Dam in critical condition after days of rain threatens more than a dozen homes [Video]

MATTHEWS, N.C. (WBTV) – Emergency crews are working around the clock to monitor a failing dam at the end of Chipwood Lane in Matthews. The dam, which is holding back a retention pond, has been overstressed by days of heavy rainfall.

Matthews Fire Battalion Chief Peter Blaich explained that the dam is a soil compact dam, meaning it’s susceptible to erosion from the force of water flowing over it.

“It’s not that the dam can’t hold the water,” he said. Rather, he explained, that when the water starts to flow over the dam by itself, a stream of fast-moving water can occur which will start to erode the dam.

According to Chief Blaick, if that happens, “the whole dam would break. And then you have a football size area of water here that would dump straight down.”

If the dam were to fail, sixteen homes would be in the direct …