This following is an update on the SMS dam. For those of you who haven’t seen my email from early December, I’ve pasted it at the bottom of this message. The first phase (emergency draining and breach) is finally complete. As you know, the earthen dam, built 80+ years ago, developed a serious leak. We immediately installed high-volume pumps and eliminated over 10 million gallons of water over several days following the discovery of the leak. During this time, staff conducted round-the-clock ½ hour checks, and on one occasion, I had to initiate alerts to communities downstream due to changes in the volume and consistency of the discharge, since these were indications of eminent total failure. Thankfully, the dam did not collapse. As I communicated on December 7, SMS students were never under any threat (downstream residents were). NCDENR state inspectors and engineers were on site daily throughout this process. Once most of the water was drained (for now we are able to keep a small pond to keep the fish alive), we had to eliminate any future risk of refill from the creek that feeds the lake, so NCDENR ordered an immediate breach of the dam. Work on this continued over several weeks, and was severely hampered by December’s incessant rainfall. Ongoing pumping operations continued while the breach was being constructed in order to keep the water level below the leak (which was approximately 20 feet below the original water level). Breach construction necessitated the removal of nearly 50% of the total volume of the dam, as well as extensive erosion-control measures. The actual cause of the leak is still undetermined. The next phase is the “dam repair plan phase.” Our contracted registered engineer firm will spend the next two months conducting an extensive geotechnical survey, and design a reconstruction plan for submittal to NCDENR. Once approved, reconstruction can begin. This is an extensive process but we are moving quickly; however, it is still impossible to predict when the lake will be back.

I would like to recognize the entire SMS staff, as well as Black Rock Construction, for their heroic efforts over the last 5 weeks, which very well may have prevented loss of life and property downstream. In addition, thank you to all at SMS who assumed many of my day-to-day responsibilities while I was dealing with the dam, and of course my wife and kids, who saw very little of me. I am taking next week off to recharge, and Mr. Fitzgerald will cover for me while I’m out.


Thank you for your support,

Sam Moore
Executive Director
Stone Mountain School
126 Camp Elliott Road
Black Mountain, NC 28711
828-669-8639
smoore@stonemountainschool.com