The Anchor Lake Dam in Pearl River County, Mississippi, came close to failing June 18 after the remnants of Tropical Storm Arthur brought heavy rain to the area, prompting evacuations and a flash flood emergency.

The National Hurricane Center had forecast 5 to 10 inches of rain for the region, with isolated totals near 20 inches possible, and warned the system could cause dangerous to life-threatening flash flooding.

The dam was being monitored and was "functioning as designed," with water moving through its spillways as intended, The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency said in an update. The agency said the reservoir had nearly reached capacity and warned that more rain in the forecast risked pushing water beyond what the spillways could handle. A Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality dam safety director was dispatched to the site, and the county's emergency management administrator notified homes in the area that could flood if the dam gave way. About 30 homes were evacuated as a precaution.

MEMA said in a follow-up update that water had risen over the top of the structure. The agency separately noted a lower-hazard situation at Swan Lake Dam in Harrison County, where storm erosion had weakened a section of the dam; county crews responded by building a temporary barrier ahead of the spillway to limit further damage. "MEMA remains fully engaged with our local emergency management partners to support response operations, assess damages, and ensure resources are available to communities impacted by flooding," Gov. Tate Reeves said in the release.

By June 19, Pearl River County officials said MDEQ was continuing to watch the dam around the clock and was confident in its structural soundness. Residents who had evacuated were allowed to go home after the flood watch that triggered the evacuations expired.

As of a 2023 inspection, Anchor Lake Dam was rated in "poor" condition and classified "high" hazard for downstream areas if it failed, according to the federal government's dam inventory, Mississippi Today reported. 

The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality regulates dam safety statewide and requires high-hazard dams like Anchor Lake to undergo regular inspections and have an emergency action plan on file.