Lake Ouachita
Garland County, Arkansas40,100 acresView mapDirections
Arkansas DEQ publishes the water-quality measurements for Lake Ouachita. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Public access
- Limited data
Lake Ouachita in Garland County, Arkansas has water-quality measurements published by Arkansas DEQ, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 15 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.2 µg/L. Surface area: 40100 acres.
Lake Ouachita is a 40,100-acre mesotrophic lake in Garland County, Arkansas. Water clarity is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 9 public boat landings. Compared to the 3 other monitored lakes in Garland County, Lake Ouachita ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, ADEQ, last sampled 2019-08-05. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Lake Ouachita is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water15 ft of visibility
- Boat launch9 documented ramps
- Big water40,100 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 Ouachita 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 Ouachita
These are the measurements Arkansas DEQ publishes for Lake Ouachita, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Crystal clear, you can see 15 ft down. Phosphorus 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3.2 µg/L. TSI 43.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 15ft | 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) | 3.2µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 43 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Lake Ouachita
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Lake Details
Surface area
40,100 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Arkansas DEQ
No bathymetric survey has been published for Lake Ouachita, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Cedar Fourche LandingPublic
- Lena Area CovePublic
- Lake Ouachita State Park MarinaPublic
- Blakely DamPublic
- Blakeley Mountain Dam TailwatersPublic
- Lena - Navy Landing CoveSemi-private
Showing 6 of 9 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
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Lake Ouachita
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Ouachita 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 Ouachita
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Fishing Lake Ouachita
Water Quality Trend: Stable
Based on 7 years of monitoring (2012–2019).
Water clarity
Worsening4 years
Phosphorus
Stable0 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-0.09 µg/L/yr7 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Ouachita is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Blakely Mountain Dam (completed 1953), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Ouachita River; earth-type dam, 240 ft tall and 1,100 ft long.
- Surface area
- 40,100 ac
- Normal storage
- 2,151,100 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 3,760,700 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 1,105 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 AR00150 · Operator website
Nearby Lakes in Garland County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Ouachita
Where is Lake Ouachita?
- Lake Ouachita 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 Ouachita?
- Lake Ouachita in Garland County, Arkansas has water-quality measurements published by Arkansas DEQ, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 15 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.2 µg/L. Surface area: 40100 acres.
Is Lake Ouachita 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 Ouachita?
- Lake Ouachita has 9 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Cedar Fourche Landing, Lena Area Cove, Lake Ouachita State Park Marina, Blakely Dam, among others. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Lake Ouachita?
- Lake Ouachita has 9 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 Ouachita across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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 Ouachita is about 9 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
Mesotrophic Lakes in Arkansas
Where this data comes from
115 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_WQX115 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)
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