Fast Facts

Scuba diving near the dam

• 60,000 acre multi-purpose project with over 20,000 acres of forestland.
• 690 miles of shoreline at maximum pool (elevation 578).
• 210 feet at deepest level.
• Located along the Ouachita River in central Arkansas.
• Surrounded by Ouachita National Forest.
• 20 Corps recreation areas, 10 Marinas, 1 State Park.
• Authorized by the Flood Control Act of 1944.
• Blakely Mountain Dam was dedicated on July 4, 1956.
• The dam is 1100 feet wide and 205 feet tall.
• The highest lake level recorded to date is 590.1 on December 5, 1982.
• The emergency spillway is at elevation 592.
• Scuba diving is a popular activity at Lake Ouachita due to the clarity of the water.
• Lake Ouachita has Craspedacusta sowerbyi - freshwater jellies that are closely related to hydras.