday, the water level was lowered an additional 3 and a half feet, so emergency repairs could be made, according to Josh Kastrinsky, spokesman for the NC Department of Environmental Quality.
“The structure remained intact following the storm,” Kastrinsky said in an email. “Water caused erosion on both sides of the dam abutments but it was not undermined.”
The town of Lake Lure announced on its Facebook page Sunday afternoon that the dam is stable. Previously, town officials discouraged any unnecessary travel to the area and said to stay off Lake Lure roads unless trying to leave town.
The Lake Lure Dam was assessed Saturday by Schnabel Engineering and a plan for emergency repairs was determined, the town said. Officials from FEMA are also expected to asses the dam.
The dam, built in 1925 and 1926, is a tourist and recreational destination for the rural county. It also harnesses the Broad River and two creeks to power a hydroelectric plant producing electricity for Duke Energy from two hydroelectric turbine generators.
Dam workers typically lower the water in the lake by as much as 8 inches below the normal lake level before big storms, according to a document posted on the town’s website. The town manager approves lowering the lake by more than that amount, it notes.
Most residents in Lake Lure remain without power, as of Sunday, according to town officials.
This story was originally published September 29, 2024 at 4:17 PM with the headline "Lake Lure Dam in Western NC stable after imminent failure warning; emergency repairs begin."
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