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While towns along the lower reaches of the White River in eastern Arkansas brace for more flooding, residents of northwest Arkansas are working to assess damages from storms last week. Those storms included three tornadoes in Washington County, two of which were only confirmed Saturday.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers last week opened floodgates on several White River watershed dams holding back reservoirs that had been filled to capacity by recent torrential rains. Those reservoirs included Beaver Lake in northwest Arkansas, Table Rock Lake in Missouri, and Bull Shoals and Norfork lakes in north-central Arkansas.
Jim Sandberg of the Corps's Table Rock office said the spillway at the Beaver Lake dam in Carroll County was closed Saturday. The lake's surface had dropped to 1,129.6 feet above sea level after setting a record level of 1,130.4 feet Thursday afternoon.
No damage estimates from the Washington County tornadoes were available. But John Luther, director of Washington County Department of Emergency Management, said his agency had received reports of damage to barns and outbuildings and minor damage to manufactured homes.
Release of the water that had built up in the lakes sent another surge of floodwater barreling down the White River, already out of its banks along most of its course through eastern Arkansas.
In the community of Beaver, downstream from the Beaver Lake dam in Carroll County, the historic "Little Golden Gate" suspension bridge was submerged Saturday by the waters of the White River.
Carroll County Sheriff Robert Grudek said the condition of the bridge won't be known until the water recedes.
More than 200 miles southeast, but still along the White, the White County town of Georgetown remained isolated by the floodwaters, which covered Arkansas 36, the only highway into town.
Fire Chief Eddie Stephenson said about 40 people remain in the town, which normally has a population of about 120. Those remaining must use boats to reach dry land where they can obtain supplies, navigating carefully through fields and fences.
Further downstream, at Des Arc, a second crest of 34.5 feet is expected Thursday, according to the National Weather Service (web|news), higher han last week's crest of 31 feet. Flood stage is 24 feet.
At Clarendon, where the flood stage is 26 feet, the river is expected to reach 32.9 feet on Friday, only slightly higher than the 32.7 feet recorded last Friday, the weather service said.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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