Work begins on Lake Tomahawk dam

Structural repairs lead to temporary closure of section of trail

Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
March 26, 2024

A project intended to repair seepage near the base of the Lake Tomahawk dam began March 25, as the Town of Black Mountain temporarily closed a nearby section of trail and the lower parking lot on Cragmont Road. Photo by Fred McCormick

A section of trail on the southern end of Lake Tomahawk and the lower parking lot on Cragmont Road were temporarily closed, March 25, as crews began repairing the dam.

The project, which will mitigate erosion and reinforce the earthen structure, is expected to be completed in April.

A 2019 safety inspection identified seepage near the base of the 22-foot mound, where decaying tree roots created fissures inside of the berm. The Town of Black Mountain budgeted a total of $644,000 for the project, which will install overtop protection, a blanket and toe drain, articulating block and a new layer of topsoil.

Plans include new lights and fencing along the roughly 270-foot section of trail at the top of the dam.

The town contracted engineering firm SM&E for the design, while Baker’s Construction Services, Inc. is constructing the project.

Completed in 1934 as part of the New Deal, Lake Tomahawk occupies approximately nine acres within the surrounding park. The body of water is fed by Tomahawk Branch, while the dam is classified as a High Hazard Dam by the N.C. Dam Safety division of the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality.