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Lake Ouachita

Arkansas · Reservoir impounded 1953 · near Hot Springs

40,000 acres 200 ft deep 25 ft clarity Water B
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6.4SCORE
Survey summary · Arkansas
40,000
Surface acres
200 ft
Max depth
975 mi
Shoreline
25 ft
Typical clarity
578 ft
Elevation

Lake Ouachita covers 40,000 acres in Arkansas and drops to 200 feet at its deepest point. It is a reservoir impounded in 1953 and managed by USACE. Water clarity averages around 25 feet, placing it among the clearer bodies of water in the country. Short-term rental posture: Limited; USACE shoreline rules. Confirm at the municipal level before underwriting rental income.

What stands out

  • Exceptional clarity, roughly 25 ft
  • Deep water — 200 ft max
  • Large open water, 40,000 acres
  • 975 miles of shoreline
  • Boating
  • Fishing

Watch outs

  • USACE shoreline permitting — private dock approval is not guaranteed

Score breakdown

WATER RECREATION VALUE ACCESS INVESTMENT
Water 8.3
Recreation 7.2
Value 3.5
Access 7.3
Investment 5.0

Each axis is computed by published formula from this lake's own attributes. How we score.

Water quality grade
Water A
ExcellentClear, low-nutrient water. Typically oligotrophic with high clarity and little seasonal algae.
Water B
GoodHealthy water with moderate clarity. Some seasonal variation, no persistent problems.
Water C
FairProductive water — good fishing, reduced clarity. Algae possible in late summer.
Water D
PoorNutrient-rich or heavily drawn down. Swimmable conditions vary; check before you rely on them.

Computed from measured clarity, trophic state, and drawdown magnitude — not an opinion. See the formula.

Overall score, 1–10
8.0+
ExceptionalStrong on every axis we measure.
7.0–7.9
StrongClearly above average, usually with one standout axis.
6.0–6.9
SolidA good lake with a trade-off worth understanding.
5.0–5.9
MixedReal strengths and real compromises.
Under 5
CompromisedSomething material — volatility, water quality, or access.

Weighted: water 26% · recreation 22% · investment 20% · value 18% · access 14%.

Fishery

Striped bassLargemouth bassBreamCatfishWalleye

On the water

BoatingFishingScuba divingIsland camping
Nearest station: Ouachita River at Remmel Dam above Jones Mill, AR. This is a stream gauge on connected water, not a gauge on the lake itself. It responds to storms and dam releases, so read it as a signal about the system — not as the lake's surface elevation.
4.70 ft
Gage height
2026-08-04

Gauge history

Daily values from USGS. Loading up to one year.

What the drawdown looks like

Full pool vs winter low · Lake Ouachita
10 ft FULL POOL WINTER LOW

The dock sits at full-pool elevation. At low pool the waterline retreats and the reach to navigable water changes. Scale is illustrative; the 10 ft figure is from published operations for this lake.

Where it is

True shoreline from USGS NHD 155 km²

The outline is this lake's actual boundary from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset, not an approximation — 521 boundary points. Basemap is USGS topographic with contours and hydrography. Switch layers at the top right.

Depth profile

SURFACE 200 ft max avg 64 ft

Idealized cross-section. Max depth 200 ft, average 64 ft. Depth at a specific dock depends on local bathymetry — verify at the property.

Level behaviour

Level stabilityManaged Typical drawdown10 ft Drawdown seasonWinter Trophic stateOligotrophic Typical clarity25 ft Water quality gradeB Elevation578 ft Managing authorityUSACE

Dock & shoreline

Permitting authorityUSACE Vicksburg District Wake / speed rulesNo-wake near islands
A dock is never guaranteed. Confirm in writing with USACE Vicksburg District that the specific parcel is eligible before you remove contingencies.

Short-term rental posture

Limited; USACE shoreline rules

Generally permitted, but rules change. Confirm the specific municipality and any HOA covenant.
Model rental income →
Modeled estimates. Market figures are derived from lake attributes and regional patterns, not from MLS data. Treat them as a starting point, not a comp.
$955,000
Median waterfront
$7,830
Per shoreline foot
+0.7%
Year over year
152
Est. inventory
86
Avg days on market
$474
Est. nightly rate

Rental snapshot

Modeled occupancy63% Booked nights / yr166 Gross revenue$88,049 Net operating income$42,228 Yield on median price4.42%
Open the full model →

What a median-priced home on Lake Ouachita actually costs to carry, with waterfront-specific line items most calculators omit.

$7,658
All-in per month
$217,170
Cash to close + setup
$17,472
Beyond P&I, tax, insurance
Where the annual cost goes
$91,891 PER YEAR
Principal & interest $60,380 (67%) Maintenance reserve (1.1%) $10,505 (12%) Property taxes $10,028 (11%) Hazard insurance $4,011 (4%) Utilities $2,700 (3%) Shoreline / seawall reserve $960 (1%) Dock maintenance $900 (1%) Flood insurance $878 (1%)

Annual carry

Principal & interest$60,380
Property taxes$10,028
Hazard insurance$4,011
Flood insurance$878
Utilities$2,700
Maintenance reserve (1.1%)$10,505
Septic service$520
Well & water testing$260
Dock maintenance$900
Winterization / seasonal close$750
Shoreline / seawall reserve$960
Total$91,891
Model your own numbers →
5.0 / 5 from 1 review
Best family lake we found
Danielle S. · Summer 2026
5/5

We looked at six lakes across three states before choosing this one. Sandy bottom in the swim areas, enough marina services, and it never feels crowded outside July.

For sale

Homes on Lake Ouachita

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