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BY THE RECORDASHEVILLE

Also known as North Fork Dam, North Fork Dam spillway repair

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North Fork water plant and dam recovery

Repairs to the North Fork dam and water plant, the City's main water source, and a planned permanent fix for storm mud.

Program
Helene recovery

In plain English

Repairs and resilience work at the City's largest water plant and its dam after Tropical Storm Helene. It covers emergency repairs, the temporary pretreatment systems (now shut down), replacing the auxiliary spillway fusegate, removing storm debris from the watershed, and designing a permanent pretreatment system and a third transmission main on higher ground.

Where it stands

The fusegate repair is substantially complete and the temporary pretreatment systems have been removed. The permanent North Fork pretreatment system and Transmission Main No. 3 are still in design and depend on a pending FEMA HMGP application, with CDBG-DR money held in reserve.

Next

Reach 60% design on the permanent pretreatment and TM3 packages, which the City expects in spring 2027, and then submit them for FEMA HMGP review.

Last on the public record Apr 28, 2026 (6 months ago).

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The North Fork water treatment facilities, with a crane working on the dam embankment behind them.
Repairs at the North Fork water treatment facilities on Nov. 23, 2024. FEMA, the Army Corps of Engineers and the EPA worked with the City to restore water service.Photo: Jenna Converse, FEMA. Source, Public domain (U.S. government work).

More pictures

Repair work at the North Fork water treatment facilities after Helene.
More repair work at the North Fork Reservoir, November 23, 2024. FEMA, the Army Corps of Engineers and the EPA worked with the City to restore water service.Photo: Jenna Converse, Federal Emergency Management Agency. Source, Public domain (U.S. federal government work).
North Fork Reservoir seen from the riprap of the North Fork Dam, Black Mountain, N
North Fork Reservoir seen from the riprap of the North Fork Dam, Black Mountain, N.C., Nov. 2024. DVIDS caption: "FEMA, USACE, and the EPA worked alongside the City of Asheville to restore the city’s water service after repairs and water treatment at the North Fork Reservoir after Tropical Storm Helene caused severe damage to the facility."Photo: Photo by Jenna Converse, FEMA (via DVIDS). Source, Public domain (U.S. federal government work; DVIDS page marked "PUBLIC DOMAIN").
The North Fork Dam auxiliary spillway at Burnett Reservoir (City media caption: "One aspect of the North Fork Dam Improvement Project is the
The North Fork Dam auxiliary spillway at Burnett Reservoir (City media caption: "One aspect of the North Fork Dam Improvement Project is the new Auxiliary Spillway at Burnett Lake").Photo: City of Asheville. Source, Official publication; reuse terms not stated.

Stage by stage

Why it matters: Each stage is checked against a public record. A stage with no record yet is shown as not verified.

  1. ApprovedConfirmed, Apr 28, 2026Spillway repair contract approved
  2. FundedPartly confirmedSpillway contract funded; the permanent pretreatment depends on a pending FEMA application, with disaster recovery money held in reserve
  3. ConstructionPartly confirmedFusegate work began in June 2026; the permanent pretreatment is still in design
  4. FinishedNot verifiedThe fusegate repair reached substantial completion in September 2026; the permanent pretreatment is still in design

The cost over time

Why it matters: Big projects often get new cost estimates as plans firm up. Each one is shown with the date it was published.

  • Nov 18, 2025 FEMA grant request for the permanent fix, as amended$234 million
  • Jun 23, 2026 State's FEMA application for the permanent fix, as reported to Council$260 million

Timeline

  1. Sep 2024

    Helene floodwaters washed out both North Fork transmission mains, so no water could be sent out from North Fork for 14 days until they were repaired.

  2. Dec 10, 2024

    Consent agenda ratified the emergency CDM Smith contract for North Fork Helene response ($250,000). Vote: unanimous.

  3. Jan 14, 2025

    Consent agenda ratified the $40,000 emergency contract with Buchanan Pump Service and Supply to repair a 500 hp raw water pump. Vote: unanimous.

  4. Jul 29, 2025

    Consent agenda authorized the CDM Smith temporary pretreatment (turbidity reduction) contract and a budget amendment of up to $36,905,584. Vote: unanimous.

  5. Aug 26, 2025

    Consent agenda authorized the Ardurra Group design contract for North Fork Transmission Main No. 3. Vote: unanimous.

  6. Oct 6, 2025

    Debris removal in the North Fork watershed began.

  7. Oct 28, 2025

    Consent agenda authorized an NC DEQ State Revolving Fund application for water resilience (up to $10M for drinking water). Vote: unanimous.

  8. Nov 18, 2025

    Consent agenda amended the HMGP application so the North Fork alternate route also includes pretreatment, for $233,830,105.00. Vote: unanimous.

  9. Nov 30, 2025

    Temporary pretreatment systems stopped operating when FEMA funding ended. Demobilization ran from Dec. 1 to early 2026.

  10. Jan 27, 2026

    Consent agenda authorized a federal WRDA request expected to total $87M, with a 25% match. Vote: unanimous.

  11. Mar 10, 2026

    Consent agenda adopted a $10M budget amendment from NC DEQ for North Fork water resilience. Vote: unanimous.

  12. Apr 28, 2026

    Consent agenda awarded Morgan Corporation the North Fork Dam Helene repairs contract ($994,849 with contingency) and amended the Ardurra TM3 contract. Vote: unanimous.

  13. Spring 2026

    North Fork watershed debris removal concluded.

  14. Apr 2026

    State submitted a $260M HMGP application to FEMA for permanent pretreatment and an alternate transmission line. Its first phase is estimated at $10M.

  15. Jun 2026

    Morgan Corporation started building the new fusegate.

  16. Sep 2026

    Fusegate work reached substantial completion, and the auxiliary spillway is fully functional again.

  17. Spring 2027, planned

    Permanent pretreatment design expected to reach 60% so it can be submitted for FEMA HMGP review.

Contracts

  • CDM Smith Inc.

    Emergency professional services, North Fork Helene response (ratified)

    Amount
    $250,000
    Date
    Dec 10, 2024
    The Council decision →

  • Buchanan Pump Service and Supply

    Emergency repair of 500 hp raw water pump (ratified)

    Amount
    $40,000
    Date
    Jan 14, 2025
    The Council decision →

  • CDM Smith Inc.

    Temporary pretreatment system, year one (not to exceed)

    Amount
    $36.9 million
    Date
    Jul 29, 2025

  • Ardurra Group, Inc.

    Engineering design, North Fork Transmission Main No. 3 (initially funded with $268,000; amended Apr. 28, 2026, amount not stated in minutes)

    Amount
    $268,000
    Date
    Aug 26, 2025

  • Morgan Corporation

    North Fork Dam Helene repairs: replace P4 fusegate and repair spillways ($865,086 plus $129,763 contingency)

    Amount
    $994,849
    Date
    Apr 28, 2026

Money, by stage

Why it matters: Money is listed at its own step, such as set aside, committed or spent. The steps are never added together.

  • Contract (base bid $865,086 plus 15% contingency): $994,849 (Apr 28, 2026)
  • Obligated: FEMA (anticipated reimbursement), emergency CDM Smith contract: $250,000 (Dec 10, 2024)
  • Spent: FEMA Public Assistance, operating cost of temporary pretreatment systems (North Fork and DeBruhl): about $6 million per month (Oct 7, 2025)
  • Obligated: City Water fund budget amendment for CDM Smith temporary pretreatment contract (year one): $36,905,584 (Jul 29, 2025)
  • Obligated: City Water Resources CIP, initial Ardurra design funding for Transmission Main No. 3: $268,000 (Aug 26, 2025)
  • Allocated: FEMA, fusegate rebuild: Over $5 million (Mar 2, 2026)
  • Allocated: State of North Carolina, fusegate rebuild: $500,000 (Mar 2, 2026)
  • Obligated: NC DEQ State Revolving Fund loan (pretreatment and alternate transmission line): $10,000,000 (Mar 10, 2026)
  • Obligated: City budget amendment, Morgan Corporation North Fork Dam Helene repairs contract: $994,849 (Apr 28, 2026)
  • Allocated: HUD CDBG-DR Infrastructure Program, North Fork pretreatment (reserved): $79,777,440 (Aug 25, 2026)

Decisions about it

Not verified yet

  • Construction start and completion: not verified yet.
  • No total cost for the permanent pretreatment system has been published.
  • Whether FEMA approves the hazard mitigation application is not in the record yet.