On July 4th, 2017, a boating incident occurred at Lake Sequoia after the fireworks took place.
Responders to the incident included Seven Lakes Fire & Rescue, Moore County EMS, the sheriff’s department, Scott Brooks of Moore County Emergency Services , Tim LeBonty of the Department of Environmental Quality, and Officer Zack Lemonds of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission in the Law Enforcement Division.
The call was made just before 10:00PM.
“They had hit the spillway on the dam of Lake Sequoia with the pontoon boat,” Lemonds said. “The operator of the vessel was under the influence… of alcohol, and that individual has been charged at this time with boating while impaired.”
Don Fentzlaff of the Lake and Dams Committee stayed at the dam until 3:00AM on July 5th ensuring that there was no serious damage to the structure. He determined that the lake was three inches above the “full” level.
“I got a call from Mark Widman [who said] somebody hit the spillway,” Fentzlaff said. “A team of divers [inspected it] and didn’t find structural damage to the spillway.”
The Seven Lakes North & South Landowners Association sent out an email the morning of July 5th in regard to the incident. The email stated that the boat driver “violated the rules and regulations of the association regarding the use of the lakes.”
Two individuals received minor injuries, and one of the above-water corner pieces of the spillway was destroyed during the incident.
Investigations are still underway to review the condition of the dam and spillway as well as the actions leading up to the event.
