Lake Fayetteville
Lake Fayetteville is an earth dam located in Washington County, Arkansas, built in 1949. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Lake Fayetteville
The primary purpose of Lake Fayetteville is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by City Of Fayetteville (local government). It impounds the Clear Creek near Johnson.
The dam stands 49 feet tall and stretches 1,733 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 230 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 6,566 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 9 square miles. Completed in 1949, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
This dam carries a high hazard potential classification, which means that a failure or uncontrolled release of water would likely cause loss of human life. This classification reflects the consequences of failure, not the likelihood — it indicates that people live or work in the area downstream. Its condition is rated satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 05/16/2025.
At 49 feet, this dam is taller than 92% of dams nationwide.
Living Downstream
If you live or work downstream of this dam, consider taking these steps: learn your local evacuation routes, check whether your county emergency management office has a dam failure inundation map, and sign up for local emergency alerts. The Arkansas dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | Arkansas |
| County | Washington |
| Nearest City | Johnson |
| River/Stream | Clear Creek |
| Coordinates | 36.13667, -94.13833 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 49 ft |
| Dam Height | 49 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,733 ft |
| Year Completed | 1949 (77 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 6,566 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 6,566 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 3,535 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 230 acres |
| Drainage Area | 9 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 20,627 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | City of Fayetteville |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 05/16/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | AR00289 |
| Federal ID | AR00289 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |