Brinkley Lake Dam

About Brinkley Lake Dam

The primary purpose of Brinkley Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Woodrun Lake, Llc (private). It impounds the Mill Creek near Iuka (not Downstream).

The dam stands 33 feet tall and stretches 650 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 12 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 167 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1971, 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 unsatisfactory, indicating serious safety deficiencies exist that require immediate attention or remedial action. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 05/10/2023.

At 33 feet, this dam is taller than 78% 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 Mississippi dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.

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