Lake Lure Dam turns 100 as replacement funding remains unfinished

County officials visit the landmark as construction estimates approach $175 million and a related bridge replacement faces delays.

By Annie Dance | WCAB News

LAKE LURE, N.C. — Lake Lure Dam’s 100th birthday drew a celebratory visit from Rutherford County officials and a county commission candidate. At the same time, the town continues to confront the cost of replacing the structure that created its lake.

WCAB News previously reported that preliminary construction estimates range from approximately $158 million to more than $174 million, before property acquisition, utility relocation, permitting and several other expenses.

The anniversary recognizes a century of service. It does not resolve how the replacement will be financed or when it will be built.

Rutherford County Commissioner Hunter Haynes, who also serves as a sheriff’s deputy, shared a photograph with Commissioner-elect Allen Hardin, Republican county commission candidate Scott Haynes, Lake Lure Emergency Services Director Dustin Waycaster and Assistant Fire Chief Chris Melton.

“Stopped by to see the Lake Lure Dam on its 100th birthday!” Haynes wrote on social media.

“Thank you to Chief Dustin Waycaster and Chief Chris Melton for showing us around and sharing the story behind this piece of our county’s history. It was nice to get a closer look and learn more about a landmark that has stood strong and means so much to Lake Lure and Rutherford County.”

He concluded: “Happy 100th birthday, Lake Lure Dam!”

Haynes’ statement did not address replacement costs, financing, or a construction schedule. The town owns the lake and the dam, not the county.

Those issues extend beyond Lake Lure’s municipal boundaries. The dam holds back the lake above downstream communities, and state officials have acknowledged the consequences a failure could have.

As WCAB News reported from a September dam-safety announcement, North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Secretary Reid Wilson said Lake Lure Dam’s survival during Hurricane Helene avoided a potential catastrophe.

“I think a lot of people were worried that the Lake Lure Dam would fail,” Wilson said. “It did not. That is wonderful because that would have been catastrophic.”

Wilson said he had toured the dam with Mayor Carol Pritchett, who expressed the town’s desire for a replacement. He did not explain how construction would be funded or what financial role the state might take.

The town’s infrastructure overview describes the existing dam as being in fair condition but near the end of its service life and unable to meet modern safety standards. Replacement planning began with state regulators in 2021, before Helene.

A 2018 report reviewed by WCAB News made multiple recommendations and findings. It is unclear what, if any, were implemented between then and 2021.

Its high-hazard classification describes the potential consequences of failure, including loss of life and significant property damage. It does not mean failure is imminent, as WCAB’s earlier replacement coverage explained.

The project also faces a transportation complication.

WCAB News reported that NCDOT delayed replacement of the bridge at the dam, moving right-of-way acquisition to fiscal year 2029 and construction to fiscal year 2030. The revised bridge project carries an estimated cost of $37.41 million.

Town Council discussions have identified coordination between the projects as a concern because dam construction would require substantial use of the existing one-lane bridge.

In a separate October message on the town’s website, the mayor emphasized recovery progress and credited financial preparation before Helene with helping Lake Lure begin repairs.

“Because the town had carefully managed its finances and built General Fund reserves, Lake Lure was able to immediately engage contractors and begin critical infrastructure restoration and recovery work while awaiting FEMA resources,” the statement said.

The statement also cited a dedicated Dam Reserve Fund established through a property tax allocation.

According to the town, the reservoir drain allowed crews to lower the lake for extensive dredging after Helene. Dam buttress restoration and Tainter gate seal repairs allowed refilling to begin in February 2026.

WCAB previously covered the connection between dam repairs, lake levels and reopening plans, including the need to restore full pond for portions of the marina reconstruction.

The October message reported approximately $27.45 million in grants, appropriations and principal forgiveness secured or awarded in recent years across multiple community needs. It identified $2.95 million for dam-related projects, including design and a dam failure impact assessment.

That total covers water, sewer, public safety, dredging and other work. It does not establish that replacement dam construction is fully funded.

The message does not provide a complete replacement financing plan, the remaining funding gap, or a firm construction start date.

The dam was completed in September 1926; the lake reached full impoundment in 1927, when the town was incorporated. Lake Lure’s municipal centennial comes next year.

A 2016 state historic report, commissioned by then-governor Pat McCrory, a Republican, noted that the dam was primarily built by hand.

As the town prepares for that celebration, its October message acknowledges that reopening the lake does not finish the recovery.

“One of the most important lessons of this recovery is that reopening is not the same as recovery being complete,” the statement said. “Lake Lure is open, but our work continues.”