Vicksburg, Miss. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Vicksburg District continues to prioritize safety and risk reduction at Arkabutla Dam, located in northwest Mississippi, in response to significant concerns discovered in March 2023 when a depression was found near the toe of the dam.
As part of ongoing efforts to mitigate risk, Phase I Interim Risk-Reduction Measures (IRRMs) have been implemented and installed at Arkabutla Dam including lowering the pool (target of 204’) until long-term repairs are complete, installing additional piezometers (groundwater monitoring devices) and relief wells, and automating the monitoring system.
A second phase of IRRM’s, which includes the immediate installation of foundation grouting to further mitigate risk, is in process. Phase I and II interim measures are designed to enhance the safety of the dam while long-term corrective actions are being developed and vetted.
A Dam Safety Modification Study (DSMS) to determine the best implementable long-term solution is ongoing and expected to be complete in the summer of 2025. A Tentatively Selected Plan (TSP) has been identified and is pending final approval. The identified TSP includes replacing the current deteriorated outlet works and constructing a new outlet works north of the existing one.
The long-term solution will be substantial and require lengthy design and construction periods, possibly up to 10 years. The reservoir pool is expected to stay at the target level of 204' until the project is completed, after which the pool levels will return to normal.
As part of this process, an Environmental Assessment (EA) has been completed in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969. The EA will be available for public review and comment for a period of 30 days starting March 1, 2025 through March 30, 2025. Within the EA, you can find a description of risk management plans along with the potential associated impacts.
USACE looks forward to continuing to hear from communities, the public, and interested parties during the public comment period. The EA is posted at https://www.mvk.usace.army.mil/Missions/Emergency-Operations/Arkabutla-Emergency-Repairs/.
Comments, ideas, and questions related to the EA can be emailed to Taylor Piefke at taylor.piefke@usace.army.mil or sent via U.S. Postal Service to:
USACE Vicksburg District
ATTN: Taylor Piefke, Regional Planning and Environment Division South (RPEDS)
4155 Clay Street
Vicksburg, MS 39183
Safety remains a top priority to the USACE Vicksburg District. Lake Staff and additional personnel are vigilantly monitoring the situation at Arkabutla Dam for any changes. 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.