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Dam and Lake Info
Dam and Lake Info
What’s
Behind the Names:
The
Fourche LaFave River forms Nimrod Lake. Fourche means “fork”
in French, and LaFave is believed to be the name of a French family
who lived in the early 1800’s where the Fourche LaFave meets
the Arkansas River. Nimrod, the great-grandson of Noah, was a mighty
hunter. The lake is aptly named “Nimrod” because the
wild surroundings have an abundance of game for the hunter.
Project
History
 The
Nimrod Dam was constructed at a time when the country was trying
to pull out of the great depression. The war in Europe was raging.
Pearl Harbor was eventually bombed, and the United States was drawn
into the greatest conflict ever known to humanity. Amidst these
hard and troubled times, small rays of hope sprang up all around
the country. One of those was the construction of Nimrod Dam.
The
Nimrod Lake & Dam were authorized by the Flood Control Act of
1938. Testing the site for the dam started in September of 1939
with core drilling and test trenches. Clearing and preparing the
site for construction started in February of 1940. Actual construction
of the dam began in April of 1940 and was continued after the start
of World War II. It was completed in March of 1942 making it the
first to be constructed in the Little Rock District. The total cost
of the project was $3,773,000.
 Nimrod
Lake is a part of a comprehensive plan for flood control and development
of water resources in the Fourche LaFave River and lower Arkansas
River Valleys.
Recreation
was not a part of the initial mission of Nimrod Lake, however, through
the years, it has evolved into a significant part of the project.
Nimrod now offers a full range of recreational opportunities such
as camping, swimming, boating, and hunting.
The
project celebrated its’ Golden Anniversary in June of 1992
with festivities for the public and a special emphasis of honoring
former construction workers and contractors who helped build the
project and clear the lands.
Updated/Reviewed:
31 Jan 2008
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