The damaged spillway gate at the Dardanelle Lock and Dam in northwest Arkansas is finally closed.

 

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says crews managed to close the malfunctioning gate around 9pm last night. The gate was opened for routine maintenance on Tuesday morning, but became stuck in the open position. Crews quickly went to work to fix the problem, which is thought to have been caused by friction, heat expansion, or mechanical binding.

 

The Dardanelle Dam sits across the Arkansas River, and the malfunctioning gate prompted officials to halt barge traffic above the dam until repairs can be completed. Downstream traffic has been diverted to the Mississippi.

 

The Corps of Engineers has also been working with the Southwestern Power Administration to manage water flows with hydropower generators to ensure an adequate water supply for Arkansas Nuclear One, the state's only nuclear power plant.

 

Until repairs are completed, all boat access ramps and boat docks on Lake Dardanelle will remain closed due to changing water levels.