Oktibbeha dam may collapse

Water in Oktibbeha County (Miss.) Lake rose at least a 12 inches overnight Jan. 14-15, putting pressure on a dam that officials warn is in danger of collapse. Emergency management officials says the dam’s failure was imminent, and urged nearby residents to evacuate. Oktibbeha officials said Jan. 15 that mandatory evacuations could be issued if conditions worsen, according to the Starkville Daily News. Workers have installed four 8-inch siphons to transport water from the lake over a spillway to a nearby stream, according to The Associated Press. A county official said the normal surface area of the lake is 426 acres, but as of the morning of Jan. 15, it was covering about 900 acres. (Source: Starkville Daily News 01/15/20) https://www.starkvilledailynews.com/dam-situation-worsens-as-oktibbeha-braces-for-more-rain/article_ea0cae30-37b1-11ea-b917-0fd8e37e667d.html