Lake Hamilton
Garland County, Arkansas6,897 acresView mapDirections
Arkansas DEQ publishes the water-quality measurements for Lake Hamilton. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Limited data
Lake Hamilton in Garland County, Arkansas has water-quality measurements published by Arkansas DEQ, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 11.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.4 µg/L. Surface area: 6897 acres.
Lake Hamilton is a 6,897-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Garland County, Arkansas. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 3 other monitored lakes in Garland County, Lake Hamilton ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, ADEQ, last sampled 2019-08-06. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
At about 6,900 acres, Lake Hamilton is large enough that where you stay decides which shore you see most of. It has 2 public boat landings, so a lakefront rental is not the only way to get a boat on the water. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Lake Hamilton on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Lake Hamilton is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water11.9 ft of visibility
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Big water6,897 acres
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Lake Hamilton is safe to swim in today is a call for the Arkansas Division of Environmental Quality and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Lake Hamilton
These are the measurements Arkansas DEQ publishes for Lake Hamilton, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 11.9 ft. Phosphorus 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 7.4 µg/L. TSI 46.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 11.9ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 20µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 7.4µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 46 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Lake Hamilton
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Lake Details
Surface area
6,897 acres
No bathymetric survey has been published for Lake Hamilton, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- DoubletreeSemi-private
- Fisherman's WharfSemi-private
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Lake Hamilton
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Hamilton in Garland 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Lake Hamilton
Prices for Oct 30–Nov 1, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Arkansas’s top lakes →
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Fishing Lake Hamilton
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Hamilton is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Carpenter (completed 1932), built primarily for hydroelectric on the Ouachita River; gravity-type dam, 110 ft tall and 1,165 ft long.
- Surface area
- 6,897 ac
- Normal storage
- 183,160 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 235,500 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 1,441 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Entergy Arkansas, Inc.
All listed purposes: Hydroelectric;Fish and Wildlife Pond;Recreation;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID AR00534 · Operator website
Nearby Lakes in Garland County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Hamilton
Where is Lake Hamilton?
- Lake Hamilton is a lake in Garland County, Arkansas. Its water-quality measurements are published by Arkansas DEQ and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Lake Hamilton?
- Lake Hamilton in Garland County, Arkansas has water-quality measurements published by Arkansas DEQ, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 11.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.4 µg/L. Surface area: 6897 acres.
Is Lake Hamilton safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Hamilton?
- Lake Hamilton has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Doubletree, Fisherman's Wharf.
Can I fish at Lake Hamilton?
- Lake Hamilton has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Arkansas's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Lake Hamilton across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
2 thermal springs within 6.9 mi, nearest Hot Springs
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Arkansas's top lakes, each with its readings
Arkansas's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
Planning a trip around Hot Springs?
Lake Hamilton is about 5 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 lakes in Arkansas
Other Lakes in Arkansas
Eutrophic Lakes in Arkansas
Where this data comes from
171 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_WQX171 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)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory