It's high water like they've neverseen this far downstream. Many people are pointing an angryfinger upstream. Pointing at Falls Dam.
The U.S. Army Corps of engineers isreleasing a record amount of water, andthere's a big reason why.
Behind the dam, Falls Lake hasreached its highest level ever.The army has its orders: protect the dam, even if it meansflooding the low-lying neighborhoodsalong the river.
Our goal is to drop this lake asquickly and as safely as we can, takinginto consideration the data that we'vegot to deal with," said Tom Freeman of the Army Corps of Engineers."We've also got togauge the rainfall that's comingin. It's going to be a difficult thingfor many of the citizens of NorthCarolina to make it through for anumber of weeks to come."
Talk about difficult to make itthrough. Try wading a mile in their shoes inthe River Bend Plantation. That neighborhood is just a few milesdownstreamfrom the dam. Roads leading to many homes are nowpart of the river.
Many understand the choices.
"If the dam broke, there'd probably be a lot more damage out here," said flooding victim Ronald Norton. "Myhouse might actually get flooded out. I guess I'd much rather for them to do what they're doing now instead of having one big catastrophe around here."
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