Garland County Lake Quality
Arkansas, 7 lakes, average grade C (Fair)
Garland County holds 7 monitored lakes. With a sample that small the county-level summary describes those specific waters, not necessarily every water body in the county. 2 of those lakes carry an A–F grade. The county-level summary describes that subset, not every water body listed. Garland County averages to a C. The distribution behind that average matters more than the letter: a few stressed lakes versus many decent ones can produce the same average as the inverse.
Most of the county's monitored lakes are shallow — under 50 feet — which means wind keeps the water column mixed all summer and sediment-bound phosphorus releases back into the surface layer whenever the bottom is disturbed. Lake Hamilton (C) is the cleanest in the county.
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Quick Answers for Garland County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Lake Hamilton — or check the official Arkansas fishing regulations.
All Lakes in Garland County
7 lakes · 2 graded, 5 not rated2 graded lakes · 5 not rated, hidden
| # | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Phosphorus | Algae | Trophic | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CLake HamiltonGarland | C | 11.9 ft | 20 µg/L | 7.4 µg/L | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 2 | CLake OuachitaGarland | C | 15 ft | 20 µg/L | 3.2 µg/L | No recent samples | ✓ Public |
| NRLake Catherine Off of Springbrook PointGarland | NR | 4.8 ft | 34.5 µg/L | 17.1 µg/L | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRLake CatherineGarland | NR | 6 ft | 29 µg/L | 3.1 µg/L | No recent samples | ✓ Public | |
| NRHot Springs ReservoirGarland | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRLake PinedaGarland | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRLake DesotoGarland | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
NR = not rated: there is not enough recent sampling to support a letter. That is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 (insufficient information), not a failing grade. How grading works.
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Other Counties in Arkansas
See how Garland County stacks up in the national county water-quality rankings, or browse the full directory of graded lakes across all United States (49 states), Canada (Ontario, Québec, Nova Scotia, British Columbia and Newfoundland and Labrador), and 38 other country hubs..
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.