Lake Atkins
Pope County, Arkansas752 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
↓ down from D at the last regrade
- Hypereutrophic
- #1 of 1 in the county
- 43 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Lake Atkins in Pope County, Arkansas has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Phosphorus: 70 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 49.5 µg/L. Surface area: 752 acres.
- Max depth
- ~43 ft est.
- Area
- 752 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 70 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 49.5 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Lake Atkins
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Atkins in Pope County, Arkansas — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Lake Atkins are listed below.
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Watch Lake Atkins’s letter
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Lake Atkins is a 752-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Pope County, Arkansas with an estimated average depth of about 43 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 3 sampling years through 2026. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, ADEQ, last sampled 2026-02-17. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Lake Atkins is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
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 F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
No clarity data. Phosphorus 70 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 49.5 µg/L. TSI 67. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 70 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 49.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 67 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~43 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~12 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 752 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Arkansas has not published bathymetry for Lake Atkins.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Recreation & Access
- Twin Dikes RoadPublic
- Lucky LandingPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Lake Atkins
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus | → Stable | 0 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -16.2 µg/L/yr | 3 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Atkins is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Atkins Dam (completed 1946), built primarily for recreation on the Horsehead Branch; earth-type dam, 25 ft tall and 2,200 ft long.
- Surface area
- 752 ac
- Normal storage
- 7,760 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 13,928 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 10 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- Arkansas Game and Fish Commission
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID AR00271 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Pope County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Lake Atkins holds Grade F. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in Pope County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Atkins
Where is Lake Atkins?
- Lake Atkins is a lake in Pope County, Arkansas. LakeQuality grades it F for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Lake Atkins?
- Lake Atkins in Pope County, Arkansas has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Phosphorus: 70 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 49.5 µg/L. Surface area: 752 acres.
Is Lake Atkins safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Lake Atkins?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Lake Atkins, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 43 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate. The lake covers 752 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Atkins?
- Lake Atkins has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Twin Dikes Road, Lucky Landing. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Lake Atkins across LakeQuality
6.5 mi away · 95 ft
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Arkansas's top lakes, each with its grade
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
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Hypereutrophic Lakes in Arkansas
Where this data comes from
35 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2015–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality
ARDEQH2O_WQX35 samples · 2015–2026
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
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory