Overview
Lake Hamilton is a roughly 7,200-acre hydroelectric reservoir on the Ouachita River on the south side of Hot Springs, Arkansas. It was created when Carpenter Dam was completed in 1932 and is owned and operated by Entergy Arkansas under a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission license (Project 271). The lake is one of the Diamond Lakes of the Hot Springs region and sits between Corps-managed Lake Ouachita upstream and Entergy's Lake Catherine downstream.
Hamilton has about 198 miles of highly developed shoreline, averages near 25 feet deep, and reaches about 60 feet in deeper channel areas. Numerous coves, residential docks, and commercial waterfronts give the lake an urban-resort character distinct from the more remote national-forest setting of Lake Ouachita.
The lake is a major Hot Springs recreation destination for boating, skiing, and fishing for largemouth bass, crappie, catfish, and bream, with fisheries managed by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. Public ramps, marinas, and waterfront businesses provide broad access around the reservoir.
Water levels on Lake Hamilton are managed by Entergy around a normal operating target near 399.7 feet above mean sea level within a narrow band of about 398.9 to 399.9 feet. Elevations respond to Ouachita River flow and hydro generation at Carpenter Dam, so monitoring current lake levels is helpful for dock access and boating. Releases from Hamilton feed Lake Catherine at Remmel Dam downstream.
Current Conditions
Lake Hamilton is currently 0.27 feet below full pool and has risen slightly over the past week.
- 7-day trendRisingLatest movement can differ from the seven-day trend.
- 7-day changeUp 0.21 ft
- 30-day changeUp 0.19 ft
- Drought conditionsSevere Drought
About This Lake
Learn how this lake is managed, what affects its water level, and where Lake Insights gets its data.
Lake Hamilton is a 7,200-acre reservoir on the Ouachita River managed by Entergy Arkansas.
