Arkabutla, Miss. – Recent storms have brought significant rainfall to the Arkabutla Lake area, pushing lake levels above 210 feet and prompting expectations that they will exceed 220 feet within the next two weeks and is dependent on where and when the rain falls. Pool levels at Arkabutla Dam, located in DeSoto and Tate Counties in Northwest Mississippi, can fluctuate quickly especially during the rainy season.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Vicksburg District (USACE-Vicksburg District) declared a potential breach emergency status at Arkabutla Lake in May of 2023, when a depression was discovered near the toe of the dam. The Corps has been maintaining the lake at approximately 204 feet to reduce pressure on the dam and to complete repairs. The Corps will continue to draw down the increased pool levels with releases up to 4,500 cfs until the level reaches the 204 feet target level.
Coldwater River levels below the dam in and around Marks, MS in Quitman County are expected to reach flood stages early next week. The area saw similar conditions on January 10, 2025, when levels crested at 39.6 ft. in Marks. The Corps is coordinating with the National Weather Service and the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency to maximize public awareness in affected areas.
Safety remains a top priority, and the USACE-Vicksburg District has increased to 24-hour surveillance at the dam over the next month. Additional remote monitoring devices are in place and added personnel are on the ground to assess the situation for any changes in the dam.
The physical condition of the dam remains unchanged, and a dam breach is NOT imminent.
With spring flood season underway and the National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center’s seasonal outlook predicting higher-than-average rainfall, the lake and downstream communities are likely to experience more frequent and broader changes in pool and river levels during this time.
Please visit this site to get regularly updated reservoir pool levels:
https://www.mvk-wc.usace.army.mil/resrep.htm
River levels, including the Coldwater River at Marks, MS can be monitored here:
https://water.noaa.gov.
Highway 51 Landing provides boating access into the Coldwater River above Arkabutla Dam and will remain the only open boat ramp at Arkabutla Lake. Camping and other recreational use of Arkabutla Lake area remain open, except for day use and fee use areas directly downstream of the dam.
The USACE Vicksburg District is engineering solutions to the nation’s toughest challenges. The Vicksburg District encompasses a 68,000-square-mile area across portions of Mississippi, Arkansas and Louisiana that holds nine major river basins and incorporates approximately 460 miles of mainline Mississippi River levees. The Vicksburg District is engaged in hundreds of projects and employs approximately 1,100 personnel.