Mecklenburg County and Catawba Riverkeeper testing area lakes following Helene

MECKLENBURG COUNTY (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Following the immediate destruction of Hurricane Helene, debris, pollutants and fecal matter have washed into our waterways.

“So, the hurricane brought in everything, right?” said Brandon Jones with Catawba Riverkeeper. “This was the storm of records, historic. So, everything that was on the land and beside the land has been washed in.”

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services issued this warning to residents to avoid swimming, boating, kayaking and more after spotting algae blooms in the lower portion of Lake Norman.

“This plume of nutrients from Hurricane Helene has really just exacerbated the situation,” Jones said.

Catawba Riverkeeper says with the boat ramps and water access just getting restored, they too intend to get on area lakes to collect samples.

“Grab a water sample, we plate it and then we incubate it for 24 hours and then we look for ‘is it growing as cells?’ Unfortunately, those tests take time,” Jones said.

Their testing this week should give them results, and a recommendation to residents for this weekend. With all the pollutants that have washed into Lake Norman, Mountain Island Lake, the Catawba River and Lake Wylie, there’s no knowing how long it will take to clear up.

Trees, docks and other debris alone pose a whole other element of risk for swimmers and boaters.

“If you’re boating, some of these logs can be right below the surface. There are whole trees, whole forests were really swept in,” Jones said. “So, it could be a kind of a dangerous condition, but it’s not everywhere. It’s not all at once,” he continued, “we tell people to definitely use caution and stay off the water if they can this weekend.”

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