Merrimon sinkhole debris causes concerns for Beaver Lake, bird sanctuary

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — A giant sinkhole on Merrimon Avenue in Asheville has reopened for the third time, and aside from it being an eyesore and obvious hazard, there's more to be concerned about.

All of the mud and debris from the sinkhole traveled downstream, impacting the Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary.

Areas that were formerly water are now mud and sand. An ecofilter wetland at the sanctuary, funded by the North Carolina Clean Water Management Trust Fund, collects runoff from the Merrimon Avenue area, including all the businesses there.

When it rains, the filter helps prevents runoff pollutants from going into Beaver Lake. Now, because of debris from the sinkhole, the wetland can't do its job.

"With each rain it just again takes all that material and brings it right back down here, and enough has come in now that it’s completely filled up the pond, and it’s overflowing into the creek that takes it down into Beaver Lake," said Tom Tribble of the Elisha Mitchell Audubon Society, the organization that manages the sanctuary.

Below is a July 1, 2019 notice of violation from the NC Department of Environmental Quality to the property owner, New Day Properties LLC:

"I’m sure it’ll be repaired at some point and it’ll continue to function as it should, but right now, it’s not functioning the way it’s supposed to to protect the water quality of Beaver Lake," added Tribble.