Bethesda Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Polk County, Arkansas, built in 1922. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 33 ft33 ft tall and 250 ft long, taller than 76% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Bethesda Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Bethesda Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by John Watkins (private). It impounds the Dallas Creek near Dallas.
The dam stands 33 feet tall and stretches 250 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 5 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 54 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1922, the structure is over a century 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.
At 33 feet, this dam is taller than 76% 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 | Polk |
| Nearest City | Dallas |
| River/Stream | Dallas Creek |
| Coordinates | 34.53220, -94.23805 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 33 ft |
| Dam Height | 33 ft |
| Dam Length | 250 ft |
| Year Completed | 1922 (104 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 54 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 54 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 41 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 5 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 387 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | John Watkins |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | AR01181 |
| Federal ID | AR01181 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |