Posted on May 19, 2025
Vicksburg, Miss. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Vicksburg District was scheduled to begin work on the trash rack repairs at Narrows Dam at Lake Greeson in Arkansas in mid-April but due to seasonal rainfall and unexpected changes to the design and scope, some repairs were delayed.
Work is now progressing and includes assembly of floating work platforms, diving operations to remove the old structure, and partial fabrication of the new support structure. Once the existing structure is removed, construction of the new support structure will begin. This construction phase is estimated to be complete in four to six months.
These repairs will not impact the ability to carry out flood risk management or other missions of the Narrows Dam/Lake Greeson Project. Water releases are regularly executed through the flood control structure to maintain adequate flood risk management.
A significant drawdown of Lake Greeson is not anticipated to perform the repairs. The current lake level is approximately 538’ and is expected to be the lowest level necessary to complete the repairs. Unforeseen conditions during the repairs, including temperature, rainfall, and minimum release requirements, could cause additional temporary lake fluctuations and impact the ability to maintain lake levels of 538’ and above.
All efforts will be made to minimize the disruption of the use of Lake Greeson and the Little Missouri River downstream for our visitors, partners, and stakeholders.
Approximately one year ago, USACE identified a need for repairs to the metal structure supporting the trash racks at Narrows Dam at Lake Greeson. Trash racks are metal grates preventing large debris from entering and damaging turbans used for creating hydropower, and do not affect the integrity or effectiveness of Narrows Dam.
As a precautionary measure, Narrows Dam halted hydropower generation until repairs are completed. These repairs are essential to ensuring safe production of hydropower in the future.
The Narrows Dam Day Use area is the staging area for equipment and materials. Heavy traffic with large equipment can be expected in this area, especially during periods of mobilization and demobilization. For this reason, the Narrows Dam Day Use area pavilion and swim beaches are closed to the public. Access to this area is restricted until repairs are completed.
The ‘No Boats’ area in front of Narrows Dam has been extended to include the entire work area for both worker and visitor safety. Visiting public are not allowed to boat inside this area at any time during the repair period. Also, a ‘No Ski’ area has been established to help reduce wave action within the area for worker safety.
The USACE Vicksburg District is engineering solutions to the nation’s toughest challenges. The Vicksburg District encompasses a 68,000-square-mile area across portions of Mississippi, Arkansas and Louisiana that holds nine major river basins and incorporates approximately 460 miles of mainline Mississippi River levees. The Vicksburg District is engaged in hundreds of projects and employs approximately 1,100 personnel.
USACE Celebrates 250 Years – For 250 years, the Corps of Engineers has been working to safely deliver quality projects on schedule and within budget. As we move forward, USACE continues to look to the future as we address today’s challenges.
