Wilbur D. Mills Lock and Dam is a concrete dam located in Arkansas County, Arkansas, built in 1967. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 68 ft68 ft tall and 10,000 ft long, taller than 96% 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 Wilbur D. Mills Lock and Dam
The primary purpose of Wilbur D. Mills 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 Akansas City.
The dam stands 68 feet tall and stretches 10,000 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 10,600 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 133,200 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 160,475 square miles. Completed in 1967, 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 12/02/2020.
At 68 feet, this dam is taller than 96% of all dams in the United States.
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Location
| State | Arkansas |
| County | Arkansas |
| Nearest City | Akansas City |
| River/Stream | Arkansas |
| Coordinates | 33.98865, -91.31373 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Concrete |
| NID Height | 68 ft |
| Dam Height | 31 ft |
| Dam Length | 10,000 ft |
| Year Completed | 1967 (59 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 133,200 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 133,200 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 110,080 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 10,600 acres |
| Drainage Area | 160,475 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 371,200 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Controlled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Navigation |
| Owner | USACE - Little Rock District |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 12/02/2020 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | AR00169 |
| Federal ID | AR00169 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |