First, we are mindful of the hardships everyone in the area is enduring and hopeful that everyone is safe at this point.
Hurricane Helene has been an unprecedented event for our area. Lake James has never seen 110 feet and we hope it never does again. The damage to the docks is enormous but still nothing compared to the number of people whose homes have been lost or severely damaged. Our hearts go out to those who have lost their homes.
We want to remind everyone to stay off the water for the time being. The currents are still dangerous as the water recedes, and the amount of debris in the lake makes it dangerous for boating. For those of you who like cold water swims, we advise that you stay out of the water as well. Between loose cables, pollution, sewage in some areas and the debris it is not safe to swim. Woody debris is often found just under the water where it is hard to see. It is not safe to run your boat at higher speeds.We will be doing some water quality testing once the water recedes and it is safe to do so.
The Hydro Station has been damaged by the storm and Duke is unable to control the flow of water from the lake downstream. They cannot yet predict when they will be able to fix the problem. Until then our water level will be 100 feet plus. If we get another rain event we could have more flooding issues.
