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Lake Lure Today
By the People, for the People
Lake Lure Refilling After Tropical Storm Helene, Aiming for Memorial Day Reopening
The popular North Carolina lake was drained 15 feet below normal to remove debris and repair the dam after heavy flooding.
Published on Feb. 10, 2026
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Lake Lure in North Carolina is in the process of refilling after being partially drained following heavy flooding from Tropical Storm Helene in 2025. The water level was lowered by up to 20 feet to allow the Army Corps of Engineers to remove silt and debris, and to make repairs to the dam's floodgates. The lake is expected to be fully refilled by Memorial Day 2026, just in time for the busy summer tourist season.
Why it matters
Lake Lure is a major tourist draw for the region, and its closure for over a year has had a significant impact on local businesses that rely on visitors to the lake. The town's population can swell from 1,300 to 10,000 during peak tourist season, so the lake's reopening is crucial for the local economy to recover from the effects of the storm.
The details
The town of Lake Lure began refilling the lake on February 8, 2026, and it is set to be full by Memorial Day at the latest. During Helene, the lake received 15 inches of rain and was flooded with sand, silt, debris, and wreckage flowing down the Rocky Broad River. The water level was later lowered so the Army Corps of Engineers could remove the silt and debris, and to make repairs to the dam's floodgates. The lake had never been so low since the dam was constructed almost 100 years ago.
- On February 8, 2026, the town of Lake Lure began refilling the lake.
- The lake is set to be fully refilled by Memorial Day 2026.
The players
Carol Pritchett
The mayor of the Town of Lake Lure.
Tyler Seigle
The chef at Appalachia Restaurant in Lake Lure.
Kimberly Sayles
The owner of the Grafton Lodge Bed and Breakfast in Lake Lure, along with her husband Richard Sayles.
Sonya Pitts
The manager of Lake Lure Tours, which rents boats, gives guided tours, and manages part of Lake Lure's beachfront.
What they’re saying
“Just being able to look out your window and see that the lake's back up (will make) everybody feel like life is back.”
— Carol Pritchett, Mayor (Times-News)
“We're hoping it's going to be like a post-COVID boom for the industry. We're really looking forward to it.”
— Tyler Seigle, Chef (Times-News)
“Our major loss was the road being cut off.”
— Kimberly Sayles, Owner (Times-News)
“It would have been 'devastating' for business to pass Memorial Day without the lake reopened.”
— Sonya Pitts, Manager (Times-News)
What’s next
The town of Lake Lure is working to rebuild its marina docks, which were wrecked by Tropical Storm Helene. The $1.8 million project is set to be complete by mid-July 2026.
The takeaway
The reopening of Lake Lure is a crucial milestone for the local economy, which has struggled since the lake was partially drained for over a year following the devastating impacts of Tropical Storm Helene. The slow but steady process of refilling the lake and repairing the infrastructure will allow the town to welcome back tourists and begin to recover from the storm's effects.
