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Lake Ouachita
Lake Ouachita
Location	Garland and Montgomery counties, Arkansas
Coordinates	34°36′N 93°20′W / 34.600°N 93.333°W / 34.600; -93.333
Type	Hydro-Electric Reservoir
Primary inflows	Ouachita River
Primary outflows	Ouachita River
Basin countries	United States
Surface area	40,000 acres (16,000 ha)
Average depth	Avg 50 ft (15 m)
Max. depth	406 ft (124 m)
Shore length	690 mi (1,110 km)
Frozen	Does not freeze
Islands	200
Settlements	Hot Springs
Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

Lake Ouachita (Pronounced WAH-shi-tah) is a reservoir created by the damming of the Ouachita River by Blakely Mountain Dam (34°34′21″N 93°11′39″W / 34.57250°N 93.19417°W / 34.57250; -93.19417 (Blakely Mountain Dam)).

Blakely Mountain Dam was built by the United States Army Corps of Engineers from 1948 to 1953 for hydroelectric power, recreation, water supply and wildlife conservation. The dam is 231 feet (70 m) tall, 1,100 feet (340 m) long at the crest, and is capable of 75 megawatts.

The lake is located near Hot Springs, Arkansas. Lake Ouachita is the largest lake completely in Arkansas, as the larger Bull Shoals Lake extends into Missouri. Lake Ouachita has over 690 miles (1,110 km) of shoreline and over 66,324 acres (26,840 ha) of water. It is completely surrounded by the Ouachita National Forest. Lake Ouachita is located near two other lakes, Lake Hamilton and Lake Catherine. These three lakes, DeGray Lake to the near south, and the thermal springs of Hot Springs National Park make Hot Springs a popular tourist getaway.

Largemouth Bass, Small Mouth Bass, Spotted Bass, Bream, Crappie, Catfish, Walleye and world class Trophy Striped Bass await the angler. Lake Ouachita has rare jellyfish (non-stinging) and sponges found in very few freshwater lakes. Scuba divers from all over the world enjoy the underwater experience as well as the special spear fishing season.

The original purpose of Lake Ouachita was flood control and hydroelectricity. One feature by the Corps of Engineers is the Geo-Float Trail, a marked trail which can be followed with a brochure which details prominent geological features along the route. Lake Ouachita features one of the largest crystal veins in the world.

Vegetation covers 10% of the lake. Lake Ouachita's vegetation is being addressed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, and the Lake Ouachita Association to control the hydrilla and Eurasian watermilfoil. The goal of the project is to contain and reduce — not to eradicate — the vegetation, since the presence of aquatic vegetation in moderate amounts is beneficial to the lake's fishery. Treatment will be concentrated on high recreational use areas, such as swimming beaches, around marinas and popular boating areas. Areas of the lake with good fish habitat will not be treated.

See also

• List of Arkansas dams and reservoirs

References

1. "U.S. Army Corps of Engineers -- Vicksburg District". Archived from the original on 2011-09-13. Retrieved 2012-07-23.
2. "Encyclopedia of Arkansas".
3. "Home". lakeouachita.org.

External links

• Corps of Engineers – Lake Ouachita
• http://www.lakeouachita.org
• https://www.stripers247.com/Arkansas-Stripers.php
• http://lakeouachitavistatrail.org

v t e Protected areas in Arkansas
Federal	National Park Hot Springs National Historic Sites Fort Smith Little Rock Central High School President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Forests Ouachita Ozark–St. Francis National Memorial Arkansas Post National Military Park Pea Ridge National River Buffalo National Wildlife Refuges Bald Knob Big Lake Cache River Felsenthal Holla Bend Logan Cave Overflow Pond Creek Wapanocca White River Wilderness Areas Big Lake Black Fork Mountain Buffalo National River Caney Creek Dry Creek East Fork Flatside Hurricane Creek Leatherwood Poteau Mountain Richland Creek Upper Buffalo National Wild and Scenic Rivers Big Piney Creek Cossatot Hurricane Creek Little Missouri Mulberry North Sylamore Creek Richland Creek
State	State Parks Arkansas Post Museum Bull Shoals-White River Cane Creek Conway Cemetery Cossatot River Crater of Diamonds Crowley's Ridge Daisy Davidsonville DeGray Lake Delta Heritage Trail Devil's Den Hampson Archeological Museum Herman Davis Historic Washington Hobbs Jacksonport Jenkins' Ferry Battleground Lake Catherine Lake Charles Lake Chicot Lake Dardanelle Lake Fort Smith Lake Frierson Lake Ouachita Lake Poinsett Logoly Louisiana Purchase Lower White River Museum Mammoth Spring Marks' Mills Battleground Millwood Mississippi River Moro Bay Mount Magazine Mount Nebo Museum of Natural Resources Ozark Folk Center Parkin Mounds Petit Jean Pinnacle Mountain Plantation Agriculture Museum Plum Bayou Mounds Poison Springs Battleground Powhatan Prairie Grove Battlefield Queen Wilhelmina South Arkansas Arboretum Village Creek White Oak Lake Withrow Springs Woolly Hollow State Forest Poison Springs State Forest Wildlife Management Areas List Arkansas portal

• Lakes of the U.S. Interior Highlands
• Reservoirs in Arkansas
• Protected areas of Garland County, Arkansas
• Protected areas of Montgomery County, Arkansas
• Arkansas placenames of Native American origin
• Buildings and structures in Garland County, Arkansas
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• Dams in Arkansas
• United States Army Corps of Engineers dams
• Dams completed in 1953
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• Ouachita River