Chapter Eighteen

The Bull Shoals Dam

Page 320-321

One of the most emotional problems that arose was the removal of the remains of loved ones buried in the cemeteries that would soon be inundated by the reservoir. Many cemeteries were re-located and remains from some cemeteries were taken to nearby already existing cemeteries. This was a tedious and time consuming project but due to the understanding, courtesy and cooperation of the Corps of Engineers and the Contractors who did the work, no serious problems developed. Among the cemeteries re-located, perhaps the largest one, was the Wild Cat Cemetery which was re-located on the highway near Fairview and renamed the Fairview Cemetery.

Another problem that arose was the damage to buildings in Flippin and the area near the rock quarry located on the Wilson farm on Lee's Mountain, brought about by the heavy blasting at the quarry. Damage was extensive and practically every business building in Flippin and many of the residences suffered damages to a greater or lesser degree. The contractor and property owners could not, in most cases, reach an agreement as to the amount of damage to the property. The matter was taken to court and damages running into many thousands of dollars were fixed by the court and paid to the property owners by the contractor.

It was necessary for the Corps of Engineers to secure title in the name of the United States Army, Corps of Engineers, to all land to be inundated by the reservoir at its predicted highest level and an additional narrow strip above this level. This was an ardous task as the title to each parcel taken had to be examined, the property appraised, an offer made to the owner, and if the offer was unacceptable and an agreement to price could not be reached, condemnation proceedings were instigated under the government's power of "Eminent Domain". The next step was a trial in the Federal District Court in Harrison. Often the judgment rendered as to the value of the property taken was not satisfactory to either the government or the property owner but few appeals were taken.

The construction was delayed somewhat by floods that occurred and by a "wild cat" strike. This strike was not settled for some time but it did not stop work altogether.

An unusual feature in the construction of the project was the seven mile belt line built to convey the crushed rock used in the concrete from the quarry on Lee's Mountain just northwest of Flippin to the dam site. At the time it was built, it was reported to be the longest conveyor belt system ever built for such transportation. According to the study made by the contractors, it would have required enough trucks, bumper to bumper, traveling to the dam with the aggregate and the same with the empty trucks returning to the quarry working full time to have transported the aggregate to the site within the required time. This unusual method of transportation received both national and international attention and was the subject matter of many articles in magazines and professional journals.

Much of the success for the completion of this project on time was due to the ability and untiring labor of the very capable and efficient Harvey Slocum, Construction Superintendent, and to his able assistants. He was recognized internationally as one of the best in the business and at the conclusion of the construction of the Bull Shoals Dam, Mr. Slocum, with a number of his foremen, went to India for the construction of a big dam there.

The dam was completed in 1951 and the huge reservoir behind the dam began to slowly but surely fill. About this time an interesting and unusual event took place. Reported leaks in Bull Shoals Dam were circulated but such reports had been circulated relative to Norfork Dam. These reports were common in practically all dams.

The reported leak itself was not unusual nor of particular interest but some of the particulars of the reported leak were unusual and interesting as reported hereafter. That there was a leak was confirmed by the Corps of Engineers, not in the dam itself nor was the leak the fault of the Corps of Engineers or that of the Contractor who constructed the dam. They could only confirm the leak but could not, at the time, locate the leak nor explain it. One of the interesting and unusual situations that first attracted attention was a change in the flow of water at the Due Eddy Spring located about one mile below the Bull Shoals Dam on the Baxter County side of White River. As the Bull Shoals reservoir began to fill, a noticeable increase in the flow of water at the Due Eddy Spring was observed. By the time the reservoir was full, the flow of water at the spring had increased to several times its normal flow.

This situation led the Corps of Engineers to begin a series of drilling tests on three sides of the spring in an effort to determine the direction from which this additional flow was coming. They found that the pressure of the increased flow was terrific with a constant boiling action that brought small stones to the top of the water, a depth of approximately four feet, but were unable from the drilling tests to determine the direction from which this increased flow came.