USACE tests bedrock anchors for Arkansas river low water dam near Sand Springs

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is designing a low water dam on the Arkansas River near Sand Springs, Oklahoma, as part of the Arkansas River Corridor Project, and the Dam Safety Production Center began conducting anchor testing in late summer 2025. “This low water dam will sit in the Arkansas River, which could be subjected to significant flood flows and a lot of forces on it,” said Jeffrey Stevens, geotechnical engineer, Dam Safety Production Center, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Citing variability in local geology and experience from Keystone Dam nearby, Stevens said the team is conducting a “proof verification” to ensure localized conditions do not significantly affect results.

The testing program involves drilling boreholes, installing anchors, and cementing them with grout. After allowing the grout to cure, evaluators test the anchors with a hydraulic jack. “When we do the math afterwards, it tells us how much the anchor moved and ultimately the bond strength of the rock,” said Stevens.

According to the Corps, anchor testing informs how well the earth beneath the structure will bond with the foundation and helps ensure the project remains in place during flooding. The Arkansas River Corridor Project is expected to promote water quality, ecosystem restoration, and recreation opportunities. “It’s very important, I think, for our stakeholders, for the county, for the City of Sand Springs, for everyone along the river, because this dam is going to essentially be the thing that makes it all go,” Stevens said.

Arcadia Dam, placed into operation in 1986, was the last Tulsa District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dam construction project. Reflecting on the rarity of new construction, Stevens noted, “Ninety percent of the time we’re working on existing structures,” describing the opportunity to build a new structure as a unique experience.