Receding waters reveal damage from Tropical Depression Fred

Town of Black Mountain assesses impact of storm

Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
August 18, 2021

Town of Black Mountain Public Works crews repair a segment of Charlotte Street that was washed out during Tropical Depression Fred. Photo by Fred McCormick

Receding flood waters and improved weather allowed the Town of Black Mountain, on Aug. 18, to assess damages left in the wake of Tropical Depression Fred, which brought torrential rain and hazardous weather conditions to Western N.C. earlier this week. 

As cleanup began, local officials briefed Town Manager Josh Harrold on the impact of the storm. 

“We saw some damage here, but we were fortunate to not see some of the major damage other communities in WNC are dealing with,” Harrold said. “Things could’ve been a lot worse.”

A recently restored section of the Swannanoa River through Veterans Park in Black Mountain sustained significant damage from Tropical Depression Fred. Photo by Fred McCormick

More than 8 inches of rain fell on Veterans Park, Aug. 17, according to a gauge near the Swannanoa River, which breached its recently reconstructed banks nearby. An overflowing Flat Creek, on the north side of town, was also the source of significant flooding. Four homes were evacuated near both waterways. Swift water rescue crews from Buncombe County and the Black Mountain Fire Department were deployed to the Portman Villa Mobile Home park to assist one resident. No injuries were reported from the storm. 

The most significant damage reported, according to Harrold, involved the 1,700 linear feet of the Swannanoa River on the north side of Veterans Park that were the focus of a $156,000 restoration project, which was completed only weeks ago. 

“There is some obvious damage there that will require some substantial work to correct it,” he said. “I can’t be really specific on that yet, because the engineer who designed it is in the process of putting together damage reports.”

No additional damage was reported to the park, but the town will clean up the debris carried in by the floodwater. 

A portion of Charlotte Street and the Flat Creek Greenway were also damaged by flooding. Public works crews began filling in a section of earth beneath the road behind Black Mountain Primary School hours after the rain stopped. 

“We wanted to make sure we had that road fixed before school starts back next week,” Harrold said. “But, that section of the greenway through the mobile home park will have to be replaced.”

Water from Lake Tomahawk spilled into the gazebo, pavilion and tennis courts to the north, while the Lakeview Center experienced minor flooding, according to the town manager.

Mud covers the floor of the pavilion at Lake Tomahawk, Aug. 18, after Tropical Depression Fred brought torrential rain to Black Mountain. Photo by Fred McCormick

“We have quite a bit of cleanup to do around the lake,” he said. “There are sections of the trail around it that will have to be repaired, but we were fortunate that nothing there, including the work on Tomahawk Branch, suffered any structural damage.”

A portion of Tomahawk Branch, which feeds the lake, washed out a bridge along the cart path on the golf course. 

Branches, limbs and other debris remain on an East Street bridge over Flat Creek after Tropical Depression Fred. Photo by Fred McCormick

Flooding forced the town to close multiple roads during the storm, including portions of Terry Estate Drive, East Street, Flat Creek Road, Charlotte Street, Laurel Circle and Blue Ridge Road, south of U.S. 70. Several bridges were closed during the storm, but later reopened after no damage was reported.