Arthur V. Ormond Lock and Dam

Arthur V. Ormond Lock and Dam is a concrete dam located in Conway County, Arkansas, built in 1969. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification.

Hazard potentialSignificantFailure could cause major damage
ConditionNot assessed
Emergency action planOn file
Last inspection03/04/2024
Height57 ft
Built196957 years ago

Dam profile

NID height · 57 ft
57 FT TEN-STORY BUILDINGMEDIAN U.S. DAM · 24 FT

57 ft tall and 1,850 ft long, taller than 94% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a ten-story building, about 100 ft; the profile is a generic concrete gravity section and the water level is illustrative.

About Arthur V. Ormond Lock and Dam

The primary purpose of Arthur V. Ormond Lock and Dam is navigation. The dam maintains water levels sufficient for boat and barge traffic, supporting commercial or recreational navigation on the waterway. The dam is owned by USACE - Little Rock District (federal). It impounds the Arkansas near Morrilton.

The dam stands 57 feet tall and stretches 1,850 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 5,660 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 70,400 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 154,949 square miles. Completed in 1969, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.

This dam has a significant hazard potential classification, meaning that a failure could cause significant economic damage — flooding roads, bridges, or property downstream — but is not expected to result in loss of life. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 03/04/2024.

At 57 feet, this dam is taller than 94% of dams nationwide.

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Location

StateArkansas
CountyConway
Nearest CityMorrilton
River/StreamArkansas
Coordinates35.12539, -92.78743

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeConcrete
NID Height57 ft
Dam Height28 ft
Dam Length1,850 ft
Year Completed1969 (57 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage70,400 acre-ft
Max Storage70,400 acre-ft
Normal Storage48,800 acre-ft
Surface Area5,660 acres
Drainage Area154,949 sq mi
Max Discharge518,000 cfs
Spillway TypeControlled

Ownership & Safety

PurposeNavigation
OwnerUSACE - Little Rock District
Owner TypeFederal
Hazard ClassificationSignificant
Condition AssessmentNot assessed
Last Inspection03/04/2024
Emergency Action PlanYes

Identifiers

NID IDAR00165
Federal IDAR00165
More InfoState Dam Safety Program