Mississippi officials closely monitoring fragile Anchor Lake dam in Picayune
By Metia Carroll, Sharief Ishaq
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Mississippi (WDSU) — Mississippi emergency officials continue to monitor the fragile dam at Anchor Lake in Picayune, Mississippi, as concerns persist about its stability.
The Anchor Lake dam is now under constant monitoring by the MS Department of Environmental Quality, with high confidence in the dam’s structural integrity, officials said.
With conditions slightly improving, the voluntary evacuation order for residents living south of Anchor Lake has been lifted.
“They think it’s gonna hold, but to be sure, they’re gonna leave inspectors to monitor until the water goes down,” said Mississippi State Sen. Angela Hill.
With more rain on the way, Hill said emergency crews are ready to issue alerts immediately if the dam breaks.
The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality is lowering the damn by four to five feet in anticipation of the incoming rain Friday afternoon. Officials say this will help the dam not overflow.
According to the NWS, emergency management reported fears of a failure of the dam Thursday, causing flash flooding downstream along the East Hobolochitto.
Residents who live in the vicinity of the dam were urged to evacuate, but now they can return home. Residents are urged to stay on alert.
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