Lake Michael spillway replaced; city says lake to reopen in 1 to 3 months

MEBANE — Franz Holt, the city engineer, said the replacement of Lake Michael's concrete spillway is substantially complete after a $6 million project that began in October 2024, and city staff expects the lake to reopen in about one to three months.

Holt told the council the city began evaluating the earthen dam and concrete spillway about six years ago. An engineering assessment (transcribed as "Snobble Engineering") recommended a full replacement of the spillway. "After completing the design, the project underwent extensive review and approval process with dam safety at NCDEQ," Holt said, referring to the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality's dam safety program.

The project was publicly bid, and the transcript identifies the contractor as Theale Construction on a $6,000,000 contract that began construction in October 2024. Holt said Tropical Storm Chantal brought about 11 inches of rain last July, which overwhelmed portions of the work and delayed the schedule by roughly two months.

"The new spillway is designed to safely pass a 14 and a half inch 6 hour storm event," Holt said. He listed key construction details including approximately 1,200 cubic yards of concrete and about 90 tons of reinforcing steel, a flip bucket at the chute's end to dissipate energy during heavy rainfall, perimeter safety fencing, and a floating debris barrier to protect the spillway.

Holt also described infrastructure added for future maintenance and safety: a new lower-level gate valve at the water tower to allow draining if needed, a toe drain system to capture seepage through the earthen embankment (reducing the risk of internal erosion), and a downstream toe berm to increase the safety factor against potential slope failure. "These improvements significantly strengthen the safety and resilience of the Lake Michael dam and spillway system," he said.

A city staff member addressing the public said the project is "nearly complete" and gave conditions for reopening: "we anticipate reopening in approximately 1 to 3 months," the staff member said. The staff member listed two requirements before reopening: the lake level must return to its normal elevation and final improvements to the boat docks must be finished. Once those are done, boating activities — including kayaks and new pedal boats — and the city's self-serve rental system will resume.

Staff also said park repairs prompted by the storm have been completed in many areas, including new boardwalk sections, repaired playground fencing, and tree removal where trees had fallen. The transcript notes the boathouse was removed because it had sustained structural damage; staff said the city hopes to provide a new boathouse in coming years.

Officials said they are coordinating with Fish and Wildlife to restock the lake before reopening and reminded residents of boating rules: boats must be 17.5 feet or shorter for lake entry, launches depend on water levels, trolling motors only, and Lake Michael is a no-wake lake. Staff asked residents to wait for the official reopening announcement before visiting.

The city conveyed that the upgraded spillway and associated repairs are intended to protect the recreational resource and public safety for years to come. The city did not set an exact reopening date; staff said the timeline depends on water levels and completion of dock work.