North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Secretary Reid Wilson and Matt Calabria, Director of the Governor’s Recovery Office for Western North Carolina (GROW NC), traveled to Lady Marian Dam in McDowell County today to highlight the Department’s recent awards of $7.3 million to address at-risk dams that were damaged by Hurricane Helene.
DEQ’s Division of Energy, Mineral, and Land Resources (DEMLR) awarded Lady Marian Dam more than $2.7 million to create a permanent controlled breach of the high-hazard dam. A larger spillway will be installed, which will allow water to flow through a combination channel and culvert system after a storm, without holding water for a prolonged period. Dams identified as high hazard are those that, if they fail, would likely result in loss of life or significant damage to homes, buildings, public utilities, primary highways or major railroads downstream.
“Hurricane Helene caused billions of dollars in damage to infrastructure in Western North Carolina, including dozens of dams,” said DEQ Secretary Reid Wilson. “This $7.3 million is the start addressing damage to dams that pose the highest risk to residents throughout the region, so that we can protect lives, homes and businesses during future storms.”
“Making critical infrastructure investments today will allow Western North Carolina to better withstand future disasters and enable communities to recover faster than before,” said GROW Director Matt Calabria. “The state has committed over $3 billion to Helene recovery efforts and will continue to advocate for the federal funding needed to meet recovery needs.”
The Lady Marian grant was one of eight totaling more than $7.3 million that were awarded to owners of high-hazard dams in Western North Carolina to address any damage resulting from Hurricane Helene.
As Hurricane Helene raged across Western North Carolina, Lady Marian Dam’s riser, which controls the water level of the reservoir, collapsed and blocked a culvert downstream with a mix of debris that included soil, concrete and vegetation.
The Dam Safety Grants are funded through a $10 million allocation approved by the North Carolina General Assembly.
Following Hurricane Helene, DEMLR staff inspected more than 400 dams across mountain communities, identifying approximately 40 damaged dams, 36 of which were classified as high hazard. The damage ranged from minor erosion to full failure caused by flood waters overflowing the dams.
Other dams receiving grants include:
- Feeney Dam, Henderson County, $2.6 million
- Flowers Lake Dam, Catawba County, $203,500
- Lake Junaluska Dam (Powerhouse), Haywood County, $178,875
- Lake Junaluska Dam (Wingwall), Haywood County, $19,400
- Lake Lure Dam, Rutherfordton County, $720,409
- Laurel Lakes Dam, Rutherfordton County, $282,000
- Warrior Mountain Lake Dam, Polk County, 561,000
DEMLR plans to award another $2.7 million in a second application process, which is open through June 19, 2026. Eligible dam owners may apply for funding to support design-construction plans for the repair, modification, removal or breach projects related to Hurricane Helene damage.
Additional information is available here.