Photo By Ernest Henry | George Minges, debris subject matter expert with the Louisville District, and Ed...... read more read more
USACE and Town of Lake Lure Mark Completion of Hurricane Helene Recovery Work LAKE LURE, N.C. — Leaders from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Town of Lake Lure, and state and federal partners gathered Tuesday afternoon at Morse Park for a final walk-through marking the completion of Corps recovery operations within the town. The visit represents the closeout of one of Western North Carolina’s largest and most complex debris removal missions following Hurricane Helene. Over the past year, the Wilmington District and supporting districts conducted extensive debris and sediment removal across the region. Lake Lure, which experienced severe flooding and sedimentation, required some of the most sustained and technically demanding work. George Minges, a debris subject matter expert from the Louisville District who helped lead the mission, emphasized the sheer scale of the work. “This has been a massive and significant project,” Minges said. “We’ve removed over 1 million cubic yards of debris from this lake. For comparison, an NFL stadium is about 400,000 cubic yards — so that’s two-and-a-half NFL stadiums full of debris.” He added that the effort required a nearly nonstop operational tempo. “It’s 52,000 dump trucks — 54 weeks of 12-hour days, seven days a week,” Minges said. “We worked waterways, rights of way, private property and even commercial demolition. At any given time, the Corps was working in 16 counties, but about a quarter to a third of the state’s debris came from this area.” Lt. Col. Ken Porter, deputy commander of the Wilmington District, said the mission’s success reflects the collaboration behind the effort. “This closeout represents more than finishing a mission,” Porter said. “It represents the trust and teamwork that carried Lake Lure through recovery. The town’s leadership and residents were determined from day one, and that resilience made all the difference.” Lake Lure Mayor Carol Pritchett said the closeout marks a turning point for the community. “Our town has faced a long, difficult year,” she said. “Seeing this work completed — the debris removed, our lake restored and these hazards addressed — gives our residents a sense of relief and hope. We are incredibly grateful for the Corps’ dedication and for the crews who worked tirelessly on behalf of Lake Lure.” As the Corps formally concludes its assigned work in Lake Lure, officials said the milestone signals both the end of federal recovery operations and the beginning of long-term rebuilding for the community. “Lake Lure’s closeout is a major milestone for the entire region,” Porter said. “And it reflects what is possible when federal, state and local partners move forward together.”
| Date Taken: | 11.18.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 11.20.2025 10:39 |
| Story ID: | 551888 |
| Location: | LAKE LURE, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 80 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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