Lake Ouachita, Arkansas Dive Sites?

[chuck41]

Can you tell me if I should be using a float and flag for the shore diving area, or is the area prohibited for boats?

The Dam site is really the only shore accessible good dive site I am aware of. You definitely should use a float and flag anywhere on the lake. There is a lot of boat traffic in the open areas of the lake. The dive site at the dam is not closed to boat traffic.

Local game wardens do patrol it and try to enforce the flag requirement. (If I come up and see their boat nearby I go back down and swim close to the flag before coming back to the surface. ) Unfortunately some of the idiots on the lake think our flags are good race pylons for their ski-dos and the wardens seem to ignore them. Lake Ouachita Arkansas

 

[Raider]

What are the water temps like in Ouachita this time of year? Would you be ok with a 3/2mm wet suit?

 

[Imbodie]

There is a dive shop in Jonesboro, AR that runs a dive boat on Norfork (www.jtdiveshop.com). Jordan Marina (Jordan Marina on Lake Norfork ~ Mountain Home, Arkansas) also caters to divers and offers equipment and air fills, along with boat rentals right on the lake. I'm not sure, but they might offer guide service as well. There is a municiapl airport in nearby Mountain Home, AR but the nearest major airports are in Little Rock and Fort Smith, AR

Hope this helps,
Dan

Don't forget Bull Shoals lake..... and I would think Springfield MO would be a closer airport. They might be better off staying in Harrison and splitting the difference between Beaver, Bullshoals and Norfork lakes. Harrison is in the middle and I wouldn't miss Beaver Lake this year, the vis has gotten MUCH better. And I believe the shop on BullShoals runs a boat on the weekend and maybe during the week.
-Tim

 

[briankinley2004]

Here is a website with more GPS coordinates with reviews of each site for Lake Ouachita as well as a few more Arkansas lakes. Some of them are probably duplicates of Chucks list and I did not compare them.

Ouachita Map

 

[briankinley2004]

Oooops I just realized the OP was from '05. Well someone may need the information anyway. Im sure Chuck can give you the water temp as he is from up there. According to Jordan Marina their surface temp on website is 76 with 20' viz. I would think Ouachita would be close or maybe a degree or two warmer. The viz was 10' yesterday at Ouachita according to Brady Mountain when I called them.

 

[chuck41]

What are the water temps like in Ouachita this time of year? Would you be ok with a 3/2mm wet suit?

A 3/2mm wet suit would be fine in Ouachita all summer. I was in the water today with no wet suit and it was very comfortable. Estimate vis at about 10' where I was swimming. Didn't look at thermometer but I suspect it was about 83 or so at the surface. I was not diving today.

Ouachita warms up very quickly when we start having some dry hot weather in June. By August it will be in the 90s and not very pleasant on the surface and the vis will get sucky. September it cools quickly and the vis gets good again. By late September a 5mm wet suit feels really good and in spots you might see visibility of 20 to 30 feet. Summertime visibility averages about 10 to 15 feet except in August when it sometimes is down to about 4' or so.

Chuck

 

[Cadwgawn]

I'll be in the area in February, and will only have time for one or two dives, what would you locals say is the best site on the lake?

 

[Imbodie]

If you don't have a boat, the Dam Site would be your best bet.... There is a bit of a "park" with several submerged items to the left of the stairs. To the right of the stairs is a long beach dive that can be looped at different levels. Start out diving at 35-40' on the way down the beach and then 20' on the way back. Can easily spend a day at this one location with all the options for diving here.

There are a few other options if you don't have a boat, but I always seemed to dive at the DamSite.

If you want boat diving options, contact the local dive shop and they have a map with several GPS marked sites.

-Tim

 

[Howard in Hot Springs]

Can you tell me if I should be using a float and flag for the shore diving area, or is the area prohibited for boats?

You Always need a flag.

- always -

Howard Sublett