Lake Ouachita

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Lake Ouachita (Pronounced WAH-shi-tah) is a lake created by the damming of the Ouachita River by Blakely Mountain Dam. The lake is located near Hot Springs, Arkansas. Lake Ouachita is the largest lake in Arkansas, with over 975 miles of shoreline and over 40,000 acres (160 km²). 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.

[edit] Overview

The purpose of the man-made Lake Ouachita is flood control, navigation, recreation, and hydroelectricity. It is one of the cleanest lakes in Arkansas, and its wildlife is very diverse. Some people say that there is a species of rare, non-stinging jellyfish in the lake. These jellyfish are said to have been seen mostly by scuba divers diving in the lake. Also sponges are said to live here. One area of Lake Ouachita features large crystal veins, some of the largest in the world. Largemouth, Smallmouth, and Spotted bass are abundant in the lake. So is Bream, Crappie, Catfish, Walleye, and Striped Bass. In fact, Lake Ouachita is known as the Striped Bass Capital of the World. Blakely Mountain Dam was built in 1955, and is 1,100 feet long, and has an average height of 205 feet. There are 21 recreational parks and areas, 150 picnic sites, 1,106 campsites, 13 swimming beaches, and 24 boat ramps. The eastern side of Lake Ouachita contains Lake Ouachita State Park, a very popular Arkansas state park.

[edit] See also

List of Arkansas dams and reservoirs

Another topic of debate is the Asian seaweed that much of the lake. While the lake was once pure of this rapidly spreading plant, it was deposited by mistake from a boat that had been in Asian waters (the exact boat and time is unknown to the public, and presumably the Ouachita National Forest official). Many people, the vast majority, say the seaweed is a plague, and should be dealt with immediately. During the summer when the lake lowers, many areas can not be driven into, for the seaweed is so thick and so tall (recorded up to fifty feet in some areas) it reaches the surface and prohibits boats from entering. Motors are tangled, and swimmers do not usually like swimming in the mess. However, fisherpeople enjoy the foreign seaweed, for it attracts fish and produces nutrients. Debate continues, and it cannot be decided whether the lake should be treated with chemicals, thus killing the seaweed (the chemicals would not harm any life and would do nothing more than exterminate the weed). The only area of the lake where the seaweed has not yet reached is the small, cleaner area near the Spillway Marina. The two neighboring lakes of Hamilton and Catherine are also infested. However, in those two lakes (because they are populated with stores, houses, and are small compared to Ouachita), trash is often caught in the seaweed.