MEMA responds to high water at Anchor Lake dam

The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) said it is on scene at the dam at Anchor Lake in Pearl River County after officials reported high-water conditions.

According to a MEMA post on Facebook, the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) has determined the dam has not been breached and is functioning as designed in a high-water event. Water at the lake is currently receding, and about 30 homes were evacuated as a precautionary measure, MEMA said.

MEMA coordinates the state response to disasters and emergencies, while MDEQ monitors environmental and dam safety issues in Mississippi. Their involvement signals a coordinated response to protect residents and assess the structure after the high-water conditions, officials said.

Precautionary evacuations are a common public-safety step to reduce risk while engineers inspect infrastructure and monitor downstream conditions. Residents in affected areas should follow directions from local authorities and MEMA for updates. We will provide more information as it becomes available.