Arkabutla Lake water level — Mississippi
Arkabutla Lake in Mississippi was last measured at 208.15 ft (datum NGVD29), as of Aug 31, 2026, 8:00 AM (UTC+00:00) (USACE CWMS Data). Over its recent trend window the level has been rising (+7.8 ft).
- % of conservation pool full
- Not reported
- Storage
- 26,104 acre-ft
- Recent trend
- ↑Rising
+7.8 ft over the trend window
Recent trend
Readings this station published between Jun 2, 2026 and Jun 23, 2026 — a 20-day window — downsampled for display.
Data: USGS Water Services (waterservices.usgs.gov) and USACE CWMS Data (cwms-data.usace.army.mil), retrieved 2026-08-31. Both public domain (a work of the U.S. Government, 17 U.S.C. §105).
Source: USACE MVK/Arkabutla Lake, retrieved Aug 31, 2026, 8:24 AM (UTC+00:00). Official page for this lake →
The dam behind Arkabutla Lake
Arkabutla Lake is held back by Arkabutla Dam (also recorded as Arkabutla Lake) , an earthfill embankment, holding the pool back by sheer mass and an impervious core rather than by the strength of concrete , standing 92 ft high and running 10,700 ft along its crest , built across COLDWATER RIVER in DeSoto County , near TUNICA . It was completed in 1943 , and is owned by USACE - Vicksburg District (a federal owner) , to a design credited to CEMVK.
Its recorded primary purpose is flood risk reduction — the pool is drawn down between storms so there is empty space waiting for the next flood, which is why this level can fall in dry weather and climb sharply after rain . It also serves flood risk reduction;recreation.
It is founded on soil, with a earth core. Its spillway is ungated: once the pool reaches the crest, water leaves on its own and the operator cannot hold it back. The spillway opening is 300 ft wide. Its outlet works use roller3;vertical lift0.
NID classes it high hazard potential. That describes what a failure would cost downstream — loss of life would be expected — and says nothing about how likely a failure is, or what condition the dam is in.
At its normal pool the reservoir covers about 5,100 acres. NID records a maximum storage of 1,383,800 acre-ft against a normal storage of 31,500 acre-ft. Its maximum discharge capacity is 111,000 cubic feet per second. It is regulated by MS DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY.
Dam facts: National Inventory of Dams record MS01496 , filed by US Army Corps of Engineers — U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, public domain. Water levels above come from USACE CWMS Data and are a separate source. (How this dam was matched to this gauge →)
How Arkabutla Lake compares nearby
3 of 6 nearby lakes with a current trend are also rising right now.
Nearby lakes
The six nearest published lakes by centroid distance (great-circle) — cross-state neighbors included.
| Lake | State | Level | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ltl Tallahatchie | MS | 196.94 ft | 47 km |
| Sardis Lake | MS | 257.43 ft | 50 km |
| Enid Lake | MS | 247.40 ft | 70 km |
| Big Sunflower | MS | 139.41 ft | 75 km |
| Ltl Tallahatchie | MS | 283.76 ft | 88 km |
| Coffeeville Pump Landside | MS | 221.68 ft | 97 km |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the current water level of Arkabutla Lake?
- As of Aug 31, 2026, 8:00 AM (UTC+00:00), the pool elevation was 208.15 ft (datum NGVD29). See the trend chart above for the recent direction.
- Is Arkabutla Lake full right now?
- Its managing agency does not publish a %-of-conservation-pool-full figure for this lake, so we show the bare level rather than estimate one.
- Where does this data come from?
- From USACE MVK/Arkabutla Lake, retrieved Aug 31, 2026, 8:24 AM (UTC+00:00).
More in Mississippi
See every lake tracked in Mississippi, or read the methodology behind these figures.