Overview
Blue Mountain Lake is a roughly 2,900-acre flood-control reservoir on the Petit Jean River in Yell and Logan counties in west-central Arkansas. It was created when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed Blue Mountain Dam in 1947 as part of a comprehensive plan for the Petit Jean and lower Arkansas River valleys. The project is operated primarily for flood risk management, with recreation and fish and wildlife benefits.
At normal pool the lake has about 54 miles of shoreline, averages only about 9 feet deep, and reaches near 30 feet close to the dam. Large seasonal pool swings flood lowland forest and buttonbush at high water and leave stump fields, laydowns, and rocky substrate at conservation pool, so habitat and navigable water change markedly with elevation.
Blue Mountain is a quieter Corps lake popular for camping, hunting, and fishing for largemouth bass, crappie, catfish, and bream, with fisheries managed by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. Corps parks such as Waveland, Ashley Creek, and Lick Creek provide boat ramps, camping, and shoreline access.
Water levels on Blue Mountain Lake are managed by the Corps of Engineers under a seasonal rule curve, with a summer conservation target near 387 feet NGVD29, a winter pool near 384 feet, and a flood-control pool extending to 419 feet. Because the lake is designed to store and release floodwater from the Petit Jean basin, elevations can rise quickly after heavy rain, so monitoring current lake levels is important for boating, fishing, and campground access. Sister flood-control project Nimrod Lake lies on the nearby Fourche La Fave River.
Current Conditions
Blue Mountain Lake is currently 10.89 feet below full pool and has remained relatively stable over the past seven days.
- 7-day trendStableLatest movement can differ from the seven-day trend.
- 7-day changeNo meaningful change
- 30-day changeUp 0.14 ft
- Drought conditionsAbnormally Dry
- Active advisories3 active (Notice)
About This Lake
Learn how this lake is managed, what affects its water level, and where Lake Insights gets its data.
Blue Mountain Lake is a 2,910-acre reservoir on the Petit Jean River managed by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.