Several days of heavy raining has led to flooded waterways that are now flowing across our state from the mountains to the Piedmont.
Yesterday afternoon, Duke Energy opened up all the flood gates at the Cowan’s Ford Dam, releasing damaging levels of water into Mountain Island Lake, Lake Wylie, and the Lower Catawba;
The National Weather Service has now issued a warning for Charlotte residents living around the Catawba River;
THE MAIN CONCERN NOW IS THE MOVEMENT OF FLOODWATERS THROUGH THE CATAWBA RIVER SYSTEM, INCLUDING BELOW LAKE NORMAN AND MOUNTAIN ISLAND LAKE. HIGH FLOW CONDITIONS ARE CAUSING SIGNIFICANT RISES ALONG MOUNTAIN ISLAND LAKE, POSSIBLY TO LEVELS NOT SEEN SINCE MAY OF 2013, WHEN THE LAKE CRESTED AT 104.02 FEET.
* THE LATEST LAKE LEVEL DATA FOR LOOKOUT SHOALS LAKE ARE AS FOLLOWS:
CURRENT POOL…98.7 FEET AND RISING RAPIDLY.
FULL POOL…100.0 FEET.
PROJECTED CREST…DUKE ENERGY IS PROJECTING A CREST NOT TO EXCEED 105 FEET, THOUGH THIS IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE. THE LAST TIME MOUNTAIN ISLAND LAKE REACHED 104 FEET WAS ON MAY 7, 2013 WHEN THE LAKE CRESTED AT 104.02 FEET. THE LAST TIME THE LAKE REACHED 105 FEET WAS ON SEPTEMBER 10, 2004, WHEN THE LAKE CRESTED AT 105.05 FEET.
MINOR FLOOD STAGE…102.0 FEET.
MODERATE FLOOD STAGE…105.0 FEET.
IMPACTS…AT 105.0 FEET, SIGNIFICANT FLOODING OF LAKE ACCESS AREAS AND DOCKS IS ONGOING. FLOODING OF LAKE DR. AND RIVERSIDE DR. BELOW THE LAKE IS POSSIBLE. SIGNIFICANT FLOODING OF RESIDENTIAL YARDS ALONG RIVERSIDE DR. BELOW THE LAKE IS OCCURRING, AND SEVERAL HOMES ARE LIKELY TO BE IMPACTED BY FLOODWATERS. THE NIVENS COVE COMMUNITY ALONG MOUNTAIN ISLAND LAKE MAY BE IMPACTED AS WELL AS FOX RIDGE LN. NEAR THE STONEWATER BAY COMMUNITY.
* RESIDENTS ADJACENT TO THE LAKE AND THE CATAWBA RIVER ARE URGED TO HEED GUIDANCE FROM LOCAL OFFICIALS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ON ANY POTENTIAL OR ONGOING IMPACTS TO PROPERTY, INCLUDING EVACUATION ORDERS. DRIVERS ARE URGED TO HEED ANY BARRICADES AND AVOID ALL FLOODED AREAS.
* SIGNIFICANT RELEASES ARE ONGOING AT COWANS FORD DAM ABOVE LOOKOUT SHOALS LAKE, CAUSING DANGEROUS HIGH FLOW CONDITIONS AND FLOODING ALONG THE CATAWBA RIVER DOWNSTREAM. PLEASE AVOID THE CATAWBA RIVER, FLOODED ROADWAYS, AND OTHER LOW-LYING AREAS DURING THESE HIGH FLOWS.
* FORECAST: ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINFALL IS POSSIBLE IN THE CATAWBA RIVER WATERSHED ABOVE MOUNTAIN ISLAND LAKE THROUGH WEDNESDAY. THIS RAINFALL MAY EXACERBATE ONGOING HIGH LAKE LEVELS. RESIDENTS AND LAKE USERS ARE URGED TO STAY WEATHER AWARE AND BE PREPARED TO RESPOND IF NEW RISES OCCUR.
* FOR MORE INFORMATION ON LAKE LEVELS OR DAM RELEASES, PEOPLE ARE ENCOURAGED TO VISIT HTTP://LAKES.DUKE-ENERGY.COM OR CALL 1-800-829-5253.
It’s recommended that residents in low-lying areas install hydrabarriers or other flood-controlling devices in front of all home entry points.
Please help spread the word.