Flat Rock Creek Site 1

About Flat Rock Creek Site 1

The primary purpose of Flat Rock Creek Site 1 is flood risk reduction. The dam is designed to control downstream flooding by temporarily storing excess water during storms and releasing it at a controlled rate. The dam is owned by City Of Van Buren (local government). It impounds the Town Branch near Van Buren.

The dam stands 57 feet tall and stretches 647 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 11 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 509 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1982, the structure is 44 years old.

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 09/29/2015. That was 10 years ago — unusually long for a high-hazard dam, which typically requires more frequent inspections.

At 57 feet, this dam is taller than 95% of all dams in the United States.

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.

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