Lake Austell
Lake Austell is an earth dam located in Cross County, Arkansas, built in 1975. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Lake Austell
The primary purpose of Lake Austell is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Arkansas Department Of Parks & Tourism (state). It impounds the Willow Creek near Madison.
The dam stands 45 feet tall and stretches 960 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 66 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,083 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 1975, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
This dam has a low hazard potential classification, meaning that failure would cause minimal damage, limited primarily to the dam owner's property, with no expected loss of life. Its condition is rated fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. The most recent inspection on record was 03/21/2025.
At 45 feet, this dam is taller than 91% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | Arkansas |
| County | Cross |
| Nearest City | Madison |
| River/Stream | Willow Creek |
| Coordinates | 35.15333, -90.71833 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 45 ft |
| Dam Height | 45 ft |
| Dam Length | 960 ft |
| Year Completed | 1975 (51 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,390 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,083 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 1,390 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 66 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 2,645 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Arkansas Department of Parks & Tourism |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 03/21/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | AR01285 |
| Federal ID | AR01285 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |