This morning, the Alamance County Emergency Management Office and the AO Fire Department were alerted to water leaking from the base of the Ossipee Dam in Altamahaw. Since then, the NC Department of Transportation, the Department of Environmental Quality Dam Safety Division, and the State Emergency Management Office have been in contact with representatives from the local County Emergency Management Office as well as Glen Raven Mills, owner of the dam. At this time, the dam is categorized as a regulated jurisdictional low hazard dam indicating that if failure occurs, there should be minimal negative impact to property.
Glen Raven Mills along with the AO Fire Department and the Alamance County Emergency Management Office will be working together to regularly monitor the situation and will report any change in status to the Department of Environmental Quality Dam Safety Division.
Due to these conditions, the Altamahaw Paddle Access, Shallow Ford Natural Area Paddle Access, Great Bend Park Paddle Access, and the Glencoe Paddle Access will be closed until further notice.