Lake Lure dam faces costly future

Public records obtained by The Carolina Journal show Lake Lure is advancing plans to replace its century-old dam while confronting bridge delays, property questions, utility relocations, federal reimbursement disputes, and preliminary construction estimates reaching $174 million.

At the July 22 town council work session meeting, Brendan Stepik, project manager with the town’s contractor, Schnabel Engineering, presented an update on the Lake Lure Replacement Dam Project. He said the project “has progressed through the alternatives analysis and conceptual design phases and is now completing preliminary (30%) design.”

Bridge delay intersects with dam construction

Council members discussed the relationship between the replacement dam and the planned North Carolina Department of Transportation bridge replacement.

The minutes said council members “expressed concern that construction of the replacement dam will require significant use and periodic control of the existing one-lane bridge crossing, making timely replacement of the bridge increasingly important.”

The council agreed the issue should be raised with NCDOT to “emphasize the need for improved project coordination while avoiding any unnecessary delay to the dam replacement project.”

Carolina Journal reported the Lake Lure dam bridge delay in June.

The July 27 storm recovery report said town officials “continue to work with the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) regarding the dam bridge project.”

Meanwhile, the separate Boys Camp Road bridge is moving toward construction. AT&T completed removal of utility poles along Boys Camp Road, allowing the contractor to mobilize “within the next several days.”

Once construction begins, the contractor will have 120 days to complete that project.

$174 million estimate is not final

Schnabel Engineering presented an estimated construction cost of approximately $158 million, including contingency. An independent estimate was approximately $174 million.

The estimates exclude “Property acquisition,” “Utility relocation,” “Permitting,” “Engineering services during construction,” and “Future hydroelectric generation facilities.”

Council discussed accounting for those expenses when pursuing future grants and financing.

The stated goal is to ensure “total project funding accurately reflects the overall cost of the replacement dam program.”

Stepik emphasized beginning utility discussions early “to avoid delays.”

High-hazard designation

The Lake Lure dam is classified by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality as a high-hazard dam.

That designation does not mean the dam is currently failing or that failure is imminent. Rather, the classification addresses the potential consequences if a dam were to fail, according to state definitions.

For a high-hazard dam, those consequences can include loss of life and significant downstream property damage along the Broad River.

North Carolina’s Dam Safety Program oversees dams to reduce the risk of failure and prevent property damage and loss of life. The state requires emergency action planning for jurisdictional high-hazard dams, including notification procedures and maps identifying areas that could be affected by a failure.

Mayor celebrates dam’s history

The replacement project comes as Lake Lure prepares to celebrate the existing dam’s 100th anniversary.

Mayor Carol Pritchett described the dam as an engineering achievement that transformed a mountain valley into the lake that became the foundation of the community.

“Our Centennial celebration officially begins on September 30, 2026, marking the 100th anniversary of the completion of the Lake Lure Dam,” Pritchett said in a statement.

“The Lake Lure Dam has stood strong for a century,” she said, calling its survival of Hurricane Helene “a powerful symbol of the strength and perseverance that define Lake Lure.”

“As we celebrate our past, we are equally excited about our future… Lake Lure’s story has always been one of vision, determination, and resilience,” Pritchett said. “The generations before us created something extraordinary.”

FEMA reimbursement

While the dam advances through design, Lake Lure continues working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency on other Helene recovery projects.

At a recent storm recovery meeting, officials said FEMA’s current cost estimates for the Flowering Bridge do not accurately reflect local construction costs or the project’s scope.

“Meetings with FEMA representatives are ongoing to ensure the agency fully understands the engineering requirements and recovery needs before final funding determinations are made,” the town said in a statement.

“Frequent turnover among FEMA leadership continues to create challenges by requiring staff to repeatedly brief new representatives on project history and recovery efforts,” town officials said in meeting minutes reviewed by CJ.

A costly second century

Lake Lure’s dam replacement is moving through preliminary engineering as the town and its lake are open and welcoming visitors following Hurricane Helene. As Lake Lure celebrates a century of the dam’s history, the town is simultaneously planning what comes next — and determining how much that next century will cost.

“Lake Lure dam faces costly future” was originally published on www.carolinajournal.com.