Lake Receives Record Rainfall

Area residents will have little trouble remembering the torrential rains of May, thanks in part to the remnants of Tropical Storm Alberto. During an epic two-week period, parts of McDowell County received more than 20 inches, almost seven times the normal precipitation for the month. As area creeks and rivers rose, so too did Lake James, sometimes in dramatic fashion. Duke Energy typically manages lake level at 98.0 feet, with a maximum of 100.0 feet, but for several days Lake James rose to more than that, cresting at 103.4 feet on May 31. The result was a temporary closure of some of the park’s waterfront amenities, including campsites on Long Arm Peninsula and the Paddy’s Creek Area swim beach for seven days.