Floodflow characteristics at White River at U.S. Highway 167, at Batesville, Arkansas, supplement 1

The Arkansas State Highway Department plans to build a new two-lane highway bridge, parallel to and approximately 50 feet (15.2 metres) downstream from the centerline of the existing U.S. Highway 167 bridge, over the White River at Batesville. The existing bridge will be altered and remain in service, thus providing a four-lane crossing after completion of the new bridge.

The State Highway Department requested a hydraulic analysis of the 50-year flood at the site, considering the effect of upstream flood storage in existing (1974) reservoirs. The purpose of this study was to determine for the regulated 50-year flood: (1) the discharge and elevation of peak flow and resulting backwater with existing bridge in place; (2) the discharge and elevation of peak flow and resulting backwater if an additional bridge of the same length, parallel to and 50 feet (15.2 metres) downstream from the existing bridge, is added; and (3) the effect that a reduction of the length of the relief span would have on backwater at existing buildings on the north bank of the up-stream flood plain.