This week, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reached a milestone in western North Carolina, clearing 5 million cubic yards of debris.
Hurricane Helen destroyed all southern towns in September, causing record rainfall and triggering historic flooding.
Seven months later, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is still leading the cleanup efforts in western North Carolina, one of which is Bait Lake.
The town’s water parks are often busy preparing for its peak season, and there is currently no running water to fill the pool or operate the water as the water has been cut off so debris can be removed.
Engineer George Minges said there are nearly ten feet of debris under silt and sand in certain areas of Bait Lake.
North Carolina town destroyed by Hurricane Helen, hoping to welcome midsummer visitors
Hurricane Helen left a water park when wreaking havoc in western North Carolina, and the park remains closed as the area prepares for the peak summer season. (Fox News)
"It's an avalanche of soil, trees, rocks and houses. All of this is along the river here and is stored in the lake," Mingus said.
USACE Colonel Brad Morgan said his team spent months cleaning up debris from trees and other debris that were damaged by the storm.
"At least 75% of the storm-generated debris in Hurricane Helen has entered some kind of waterway in western North Carolina," Morgan said. "We have some specialist equipment brought from the American Bay. It has been working here since November."
USACE has also cleared the roads and is still dragging debris from homes and businesses.
This week, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reached a milestone in western North Carolina, clearing 5 million cubic yards of debris. (Fox News)
"We may have 7,000 private property parcels, and we're going to clean up about 9,000. So, part of this disaster response is the same size on Los Angeles," Morgan said.
East Tennessee's Helen Cleanup Deadline
Bait Lake Mayor Carol Pritchett said the town relied on contractors in the first three weeks, but USACE brought the town further.
"With the Army Corps of Engineers, they actually started three weeks after Helene, a sacred man. Without them, we wouldn't be where we are today."
Pritchett said the town had an excellent emergency management plan for the hurricane, but Hurricane Helen’s strength was unexpected.
"We had a great emergency plan," Prichett said. "This is based on and predicted based on the general view of what a hurricane means to someone in the western North Carolina mountain range...it's not that hurricane."
Workers have been cleaning up debris that damage the trees damaged by the storm for months. (Fox News)
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Since helping the cleanup work in the area, the Army Corps of Engineers in western North Carolina has cleared more than 5 million cubic yards of debris. Officials said the goal is to remove all debris by July.