RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Little Rock District has successfully closed spillway gate 20 at Dardanelle Lock and Dam on the Arkansas River.
The gate, which had been stuck in the fully open position since Tuesday morning, was successfully lowered after intensive efforts by USACE teams.
"Our engineers and crews worked diligently to resolve this challenging situation," said Col. Patrick Caukin, commander of the Little Rock District. "We're pleased to report that gate 20 is now closed and secure."
The incident began Tuesday, August 20, at 7 a.m. during routine maintenance to clear floating logs and debris from the dam. When workers tried to lower the gate around 8:15 a.m., it became stuck in the fully open position.
USACE teams immediately mobilized repair efforts, bringing in specialized equipment including floating plants Motor Vessel J Gene Crump and Motor Vessel Dan Reeves. Teams worked through Wednesday, August 21, using various mechanical methods to free the seized gate.
The Little Rock District temporarily closed navigation on the Arkansas River on
Tuesday evening while crews worked on repairs. Water levels in the pool remained stable throughout the incident.
USACE continues to coordinate closely with local emergency management officials, Entergy Corporation regarding Arkansas Nuclear One operations, and the navigation industry as normal operations resume.
"We're proud of the coordination between our teams at the lock and dam, the patience and professionalism of the mariners on the river, and the response from our partners on the ground," said Caukin. "Together, we navigated a very complex situation to a safe and successful resolution.”
Updates will be provided as operations return to normal. Recreation information can be found on the Internet at www.swl.usace.army.mil, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/littlerockusace and on the USACE Little Rock water level mobile app at www.swl.usace.army.mil/Home/water-control-app/.