Blakely Mountain Dam Construction began in 1948 and ended in 1953 when the gates were closed, creating Lake Ouachita.
U.S. Representative Mike Ross Secures $7
Million in House for Blakely Mountain Dam.
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Blakely Dam is 231 feet high and 1100 feet wide.
Longitude: -93° 11' 40"
Latitude: 34° 34' 20"
The lake level is 578' feet above sea level. If the level reaches 592' the water would flow through an emergency 200 foot wide spillway one mile west of the dam and then into Lake Hamilton via Owl Creek.
Releasing water from Lake Ouachita
Click to enlarge
This has never happened since the gates where closed in 1953, however in December 1982 - January 1983, the lake did reach 591.2 feet, just .8 of a foot short of going through the spillway.
Blakely Dam Under Construction
The lake averages about 50 feet in depth with the deepest
area approx. 200 feet.
The public area of Lake Ouachita covers 82,000 acres.
At 578 feet, 40,100 acres
is covered by the lake creating a shoreline of 690 miles.
At 592 ft Lake Ouachita has a 975 mile shoreline and and 48,300 acres of
water.
The hills that surround Lake Ouachita range up to 1,350'.
Lake Ouachita is located in Garland and Montgomery Counties,
Arkansas,
13 miles west of
Hot Springs,
Arkansas.
Construction work has started on a contract issued by
The Corps of Engineers on a
new monitoring system to keep an eye on seepage at Blakeley Mountain Dam.
The monitoring system is part of the analysis and response to the 2005
inspection within the overall dam safety program.
U.S.
Representative Mike Ross has successfully secured $7,000,000 for Blakely
Mountain Dam at Lake Ouachita in the Fiscal Year 2010 House Energy & Water
Appropriations Bill. The bill passed the full U.S. House of Representatives
July 16.
Ross said the funds will be used to continue maintenance and operations at
Blakely Mountain Dam at Lake Ouachita in Garland County.
“Blakely Mountain Dam is vital to the economic well-being of numerous
communities and businesses throughout Garland County and the surrounding
region," said Ross. “I was proud to secure this funding because we must
develop the necessary water resources and flood protections that will
encourage and sustain economic growth in our state.”
Ross pledged his support to continue fighting for these important
infrastructure dollars as they move through the appropriations process.
Upon passage of the Energy & Water Appropriations Bill in the Senate, the
measure will then go to a Conference Committee of House and Senate members
who will work to combine both Chambers’ bills to form a Conference Report.
Upon passage of the Conference Report by the full House and Senate, the
final bill will then be sent to the President to be signed into law.
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