Message from the Mayor - Lake Lure Pushes Through Recovery from Helene

December 2024: I am pleased to report that the Town of Lake Lure continues to make tremendous progress following Hurricane Helene. I look forward to continuing my service as Mayor of Lake Lure for a third term and I appreciate the ongoing service of Commissioners Dave DiOrio and Patrick Bryant who were also recently re-elected, in addition to Commissioners Jim Proctor and Scott Doster who are continuing to serve their terms.   As we continue to navigate the aftermath of the storm, I assure you that we are working tirelessly with state and federal agencies to obtain resources to fully restore the Lake Lure community.

We remain thankful to our staff, political representatives, FEMA, contractors, residents, and volunteers who have helped support our recovery process. The improvements that have been made since the storm are nothing short of remarkable. The recovery that has taken place could not have been achieved without everyone working together.

The Town is fortunate to have a strong relationship with our dam engineers, Schnabel Engineering, prior to the storm. This enabled us to have engineers onsite on the day of the hurricane and in the weeks following the storm.  They completed a thorough assessment of the dam and designed a stabilization plan immediately following the storm event. Emergency repairs were made to the left abutment of the dam for stabilization in October, 2024. Further stabilization of the right abutment will be scheduled in the coming months.

Within days of the hurricane, the Town received countless donations of food supplies, water, heaters, and clothing. The Town created a donation station to disseminate these supplies. Staff and countless volunteers have worked to distribute the supplies through our local churches, fire stations, Hickory Nut Gorge Outreach, Ingles, and Ridgeline Heating and Air.  We appreciate the critical role each of these organizations have played in helping citizens obtain supplies and resources that were needed following the storm. 

We are thankful to Hickory Nut Gorge Outreach and their volunteers for their continuous support of those needing assistance in our community. We have also appreciated having the FEMA Disaster Recovery Center in Town at the Mountains Branch Library.  This Center has been an invaluable resource for our community.  Thank you to the Rutherford County Library System and the Mountains Branch Library for providing this space for FEMA and for their outstanding programming for our community!

The National Guard, NC DOT, Town Staff, contractors and volunteers have cleared all local highways and Town roads. Innumerable road repairs and landslides have been repaired throughout our town. The Buffalo Shoals Road repairs and the Boys Camp Road Temporary Bridge are specific examples of significant projects which have been completed during the past month.   

The Town’s water and sewer systems sustained substantial damage during the storm. Town crews and contractors worked around the clock for days making necessary repairs.  Water service was restored throughout Town by mid October and most of the Town had full sewer service before the end of the month.  During the storm, three manholes were destroyed near the West end of town. There are still about 30 properties impacted by this damage. Pressure reducing valve construction was successfully completed in November and a new system has been designed for this part of Town.  We are working to obtain easements which will allow these repairs to be completed. The restoration plan will restore the water and sewer system in the West end of town and will allow for a connection by Chimney Rock Village if they choose to utilize it in the future. This work is ongoing in coordination with the NC Department of Environmental Quality. 

The Town has also worked closely with the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) on debris removal. USACE has a contract with AshBritt Environmental to oversee lake debris removal and they are utilizing local contractors to assist them in this effort. As of 12/20/24:

• Over 20,304 cubic yards of debris have been removed from the lake.

• Over 19,108 cubic yards of debris have been removed from the right of way.

• Over 22,385 tons of sediment and silt have been removed from the Town and the parks.

The next phase of work will be for silt and sedimentation removal from the lake. You may think if this as dredging, but the terminology used by USACE is silt/sedimentation removal.  We look forward to this stage of the recovery process and will post planned changes in the lake levels on our Town website as this work continues.

The Town is continuing to test water quality in the Broad River and in the lake. We have been very pleased with the results. All areas are currently back within normal range except for turbidity, which is expected to improve as water flow continues to increase. Turbidity is the measurement of water clarity (i.e., transparency). Suspended particles such as silt can cause water to appear cloudy or murky. These particles scatter and absorb light rays rather than allowing light to be transmitted straight through the water. All water tests are posted on the Town’s website. 

Re-establishment of communications systems throughout Town has been critical. The Town set up a number of Starlink systems early on to allow for cell and internet service. We are grateful for the temporary mobile services (Cell on Wheels) that were set up in Town through AT&T and Verizon.  Additionally, carriers have been working throughout town to replace fiber optic cable which has greatly enhanced services throughout the area. 

The Town was pleased to reopen Dittmer-Watts Nature Trails and a portion of the Green Space in November. AshBritt Environment is in the process of removing the debris and silt from Morse Park. Once this work is complete, the Town will be working on the Morse Park Master Plan with a goal to return the park to its former beauty for recreational use and enjoyment.  The timeline for this work is uncertain and the park may look a little different but it will be fully restored in time. The Town is also working with Rutherford Outdoor Coalition and the Carolina Climbers Coalition to restore Buffalo Creek Park and Weed Patch Mountain Trail. These trails sustained significant damage as well. Please watch for updates on these amenities as repairs are completed.

The Town is fully committed to the recovery process.  We are working closely with FEMA and we are applying for assistance to support the restoration process.  We have made our infrastructure needs known at the highest levels of Federal and State government. We will continue to share all updates consistently on the Town website (www.townoflakelure.com) and in Town Council Meetings.

Thank you again for the ongoing support as we continue to work together to restore Lake Lure!