MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has issued a watch for a potential dam breach in DeSoto and Tate Counties in Mississippi.
The USACE said a dam breach at Arkabutla Dam is not imminent, but the recent rains and snow and ice melt have been increasing reservoir levels.
The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood watch for the area due to the possibility of a dam breach.
The engineers said this possible breach is connected to ‘obvious signs of distress’ found in May 2023. Emergency crews are conducting risk reduction measures, and the USACE said emergency repairs are expected to be completed this summer.
They said there will be operation releases to lower the lake, but those are not expected to cause downstream flooding.
The USACE said current conditions at Arkabutla Dam are:
- Reservoir Pool Elevation
- 213.6 feet elevation
- Spillway Crest Elevation
- 238 feet elevation
- Spillway Status
- Not Activated
- Pool Restriction
- 204 feet elevation
- Current releases
- 2,000 cubic feet per second (cfs)
Anyone with questions is asked to their county emergency management agency.