Lake Fort Smith
Crawford County, Arkansas470 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
- Mesotrophic
- #1 of 2 in the county
- Limited data
Lake Fort Smith in Crawford County, Arkansas has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 6.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.1 µg/L. Surface area: 470 acres.
- Clarity
- 6.5 ft
- Area
- 470 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 20 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 5.1 µg/L
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Watch Lake Fort Smith’s letter
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Lake Fort Smith is a 470-acre mesotrophic lake in Crawford County, Arkansas. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2019. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Crawford County, Lake Fort Smith ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, ADEQ, last sampled 2019-02-05. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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)
Murky, only visible to about 6.5 ft. Phosphorus 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 5.1 µg/L. TSI 48. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 20 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 5.1 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 48 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 470 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Lake Fort Smith, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Lake Fort Smith
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Fort Smith is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Shepherd Springs Dam (Breached) (Deleted) (completed 1954), built primarily for water supply on the Frog Bayou; earth-type dam, 99 ft tall and 2,100 ft long.
- Surface area
- 470 ac
- Normal storage
- 12,300 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 19,163 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 62.7 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- City of Fort Smith
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID AR00445 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.8 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 2 lakes in Crawford County
Nearby Lakes in Crawford County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Fort Smith
Where is Lake Fort Smith?
- Lake Fort Smith is a lake in Crawford County, Arkansas. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Lake Fort Smith?
- Lake Fort Smith in Crawford County, Arkansas has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 6.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.1 µg/L. Surface area: 470 acres.
Is Lake Fort Smith safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Lake Fort Smith across LakeQuality
More Arkansas Lake Rankings
Other Grade C Lakes in Arkansas
Mesotrophic Lakes in Arkansas
Where this data comes from
175 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2012–2019. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality
ARDEQH2O_WQX175 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 (2)
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.