Repairs to the Arkabutla Dam projected to take a decade or more, water level to remain low

As short-term repairs for the Arkabutla Dam draw to a close, the water level at Arkabutla Lake will remain low for the foreseeable future.

In a statement released Sept. 3, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Vicksburg District announced that a long-term solution for repairing the dam is expected to take 9-12 years.

The repairs are being made in response to an emergency declaration issued in March 2023. A depression was discovered near the toe of the dam, or the lowest portion of the dam facing downstream, away from the reservoir.

Officials are keeping the water at a low of 204 feet as a safety measure meant to ensure that people living downstream and around the lake are protected from flooding.

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"Safety is our main concern," said Erin Hern, deputy chief of the Vicksburg District Public Affairs Office. "We want to make sure we're doing the best thing to reduce the risk."

The dam's ongoing interim risk reduction measures are expected to be completed this September. These include adding piezometers to monitor groundwater pressure in real time and installing relief wells to relieve water pressure and allow excess water to be diverted safely. Despite these measures nearing completion, officials say the pool level will remain at the 204-foot low, far below the usual 210-220 feet.

Continuing low water levels have disrupted normal summer activities at the lake. All but one of the boat ramps at Arkabutla Lake remain closed, preventing many from fishing and sailing, but many of the activities around the lake remain open, such as camping, archery and youth hunting.

A dam safety modification study is underway at the site, and it will identify multiple long-term risk reduction solutions. A plan is expected to be selected in April, though that date could always be pushed back to late 2025 if a plan is not agreed upon, and more research is needed, Hern said.

"That committee looks at whatever is going to be the best solution long-term for a permanent fix, so whichever plan comes out of that study... then we have to get money for that," Hern said. She explained that a large part of the 9- to 12-year dam repair project's timeline will be devoted to securing funding approval and allocation.

"It's a waiting game on funding," Hern said. "We don't want to discourage people from coming. We just need them to know that this is a marathon, not a sprint."

Jacob Wilt is a reporter for The Commercial Appeal. You can reach him at jacob.wilt@commercialappeal.com .

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Repairs to the Arkabutla Dam projected to take a decade or more, water level to remain low