A city in Brunswick County is still repairing after Hurricane Florence

BRUNSWICK, NC (WWAY) — Boiling Spring Lakes is still recovering seven years after Hurricane Florence made landfall in Wrightsville Beach. 

Road closures, dried-up lakes, and delays with dam repairs have left many residents frustrated. 

Most recently, the city discovered the repair of Pine Lake dam was done incorrectly, built at wrong elevation, another setback to hold up repairs on the project. 

Boiling Spring Lakes resident, Ryan Friesema, who’s lived here since 2017 says he feels things have slipped through the cracks.  

“That’s really the most frustrating thing to me is the fact that, you know, I’ll say for the most part, that this project and multiple dams, the construction of these dams has gone unwatched by the town,” said Friesema.  

Friesema says having to rebuild the dam is another blow. 

“So, essentially, you know, come to find out that the dam that the contractor built is not at the correct elevation, so essentially everything that they’ve done to this point needs to be ripped out and redone, or to some degree redone,” says Friesema.  

However, Mayor Protem for Boiling Spring Lakes, Daivd Mammay, says that this project has been in the works for a few years, and is still on track. 

“Well, this project didn’t really start until July of 2023, and the schedule completion was July of 2026, so this area was designated to be closed the whole time. So, even though it seems like we’re behind, the contractor is still on schedule,” said Mammay.  

Despite the dam setback, Mammay says the City of Boiling Spring Lakes is making progress every day and is now leaning on state connections to keep the project moving. 

“Our biggest hold up right now is dam safety, and we’ve reached out to…Charlie Miller and Senator Bill Rabon and they’re trying to help us along and get a little push to get things moving. We’re working hard to get this open for our residents,” says Mammay.