Lake Lure’s recovery continues positively!
My greetings to everyone,
This is the 4th in a series of Blue Ridge Chapter updates on the recovery of Lake Lure from Hurricane Helene.
This visit was on day 345 of the storm response process, and it’s amazing that over 1 million cubic yards of debris has been removed from the lake so far.
As mentioned in previous updates, the Army Corps of Engineers, dedicated contractors, state and national resources, charities, residents and volunteers continue to make very positive progress that is inspiring to see.
I will be returning to Lake Lure for the Commemoration of Hurricane Helene at 11am on September 27 to represent our Chapter, and give our continuous support to the recovery effort.
As we approach one year since the storm, the removal of silt and sediment continues 7 days a week from 7am to 7pm. The heavy-duty dump trucks and earth moving equipment are in constant motion. Each truck carries approximately 22 tons. As of August 31st, the Army Corps reports that 1,002,772 tons of silt/sediment have been removed from the lake. This equates to 45,580 truck loads.
As a part of this process, tremendous progress has been made to remove silt that was extending ¾ mile into the lake from the mouth of the Broad River. You will see in the photos below that water is back in this area and removal continues to progress.
The Broad River channel is also being widened to reduce the intensity of storm water flow that was coming through the narrow channel in the past.
From the lake’s lowest point, the water level has been brought up approximately 8 feet to to allow teams to access additional debris and silt removal in cove areas. The level is now 22 feet below Full Pool of 990ft Mean Sea Level.
Silt removal has also begun in the Washburn Marina where our boat show is held. Heavy equipment is creating an access loop for the trucks to be loaded. The silt/sediment in this area is wet and heavy, and there has been a great deal of grass growth as you will see in the photos. The boat ramp is being used as an additional transition point for trucks and other equipment. The show docks we use are still at the base of trees where they were carried by the water, Currently, they are hard to see with the grass.
Due to heavy damage and erosion, the Flowering Bridge has been removed, and a large amount of articulated earth moving equipment is working in the channel below the adjacent newer bridge.
The river above the newer bridge looks much more clear as time goes forward. The artistic and commemorative displays are still in place. These were created by one person using materials from the river area after the flood.
There is still much to be done on the river banks going up the canyon, and the road above Chimney Rock remains closed to residents and workers only.
The Spokes of Hope charity that we donated chairs and tables to had a rare weekend off for their team and volunteers. They have finished their work in Bat Cave, and will move forward to other areas.
It’s very inspiring to see the recovery of Chimney Rock as it progresses. Businesses are reopening, and the renovations or reconstruction are impressive. Although there is still much work to be done, the recovery moves ahead.
One of the photos you will see is inside a large shop that was shown in our June update. The June photo was taken as the internal restoration was being finished, but nothing had been moved in. The transition is remarkable.
With each visit, the number of motorcycles has been increasing. The Harley Davidson shop in Chimney Rock looks great, and is very busy.
In other progress, a new cell tower will be constructed starting on September 15th.
I would encourage you to visit the Town of Lake Lure website: townoflakelure.com There is a Storm Recovery banner at the top of the page to click on. This is the best way to keep track of the progress through different articles, links and statistics.
Additionally, Sonya Ledford Pitts, who has facilitated our spring boat show over the years is doing well at the Inn. As expected, business is still a challenge with all of the work in progress, but they continue to work on creative ideas. Just this week they held a Mystery Murder dinner on Thursday and Friday evenings with 100 people attending over the two nights.
We remain very thankful for their support at the Trailer Show, and they continue to work on business opportunities amidst all of the recovery efforts.
I will update our Chapter again after the Commemoration on September 27th. The overall recovery plan goal continues to target the lake reopening in the late spring of 2026.
My best wishes to everyone as the Fall season arrives shortly on September 22nd.
Respectfully,
Steve
