Lake Poinsett Dam
Lake Poinsett Dam is an earth dam located in Poinsett County, Arkansas, built in 1967. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Lake Poinsett Dam
The primary purpose of Lake Poinsett Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Arkansas Game And Fish Commission (state). It impounds the Distress Creek near Madison.
The dam stands 48 feet tall and stretches 2,725 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 540 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 29,500 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 4 square miles. Completed in 1967, 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. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam. The most recent inspection on record was 08/25/2025.
At 48 feet, this dam is taller than 92% 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 | Poinsett |
| Nearest City | Madison |
| River/Stream | Distress Creek |
| Coordinates | 35.52333, -90.67556 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 48 ft |
| Dam Height | 48 ft |
| Dam Length | 2,725 ft |
| Year Completed | 1967 (59 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 29,500 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 29,500 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 16,296 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 540 acres |
| Drainage Area | 4 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 5,814 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Arkansas Game and Fish Commission |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 08/25/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | AR00477 |
| Federal ID | AR00477 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |