Evacuations ordered as North Carolina dam faces risk of failure following heavy rainfall

The Lake Lure dam in North Carolina overtopped after Hurricane Helene, prompting evacuations and warnings of potential failure. Concern grew about a second dam, the Walters Dam in Tennessee, leading to evacuations in Newport. The Lake Lure dam, operated by the town of Lake Lure, is at imminent risk of failure and could impact downstream communities in North Carolina and South Carolina. The dam is 124 feet tall with a maximum storage of 44,914 acre-feet. Despite compromised structural supports, the dam wall was holding as emergency personnel evacuated residents. The area had experienced extreme rainfall from Hurricane Helene, with 8 to 16 inches in the Lake Lure area over three days. The dam is classified as “high” hazard by the National Inventory of Dams, with a “fair” condition in a 2023 inspection. The town received grants to replace the aging dam and implemented emergency preparedness features. Confusion arose in Tennessee after false reports of the Walters Dam’s failure, leading to evacuations in Newport due to major flooding downstream. Overall, many of America’s dams are aging, in need of restoration, and unprepared for today’s climate, putting people at risk of potential dam failures.

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