Nicholas Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Clay County, Arkansas, built in 1976. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 30 ft30 ft tall and 470 ft long, taller than 68% 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 Nicholas Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Nicholas Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Nick Yount (private). It impounds the Sales Creek-tr near Pollard.
The dam stands 30 feet tall and stretches 470 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 18 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 116 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1976, the structure is 50 years old.
This dam has a low hazard potential classification, meaning that failure would cause minimal damage, limited primarily to the dam owner's property, with no expected loss of life. Its condition is rated fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. The most recent inspection on record was 06/28/2025.
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Location
| State | Arkansas |
| County | Clay |
| Nearest City | Pollard |
| River/Stream | Sales Creek-tr |
| Coordinates | 36.42333, -90.29389 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 30 ft |
| Dam Height | 30 ft |
| Dam Length | 470 ft |
| Year Completed | 1976 (50 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 116 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 116 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 64 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 18 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 4,743 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Nick Yount |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 06/28/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | AR01274 |
| Federal ID | AR01274 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |