MOUNTAIN HOME, Ark. – The Army Corps of Engineers, Little Rock District will begin spillway releases from Bull Shoals Dam Saturday, to evacuate stored flood water.
Beginning Saturday, the Corps will open four of the dam’s 17 gates one-foot each releasing 3,500 cubic feet per second as well as releases from the eight power generation turbines for a total release of 27,000 c.f.s.
On Jan. 17, four more gates will be opened one-foot to increase the spillway releases to 7,000 c.f.s. The spillway and turbine release will equal 30,000 c.f.s. and continue for a prolonged period of time unless significant rainfall occurs downstream of the dam. A 30,000 c.f.s. release is equivalent to 10 hydropower turbines at full power.
The Corps anticipates 4,000 c.f.s. spillway release from Norfork Lake to begin about Jan. 20. The spillway release in combination with the 6,000 c.f.s power turbine release will equal 10,000 c.f.s, or the equivalent of three hydropower turbines at full power.
While the Corps has made similar releases in the past, property owners downstream of Bull Shoals and Norfork lakes should made necessary preparations now for the higher release planned for next week by ensuring that docks are properly anchored and maintained and remove any temporary encroachments from the floodplain.
Daily lake information can be obtained at www.swl-wc.usace.army.mil or the Corps’ mobile App which can be found in mobile App stores by searching for USACE Little Rock.
Little Rock District news and recreation information can be found at www.about.me/usacelittlerock.
