Severe Flooding Prompts Evacuations Near Lake Lure Dam

LAKE LURE, N.C. — Residents near Lake Lure in North Carolina are facing mandatory evacuations following excessive rainfall that has overwhelmed the Lake Lure Dam. The National Weather Service has issued warnings indicating that floodwaters could breach the dam, leading to significant downstream flooding.

At 11 a.m. on Friday, officials informed the Rutherford County Emergency Management that they anticipate the dam could soon be overtopped. In response, residents in low-lying areas, which include communities such as Cleghorn, Union, and Green Hill, have been urged to evacuate immediately to designated shelters at Rutherfordton Presbyterian Church or RS Central High School.

The emergency alert issued warned residents, “to seek higher ground now and obey all evacuation orders from Rutherford County Emergency Management to protect your life.” By 1:30 p.m., reports indicated that water had indeed begun cresting the dam and flowing around the side walls, compromising structural supports, though the dam wall itself remains intact.

Rutherford County Emergency Management has indicated that evacuation sirens have been activated downstream, and local roads are hazardous with many blocked by fallen trees and power lines. Emergency personnel are actively working to evacuate all residents.

The Lake Lure Dam, which is 124 feet tall, is considered a high-hazard dam by the National Inventory of Dams, suggesting a failure could lead to loss of life. The dam’s last inspection in March 2023 rated it in “fair” condition, and plans were already underway to rehabilitate or replace the dam, which received funding from the state of North Carolina.

The severe weather conditions were exacerbated by the remnants of Hurricane Helene, which brought excessive rain and flooding to several areas across the Carolinas. Meteorologist Jared Klein reported, “You’re looking at 8 to 16 inches of rain in the area of the lake,” emphasizing the gravity of the situation.

Additionally, alerts about the Walters Dam, located less than 100 miles away, caused alarm in Newport, Tennessee, where false reports of a dam failure led to evacuations being ordered. U.S. dams, many of which are aging and not designed for current climate conditions, increasingly pose safety challenges, with costly restorations needed to bring them up to modern standards.

The Association of State Dam Safety Officials has highlighted that the cost to restore U.S. dams could amount to $157.5 billion. Between 2013 and 2023, 283 dams in the U.S. experienced some form of failure, though not all resulted in public safety issues.