Purpose
Lake Ouachita (wash'i*taw), a manmade lake formed in 1953, stretches westward from Blakely Mountain Dam to the headwaters of the Ouachita River. The lake was created as part of a comprehensive plan for the Ouachita River Basin at a cost of approximately $30,800,000, with objectives being flood control, navigation, recreation, and the production of hydroelectric power which went online in August 1955.
Normal pool for this lake which spans nearly half of Garland and Montgomery Counties in the Ouachita Mountains of west-central Arkansas is 578 feet above sea level, but ranges from 568 to 582 feet above sea level throughout the year giving this body of water a depth of almost 200 feet in some places. In the event the level rises above 592 feet above sea level there is a 200 foot wide spillway located one mile west of the dam which allows the runoff to flow to Lake Hamilton via Owl Creek. Although this has never happened since the gates to the dam were closed in 1953, there was a point during December 1982 - January 1983 in which the water was only 9.6 inches short of going over the spillway.
In 1992 Blakely Mountain Powerhouse produced 186.5 kilowatt hours which equals 298,419 barrels of oil and has a dollar value of over $10,000,000. This was enough power to supply over 38,000 homes with electricity.
Features
When filled to spillway crest elevation the lake extends up the Ouachita River Valley a distance of 39 miles, with a surface area of approximately 48,300 acres. The lake created by the normal power pool extends up the valley a distance of 30 miles and has a surface area of approximately 40,000 acres. Located inside the Ouachita National Forest where there are no private homes, the lake features approximately 975 miles of rugged shoreline and has over 200 islands which makes this an ideal spot for vacationing.
One area of the lake houses one of the largest quartz crystal veins in the world, and due to the clarity of the water this is a freshwater divers paradise providing a home for non-stinging jellyfish, sponge, and freshwater shrimp which are found in only a few of the cleanest lakes in the world.
Due to the wide open water and quiet secluded lagoons, this lake offers fun filled times to water-skiers, sail boaters, canoeists, and fishing enthusiasts of all types. Lake Ouachita is recognized as one of Arkansas' superior fishing lakes where the following fish are available in abundance.
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