Degray Lake
Clark County, Arkansas13,400 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
↓ down from B at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- #1 of 2 in the county
- Public access
- Limited data
Degray Lake in Clark County, Arkansas has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 9.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 8.8 µg/L. Surface area: 13400 acres.
- Clarity
- 9.5 ft
- Area
- 13,400 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 20 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 8.8 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Degray Lake’s letter
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Degray Lake is a 13,400-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Clark County, Arkansas. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2019. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 10 public boat landings. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Clark County, Degray Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, ADEQ, last sampled 2019-07-01. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Degray Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch10 documented ramps
- Big water13,400 acres
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9.5 ft. Phosphorus 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 8.8 µg/L. TSI 48. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 9.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 20 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 8.8 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 48 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 13,400 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Degray Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Ozan Point Recreation AreaPublic
- Campground RoadPublic
- Small Dike RoadPublic
- Iron Mountain Ramp RoadPublic
- Spillway Dam Recreation AreaPublic
- Capps RoadPublic
Showing 6 of 10 documented landings from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory.
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Degray Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 8 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.29 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.65 µg/L/yr | 8 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.72 µg/L/yr | 8 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Degray Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Degray Dam (completed 1969), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Caddo River; earth-type dam, 98 ft tall and 13,200 ft long.
- Surface area
- 13,400 ac
- Normal storage
- 654,700 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 1,377,100 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 453 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- USACE - Vicksburg District
All listed purposes: Flood Risk Reduction;Recreation;Hydroelectric;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID AR00151 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 2 lakes in Clark County
Nearby Lakes in Clark County
Frequently asked questions about Degray Lake
Where is Degray Lake?
- Degray Lake is a lake in Clark County, Arkansas. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Degray Lake?
- Degray Lake in Clark County, Arkansas has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 9.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 8.8 µg/L. Surface area: 13400 acres.
Is Degray Lake safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Degray Lake?
- Degray Lake has 10 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Ozan Point Recreation Area, Campground Road, Small Dike Road, Iron Mountain Ramp Road, among others. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Degray Lake across LakeQuality
Planning a trip around Hot Springs?
Degray Lake is about 21 miles from Hot Springs National Park. Crowds there swing hard by season, so the month you pick changes both how busy the park is and what lodging costs.
Best time to visit Hot Springs →More Arkansas Lake Rankings
Other Grade C Lakes in Arkansas
Eutrophic Lakes in Arkansas
Where this data comes from
123 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2012–2019. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality
ARDEQH2O_WQX123 samples · 2012–2019
Analytical methods
- 4500 P J ~ Persulfate Method for Simultaneous Determination of Total Nitrogen and Total Phosphorus
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory