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Conway Dam continues flowing backward as lake levels rise

For the first time ever, the Dam on Lake Conway is flowing upstream with water pushed out by the Arkansas River.

Water levels on Lake Conway continue to rise as homeowners who thought their houses were safe are scrambling to put up more barriers. For the first time ever, the dam on Lake Conway is flowing backward, pushing water from the Arkansas River back into the lake and causing the floods to rise.

Water levels on Lake Conway have risen several inches over the past day and the floods now threaten a growing number of homes.

RELATED: Animal habitat exhibits under eight feet of water due to flooding of Lake Saracen

“Nothing I can do about it but naturally I am worried about it,” said Kenny Jenkins as he worked to put sandbags and move his furniture off the floor. “When the rise in the water started it was 37 and a half inches below the concrete. Now it’s approximately four inches above the concrete.”

For Jenkins, the lakefront Conway home was supposed to be a dream house. A lakefront view, a dock stretching out into the water, and a place to relax without any worries.

All he can do now is prepare his home for the water, helpless to the rising tides.

“Watch and wait,” said Jenkins. “That’s all.”

Inside his home, his furniture sits perched above the floor. One final layer of protection in case it gets as bad as he fears.

“I have most of my furniture safe on concrete cinderblocks,” said Jenkins. “It’s going to be dipping into our savings because we don’t have insurance.”

RELATED: List of road closures due to Arkansas River flooding

City of Conway officials said the Arkansas River has crested, but it’s continuing to push water into Lake Conway, which is why we see the water levels here continue to rise. 

Officials say all the levees in Faulkner County are holding up well after they repaired one part that was beginning to erode.

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