Town of Lake Lure Helen Storm Recovery Update

Lake Lure:  Town of Lake Lure Helene Storm Recovery Update: The Town of Lake Lure Public Works crews have begun the restoration process

for Morse Park.  If you have been to the area

you know that Morse Park was literally covered in silt and debris.  These pictures illustrate some of the work that has been taking place to restore walkways and the gardens near the Lake Lure Gazebo. Grass has been planted in the last two weeks and the next steps will be to continue the work near the marina and east entry.  Our goal is to be able to reopen a portion of Morse Park in late spring.  

COME AND ENJOY THE BEAUTY OF LAKE LURE!

There are a number of attractions that are open in the area. Lake Lure hotels, lodges, bed & breakfasts, and our amazing restaurants are open for business!  Our local businesses greatly appreciate your patronage!  Please visit the area and encourage others to visit as well.  Here are some of the amenities that are currently open to the public.  

• Dittmer-Watts Nature Trails
• Lake Lure Green Space
• Pool Creek Picnic Park
• Youngs Mountain
• Rumbling Bald Golf Courses

The Town has been approved for a grant for a replacement playground which will be temporarily placed in Pool Creek Picnic Park until a more permanent location can be identified.  Stay tuned for some exciting upcoming events that will be held in this area in the coming months. We hear that the Easter Bunny may be making a visit there soon!
Ongoing work is also taking place at Buffalo Creek Park, Weed Patch Mountain, and Upper Boulder Trails by the National Guard, Carolina Climbers Coalition, Rutherford Outdoor Coalition, EcoForesters, and AmeriCorps. We cannot thank them enough for their time and support!  Please stay tuned for updates as these additional parks and trails reopen.

RE-OPEN CHIMNEY ROCK STATE PARK

The Town of Lake Lure continues to encourage state partners to open Chimney Rock State Park (CRSP) as soon as possible and to ensure there are two access roads to the Park for public safety.  A significant portion of CRSP is in the Town of Lake Lure and the Lake Lure Fire Department provides emergency services to the Park.  Completing the short gap between Lago Vista Road (behind the 1927 Lake Lure Inn and Spa) and Chimney Rock State Park Road (within the park itself) is just a quarter of a mile.  This road could be completed in a short amount of time so we can open the Park until the Chimney Rock Village entrance can be re-established.   Many people have asked what they can do to help.  Please take a few moments and follow the link to details on how to help reopen Chimney Rock State Park. www.chimneyrock.info  Thank you for your support!

FREE PRIVATE AND COMMERCIAL BUSINESS PROPERTY DEBRIS REMOVAL

The Town of Lake Lure and all those in zip code 28746 are eligible to apply for a free option for debris removal.  
• Owners who cannot take their private or commercial business property debris to the right of way (ROW) for pickup may apply for this program. 
• Owners who do not have debris removal insurance or have inadequate debris removal insurance, may apply to have qualified disaster debris removed from their property for FREE. 
• The program also covers the demolition of eligible unsafe structures on both private and commercial business properties. 

Follow this link for additional information and the online application. You may also stop in at the Arcade Building for personal assistance completing your application – Monday (8-6) through Saturday (9-2).  For questions, call the debris call center open daily from 7A to 7P at 833-468-6129.
https://www.townoflakelure.com/.../storm-debris-after...

How long with the process take?  The PPDR program requires a very thorough process to determine eligibility on private and commercial business properties. Debris removal will be a lengthy process, and we appreciate everyone’s collaboration as we begin to clean up our homes, businesses, and communities. 

What types of debris and demolition are eligible under the commercial and PPDR program?

• Removal of hazardous limbs, trees, or other mixed debris caused by Hurricane Helene that is near a commonly used area or maintained areas of a private or commercial business property.
• Removal of debris impacting a waterway.
• The demolition and removal of a structure that is a health hazard, deemed unfit/unsafe, and may not be recoverable, or is in threat of collapse on a private or commercial business property. This may include concrete slabs.
What is NOT eligible under the program?
• Debris on vacant lots, unimproved property, and unused or unmaintained areas of commercial/business or private property.
• Debris on land used primarily for agricultural purposes, such as land for crops or livestock on commercial/business or private property.
• Debris on property, which has been accepted into the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance Program (HMA) is not eligible for PPDR services.
IMPORTANT MEETINGS
• NC DOT: Mayor Carol Pritchett met with NC Department of Transportation Officials this week.  She discussed the work they are doing in the area and continued to advocate for two entrances to Chimney Rock State Park with one being the Lago Vista Road. The North Carolina State Park owns this two-lane paved road behind the Lake Lure Inn and the distance from this road to the entrance road to Chimney Rock Park is less than a quarter mile.  This road extension could be built in less than six months and this road extension is already on the park’s master plan because it has always been evident that only one means of ingress and egress is a huge safety issue.
• FEMA: Town Officials had ongoing meetings with FEMA officials to discuss Town losses and the recovery process. 
• Meeting with Local Business Owners:  Mayor Pritchett, Mayor Pro Tem Dave DiOrio, and Town Officials hosted a meeting for local business owners.  The purpose of the meeting was to provide detailed updates on our storm recovery process and to allow time for questions/discussion.   There was a lengthy discussion and a robust exchange of ideas on how to increase tourism in the Lake Lure area.  We are working to help the public at large know that the Town of Lake Lure is open for business even as the recovery process is ongoing for the Lake and some of our trails. The Town will continue to work with the Rutherford County Tourism Development Authority to boost marketing for the Town so the public will know Lake Lure is open and eager for tourists to visit. 
FUNDING UPDATES
• NC senators propose $533M for Hurricane Helene relief: On Tuesday, North Carolina senators began deciding if they’ll pass a bill that would send hundreds of millions of dollars to western North Carolina for Hurricane Helene recovery. March 4, 2025:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEYLuyclxxM
• Helene relief funding vote in North Carolina: A vote on Hurricane Helene relief funding was held in North Carolina. March 5, 2025: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMepcRr5gO4

IN THE NEWS

• The Governor’s Recovery Office for Western North Carolina (GROW NC) shared progress on Helene recovery and launched a public dashboard at WNCRecovery.nc.gov. The newly released website features updates, resources, and information detailing progress of Helene recovery efforts, including rebuilding safe housing, restoring infrastructure, and revitalizing the economy.  “My commitment to the people of North Carolina is this: I will bring urgency, focus, transparency, and accountability to everything my administration does as we work to rebuild,” said Governor Josh Stein. “This new resource will allow us to provide regular updates on our progress along with information and resources for our neighbors in western North Carolina.”  
• Hickory Nut Gorge recovery, construction, timeline, Chimney Rock Park: What to know: As N.C. DOT ramps up work on the roads leading to Lake Lure and Chimney Rock after Helene destruction, here's what to know about...https://www.citizen-times.com/.../hickory.../80870071007/

LAKE STATUS

• Lake Levels: The current Lake Level is 988.4 Mean Sea Level (MSL) as of 3/7/25. 
• The Town will be lowering the Lake Level by 2-3 feet in the coming days for ongoing restoration of underground pipes. 
• The Lake will remain at this level until this work is complete. 
• The Town will consult with the US Army Corp of Engineers and AshBritt Environmental regarding the optimal lake level for the ongoing work of removing debris.   
• Updates will be posted here when further decisions are made regarding the Lake Level.        
• Lake Use in 2025: Town Council and Town leadership are keenly aware of the importance of reopening the Lake as soon as it is safe to do so.

 Given the timing of the work that has been completed thus far and the need for ongoing work moving forward, it is extremely unlikely that the Lake will be able to open for the 2025 summer season. At this time, this includes motorized and non-motorized vessels as well as swimming.  Please note that Town Council and Town leadership will continue to evaluate options for opening the Lake or portions of the Lake if these options are possible.  The Town is awaiting approval and a timeline from FEMA and the USACE for subsurface debris, silt, and sedimentation removal before any further decisions can be made. The Town has submitted a detailed request for this work and we have been advised that we will hear something very soon.

• Washburn Marina/Boat Slips: Plans for rebuilding the Washburn Marina are also dependent upon future funding.  We will continue to keep you informed with any updates as new information becomes available.  
All marina slips are being reserved for existing slip renters and updates will be posted as new information becomes available.  Note that the marina docks have been temporarily placed near the shore at Pool Creek Park.  They will be moved in the coming weeks. 
• Boat Permits: Boat permits will not become available until the Lake reopens.
• Water Quality Tests: Town officials are happy to report that the turbidity readings are decreasing. As turbidity decreases, the color of the water will begin to return to normal. Turbidity is the measurement of water clarity (i.e., transparency).  The areas with higher turbidity have low total suspended solids (TSS), which measures the weight of the particles suspended in the water. This confirms that the turbidity is being caused by light-weight fine particles suspended in the water. The turbidity readings should continue to decrease, as more fine silt particles settle out of the water. All of the other parameters are within normal range.

You may review the updated spreadsheet which illustrates all the water sample data received by the Town of Lake Lure.  The latest water quality tests (2/5/25) are posted at the following link along with the history of the results. https://www.townoflakelure.com/.../lake-lure-water-sample...