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| Reservoirs in Arkansas | |
|---|---|
| Name | Reservoirs in Arkansas |
| Location | Arkansas |
| Type | Reservoirs, artificial lakes |
| Inflow | Arkansas River, White River (Arkansas–Missouri), Ouachita River, Red River (Texas–Arkansas), Black River (Arkansas–Missouri) |
| Outflow | Arkansas River, White River (Arkansas–Missouri), Ouachita River |
| Catchment | Arkansas River Basin, Mississippi River Basin |
| Basin countries | United States |
Reservoirs in Arkansas are artificial impoundments created by dam construction on the state's rivers and streams, providing flood control, navigation, hydroelectricity, water supply, and recreation. Arkansas reservoirs interact with regional systems such as the Mississippi River, the Arkansas River, and the White River (Arkansas–Missouri), and involve federal, state, and local agencies in planning and operation. Major engineered projects reflect historical eras of infrastructure investment including initiatives by the United States Army Corps of Engineers, the Tennessee Valley Authority, and the Bureau of Reclamation.
Reservoirs in Arkansas encompass storage facilities behind structures such as the Clarendon Lock and Dam, the Bull Shoals Dam, and the Millingford Reservoir (note: example naming conventions), where terminology includes tailwater, impoundment, and spillway as used in projects by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. Pools created by dams like Beaver Lake and Lake Ouachita serve as multipurpose resources, described in planning documents from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Classification often distinguishes between hydroelectric reservoirs, municipal water supply impoundments linked to utilities such as the Central Arkansas Water authority, and small private farm ponds registered with the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission.
Big reservoir initiatives in Arkansas trace to 20th-century New Deal and postwar eras involving the Civilian Conservation Corps, the Public Works Administration, and commissions chaired by figures from the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration. Landmark projects include construction of Bull Shoals Dam by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and cooperative programs with the Corps of Engineers, Little Rock District to develop Table Rock Lake and other impoundments linked to navigation improvements advocated by representatives from Arkansas's congressional delegation such as John Paul Hammerschmidt. Debates over dam siting and environmental review engaged organizations like the Sierra Club, the National Audubon Society, and state actors including the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality.
Prominent reservoirs include Bull Shoals Lake formed by Bull Shoals Dam, Beaver Lake behind Beaver Dam (Arkansas), Lake Ouachita from Blakely Mountain Dam, Greers Ferry Lake impounded by Greers Ferry Dam, and Lake Dardanelle associated with Dardanelle Lock and Dam. Other significant impoundments are Lake Hamilton and Lake Catherine on the Ouachita River, DeGray Lake behind DeGray Dam, Norfork Lake with Norfork Dam, and Millwood Lake on the Little River (Red River tributary). Federally managed navigation projects include Clarendon Lock and Dam and Lock and Dam No. 3 (Arkansas River). Smaller but regionally important reservoirs such as Lake Conway, Lake Maumelle, Lake Charles (Arkansas County), Lake Atalanta, Lake Fort Smith, Crowley's Ridge Reservoir, Table Rock Lake (shared with Missouri), and Lake Texarkana (shared with Texas) support diverse uses.
Reservoirs modify streamflow regimes in watersheds like the Arkansas River Basin, the White River Basin, and the Ouachita River Basin, affecting downstream reaches including the Mississippi River Delta and the Red River Basin. Water allocation involves interstate compacts and agencies including the Interstate Commission on the Arkansas River and state planning from the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission. Hydropower generation at facilities such as Bull Shoals Dam and Norfork Dam integrates with regional grids operated by entities like Southwestern Power Administration and private utilities including Entergy Arkansas and Oklahoma Gas & Electric when interconnected. Sedimentation issues implicate federal studies by the U.S. Geological Survey and monitoring by the Environmental Protection Agency (United States).
Reservoir creation altered habitats for species managed by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, affecting fisheries such as smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, striped bass and native fishes like paddlefish and sturgeon in the White River (Arkansas–Missouri). Wetland conversion and changes to riparian corridors drew attention from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and conservation groups including the Nature Conservancy and the Audubon Society. Invasive species monitoring involves agencies such as the Arkansas Department of Agriculture and cooperative programs with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service addressing Asian carp and zebra mussel incursions. Water quality concerns—nutrient loading, eutrophication, and dissolved oxygen—are studied by universities including the University of Arkansas, Arkansas State University, and Arkansas Tech University.
Reservoirs underlie tourism economies linked to destinations promoted by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism, including houseboating on Bull Shoals Lake and angling tournaments coordinated by organizations such as the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society and local chambers of commerce in towns like Hot Springs, Arkansas, Harrison, Arkansas, and Fayetteville, Arkansas. Marinas, campgrounds, and resorts operate along Beaver Lake, Lake Ouachita, and Greers Ferry Lake, supporting businesses registered with the Arkansas Economic Development Commission and event hosting by institutions like the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. Navigation locks facilitate barge traffic on the Arkansas River, serving ports like the Port of Little Rock and industries in Pine Bluff, Arkansas and North Little Rock, Arkansas.
Reservoir operations coordinate among the United States Army Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of Reclamation, the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission, and utilities such as Entergy Arkansas. Flood control plans reference historical floods including the Great Flood of 1927 and the Arkansas flood of 1990s events addressed through levee systems managed by the National Flood Insurance Program and local levee districts like the Little River Drainage District. Regulatory frameworks include compliance with the Clean Water Act and review by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for licensed hydroelectric projects. Collaborative planning with academic partners such as the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and federal research from the U.S. Geological Survey continues to guide adaptive management, sediment remediation, and emergency response coordination with the Federal Emergency Management Agency.