Plans progress regarding dangerous dam

OKTIBBEHA COUNTY, Miss. (WTVA) – A plan to repair a dangerous dam is moving forward.

The Oktibbeha County Lake Dam – built in the 1970s – has been labeled a high-hazard priority, has faced major failure risks over the years, and has been called one of the most dangerous dams in the state.

Oktibbeha County has been working for more than a decade to find a solution. Recently, the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to repair the dam to a high-hazard standard.

The Rehab and Rebuilding Project could cost between $10 million and $13 million.

A federal grant will help pay for the project. However, the county could lose that funding soon if it does not make substantial progress on the project.

The final cost won’t be determined until a contractor is selected.

“Once it’s out for bid and the bids come in and they open, then we’ll have a true number of what the repairs will cost,” said Marvell Howard, the president of the Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisors.

The lake has been drained since 2020, when emergency alerts were sent out and mass evacuations were ordered after a near breach.

The dam has faced structural issues for decades

This is not a short-term project, as funding is not fully secured and no design plans exist for the new structure.