Cooper Creek Wid Site 4
Cooper Creek Wid Site 4 is an earth dam located in Lawrence County, Arkansas, built in 1969. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Cooper Creek Wid Site 4
The primary purpose of Cooper Creek Wid Site 4 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 Cooper Creek Watershed Improvement District (local government). It impounds the Machine Creek near Smithville.
The dam stands 50 feet tall and stretches 3,485 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 18 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 2,922 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 4 square miles. Completed in 1969, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 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 fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 06/08/2016. That was 9 years ago, which is on the longer end for a high-hazard structure.
At 50 feet, this dam is taller than 93% 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 | Lawrence |
| Nearest City | Smithville |
| River/Stream | Machine Creek |
| Coordinates | 36.08447, -91.29672 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 50 ft |
| Dam Height | 50 ft |
| Dam Length | 3,485 ft |
| Year Completed | 1969 (57 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 2,922 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 2,922 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 91 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 18 acres |
| Drainage Area | 4 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 5,088 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | Cooper Creek Watershed Improvement District |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 06/08/2016 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | AR00373 |
| Federal ID | AR00373 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |