Overview
Nimrod Lake is a roughly 3,550-acre flood-control reservoir on the Fourche La Fave River in Yell and Perry counties in west-central Arkansas. It was created when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed Nimrod Dam in 1942, making it the oldest Corps lake in Arkansas. The project is operated primarily for flood risk management on the Fourche La Fave and lower Arkansas rivers, with recreation and fish and wildlife benefits.
At conservation pool Nimrod has about 77 miles of shoreline and is a relatively shallow riverine lake, averaging near 8 feet deep and reaching about 40 feet in deeper holes near the dam. Flooded timber, stumps, and creek channels dominate the habitat, and the pool expands dramatically when the lake rises into flood storage.
The lake is popular for camping, hunting, and fishing for largemouth bass, crappie, catfish, and bream, with fisheries managed by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. Corps recreation areas and boat ramps provide public access, and Scenic Highway 7 passes near the eastern end of the project.
Water levels on Nimrod Lake are managed by the Corps of Engineers under a seasonal rule curve, with a summer conservation target near 345 feet NGVD29, a winter pool near 342 feet, and a flood-control pool extending to 373 feet. Elevations can change quickly with Fourche La Fave inflows, so monitoring current lake levels is important for boating and shoreline use. Nearby Blue Mountain Lake provides similar flood-control storage on the Petit Jean River.
Current Conditions
Nimrod Lake is currently 1.45 feet below full pool and has fallen slightly over the past week.
- 7-day trendFallingLatest movement can differ from the seven-day trend.
- 7-day changeDown 0.31 ft
- 30-day changeDown 1.08 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.
Nimrod Lake is a 3,550-acre reservoir on the Fourche La Fave River managed by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.