Big Creek Wid Site 16
Big Creek Wid Site 16 is an earth dam located in Craighead County, Arkansas, built in 1965. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Big Creek Wid Site 16
The primary purpose of Big Creek Wid Site 16 is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Big Creek Watershed Improvement District (local government). It impounds the Mud Creek-tr near Sterling Springs.
The dam stands 25 feet tall and stretches 1,300 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 44 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,780 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 2 square miles. Completed in 1965, 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 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 07/26/2016. That was 9 years ago, which is on the longer end for a high-hazard structure.
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 | Craighead |
| Nearest City | Sterling Springs |
| River/Stream | Mud Creek-tr |
| Coordinates | 35.96111, -90.64722 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 25 ft |
| Dam Height | 25 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,300 ft |
| Year Completed | 1965 (61 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,780 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,780 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 175 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 44 acres |
| Drainage Area | 2 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 792 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Big Creek Watershed Improvement District |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 07/26/2016 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | AR00461 |
| Federal ID | AR00461 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |