LINCOLNTON, N.C. (News Release) — On March 11, 2024 at 8:00 pm, Lincoln County Emergency Management received a call from Lincoln County Communications regarding a problem with a dam structure impounding Carpenters Lake located on Mirror Lake Road in Lincoln County. Lincoln County Emergency Management made an initial inspection of the dam at 9:00 pm and discovered the dam’s emergency overflow pipe had eroded under Mirror Lake Road in a manner that compromised the road’s integrity.
Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office immediately closed the road to thru traffic at 9:30 pm, and Emergency Management notified NCDOT who responded and installed permanent road barricades. Additional notifications were made to all emergency responding agencies in Lincoln County. Emergency Management also notified the North Carolina Emergency Management State Warning Point regarding concerns with the dam.
North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality and North Carolina Highway Patrol were also notified. The incident was deemed as a Priority 1 incident by NCEM until further investigation by NCDENR Dam Safety. On March 12, 2024, at 8:00 am, Lincoln County Emergency Management revisited the location and contacted NCDENR for a situation update.
NCDENR Dam Safety conducted an inspection of the dam at 11:00 am on March 12, 2024. NCDENR communicated to Lincoln County Emergency Management that the dam is not in immediate danger of failure. NCDENR Dam Safety is contacting the owner to recommend immediate actions to mitigate further degradation of dam structure. NCDENR is concerned additional rains or flooding could potentially weaken the dam structure causing a dam failure.
The outflow drainage for this dam has the potential to impact properties in Lincoln and Gaston Counties. Lincoln County is notifying potentially affected property owners in Lincoln County south of Mirror Lake Road.
If you have concerns or questions please contact NCDENR-Dam Safety -Mooresville Regional Office: 704-663-1699 or Lincoln County Emergency Management at 704-736-8660.
