From Staff Reports 

ASHEVILLE, N.C.  —The City of Asheville will begin storm debris removal operations in the waterways and roads of the North Fork Reservoir — located in Black Mountain — “beginning within the next few weeks,” the city announced in a Sept. 29 press release.

“It is important to note that this work is not being done because the dam is unsafe,” the release stated.

Instead, the project is designed to do the following:

• Protect the City’s drinking water system by maintaining water flow and flood prevention.

• Reduce the risk of wildfire damage in sensitive watershed areas.

• Safely and responsibly dispose of storm debris.

As for “what the community can expect” during the project, the release listed the following:

• Contractors will work 7 days a week, during daylight hours

• Increased truck traffic on the roads leading to/from the North Fork Reservoir.

 • Operations monitored for safety and environmental protection.

 As for storm debris processing, the city’s release noted that debris collected at North Fork Reservoir “will be chipped on-site and hauled to a final disposal facility. Only storm-related vegetative debris from the reservoirs will be processed — no trash, construction materials, or hazardous waste.”