Gillham Lake Dam dam
Gillham Lake Dam
Gillham Lake Dam in Arkansas is a privately owned structure that serves multiple purposes, including flood risk reduction, recreation, and water supply. Completed in 1900, this earth dam stands at a height of 39 feet and has a storage capacity of 124 acre-feet. Situated on Bellah Creek Tributary, the dam covers a surface area of 12.8 acres and has a drainage area of 0.6 square miles.
Managed by the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission, Gillham Lake Dam has a low hazard potential and is currently rated as "Not Rated" for condition assessment. Despite its age, the dam has not undergone any modifications in recent years, and its emergency action plan status is unknown. The dam is equipped with spillway structures to handle a maximum discharge of 1915 cubic feet per second, ensuring the safety of surrounding communities in the event of heavy rainfall or flooding.
Water resource and climate enthusiasts will appreciate the historical significance and environmental impact of Gillham Lake Dam. Its location in Sevier County, Arkansas, offers recreational opportunities for visitors while also providing essential flood protection and water storage for the region. As a crucial infrastructure asset in the area, the dam's maintenance and risk management measures are essential to ensure its continued functionality and safety for years to come.
Dam data reference
Condition Assessment
- Satisfactory
- No existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. Acceptable performance is expected under all loading conditions (static, hydrologic, seismic) in accordance with the minimum applicable state or federal regulatory criteria or tolerable risk guidelines.
- Fair
- No existing dam safety deficiencies are recognized for normal operating conditions. Rare or extreme hydrologic and/or seismic events may result in a dam safety deficiency. Risk may be in the range to take further action.
- Poor
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized for normal operating conditions which may realistically occur. Remedial action is necessary. POOR may also be used when uncertainties exist as to critical analysis parameters which identify a potential dam safety deficiency.
- Unsatisfactory
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized that requires immediate or emergency remedial action for problem resolution.
- Not Rated
- The dam has not been inspected, is not under state or federal jurisdiction, or has been inspected but, for whatever reason, has not been rated.
Hazard Potential Classification
- High
- Dams assigned the high hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation will probably cause loss of human life.
- Significant
- Dams assigned the significant hazard potential classification are those dams where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life but can cause economic loss, environmental damage, disruption of lifeline facilities, or impact other concerns. Significant hazard potential classification dams are often located in predominantly rural or agricultural areas but could be in areas with population and significant infrastructure.
- Low
- Dams assigned the low hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life and low economic and/or environmental losses. Losses are principally limited to the owner's property.
- Undetermined
- Dams for which a downstream hazard potential has not been designated or is not provided.
Plan around the weather
Same NOAA / yr.no feed Snoflo's iOS app uses. Watch the precipitation column on the meteogram -- rain on the basin upstream typically lifts inflow 24-72 hours later.
Next 5 days, hour by hour
Temperature line with weather symbols on top, snow + rain accumulation as columns, humidity as a dotted line.
5-day forecast table
Every 3 hours, broken out across temperature, snow, rain, humidity, and wind. Each cell is colour-coded relative to the column min/max.
| Time | Condition | Temp (°F) | Snow (in) | Rain (in) | Humidity (%) | Wind (mps) | Wind dir |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading detailed forecast… | |||||||
15-day temperature & precipitation
Daily temperatures, snow, and rain projected over the next two weeks.
Nearby streamflow gauges
USGS streamgauges around Gillham Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Cossatot River Near Vandervoort | 19 cfs | → |
| Little River Near Horatio | 1,020 cfs | → |
| Mountain Fork Near Eagletown | 1,160 cfs | → |
| Saline River Near Lockesburg | 21 cfs | → |
| Little Missouri River Near Langley | 21 cfs | → |
| Mountain Fork At Smithville | 98 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Gillham Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Gillham Lake Road Howard County
- Polk Road 474 Polk County
- Polk Road 3 Polk County
- Jefferson Ridge Road Sevier County
- Sevier County
Campgrounds
- Big Coon Creek - Gillham Lake
- Cossatot Reefs - Gillham Lake
- Little Coon Creek - Gillham Lake
- Sand Bar Bridge - Cossatot River State Park
- Cossatot Falls - Cossatot River State Park
- Jefferson Ridge - Dierks Lake
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- State Highway 4 To Broken Bow Lake
- Sec 30, T3s, R27w To Sec 19, T4s, R24w
- Headwaters In Sec 8, T1s, R31w To Nf Boundary At Acorn, Ar
- Confluence Of East And West Forks, Sec 7, T3s, R23e To Nf Boundary Sec 32, T4s, R23e
- Nf Boundary At Pine Ridge, Ar To Highway 298 Bridge Near Sims, Ar
- Highway 298 Bridge Near Sims, Ar To Slackwater Of Lake Ouachita
Track Gillham Lake Dam in the Snoflo app
Save this dam as a favorite and get the local NOAA / yr.no forecast plus regional flow context wherever you are.
About Gillham Lake Dam
Where does the data for Gillham Lake Dam come from?
Structural and regulatory data come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' National Inventory of Dams (NID). Weather forecast comes from NOAA / yr.no -- the same feed Snoflo's iOS app uses.
How often is the report updated?
NID structural data refreshes annually as the Corps publishes updated assessments. The weather forecast refreshes throughout the day.
What does the Low hazard rating mean?
The Corps of Engineers' hazard potential classification grades probable consequences if the dam fails: High = probable loss of human life; Significant = no probable loss of human life but possible economic loss / environmental damage; Low = no probable loss of human life, only minor economic / environmental losses. See the Dam Data Reference card above for the full definitions.
What's "% of normal"?
The current storage value compared to the historical average storage on this calendar day. 100% = right on average; values above 100% mean above-normal storage (wet year); values below mean below-normal (dry year or drought).
Can I get alerts when storage crosses a threshold?
Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app. Favorite this dam, set a threshold, and you'll get a push the moment conditions cross.
Other water bodies near here
Snoflo-tracked reservoirs and dams within driving distance of Gillham Lake Dam.