Rains take toll on aging dam

Park near Eureka Springs barrier shut as safety precaution

Bruce Levine, director of the Eureka Springs Parks and Recreation Commission, leans against the end of the dam at Black Bass Lake on Nov. 13. White hoses in the spillway at his feet were pumping water from the lake to lower the level and alleviate leaking.

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Limestone blocks have been tumbling from the dam at Black Bass Lake to the ground below.

The 115-year-old dam has leaked for years, but recent heavy rains have further deteriorated it, said Eureka Springs Mayor Dani Joy.

An Oct. 29 storm bloated the lake, forcing water around both sides of the dam rather than just the west end, where a spillway is located.

Over the years, the water has washed mortar and other fill material from between the rocks, leaving what appears to be a loose pile of cut limestone on part of the dam’s north face.

“It’s a hazard,” said Richard Dee Purkeypile, a dam safety engineer with TRC Environmental Corp. of Austin, Texas, who lives in ...

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This article was published November 23, 2009 at 4:44 a.m.

Arkansas, Pages 7 on 11/23/2009

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Rains take toll on aging dam

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