Vicksburg, Miss – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Vicksburg District is beginning Phase II of interim risk reduction measures at Arkabutla Dam. This work will further stabilize the dam and reduce risks for downstream communities.
Work in Phase II is scheduled to begin in early January 2026 and includes grouting the conduit (tunnel through the dam) foundation to fill voids and prevent further loss of material through th dam. To safely access the area, crews must close the dam’s gates which will temporarily stop releases.
Lake pool levels are currently being lowered to 200 ft. to create additional storage capacity because once the gates are closed, the lake will rise due to normal streamflow into the lake. If the lake reaches critical levels during the gate closure, work will be paused, and releases will be made up to 4500 cfs to lower the lake before work can resume.
The target pool level of 204 ft. will remain in place after interim repairs are complete.
For current lake levels visit the *NEW* Vicksburg District Water Management Website Reservoir Page: https://water.usace.army.mil/office/mvk/reports/reservoirs and click on the lake name to view reservoir levels.
Highway 51 Landing provides boating access into the Coldwater River upstream from 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 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.
Safety remains a top priority to the USACE Vicksburg District, and lake staff are vigilantly monitoring the situation at Arkabutla Dam for any changes. Updates on Arkabutla Dam can be found at: https://www.mvk.usace.army.mil/Missions/Programs-and-Project-Management/Project-Management/Projects/Arkabutla-Project-Page/.
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.
USACE Celebrates 250 Years - For 250 years, the Corps of Engineers has been working to safely deliver quality projects on schedule and within budget. As we move forward, USACE continues to look to the future as we address today’s challenges.