Lake Ouachita was authorized by the Flood Control Act of December 22, 1944, Public Law 534, 78th Congress, Chapter 655, 2nd Session, House Report No. 4485, which adopted the plan as set forth in House Document No.647 Officially named Blakely Mountain Dam Reservoir.
The original authorized purpose of Lake Ouachita was flood control and hydroelectric power production. This authority was amended by Section 4 of the Flood Control Act of 1944 to include public recreation on these projects. Authority to construct, maintain, and operate public parks and recreational facilities at water resource development projects under the control of the Department of the Army was granted under section 207 of the Flood Control Act of 1962.
The
Indians were the first to inhabit the Ouachita Valley.
The word "Washita", today known as OUACHITA, is an Indian word
meaning...
"River of good hunting grounds...and sparkling silver water".
Early Spanish land claims and the original tract book are available at the National Archives.
The Lower Ouachita River Valley Area flooded often due to a drop in elevation
from the mouth of the river 75 miles to Arkadelphia by 228 feet and then from
Arkadelphia to Camden only 6 miles, the river fell 82 feet before moving thru
more level terrain which would slow the water flow and cause significant
flooding in the farm and ranch lands in the lower regions of the river valley.
As early as 1870, the federal government was conducting surveys to
determine what could be done to stop the floods. In the 1890s, the Government,
based on the surveys from 1870 thru 1890 recommended a series of dams on the
Ouachita River above Malvern.
A survey completed in 1909 first mentioned the possibility of power production.
But Congress decided the project didn't justify taxpayer support, and the plans
were shelved. Then starting in the 1930's government appraisers started buying land, paying an
average of $30 per acre. When funding again was stopped by Congress the project
was shelved in the late 1930's.
In the late 30's under the leadership of
Harvey Couch, AP&L wanted to build the New Dam above Lake Hamilton for electrical power
production and a permit was issued.
Arkansas Power and Light had already built two dams on the Ouachita River below
the proposed new dam site. Lake Catherine was created when
Remmell Dam was completed in 1924. Carpenter Dam created Lake Hamilton when
completed in1932.
Harvey Couch the founder of Arkansas Power and Light wanted to name the new
lake "Lake Couch" But the Depression and problems with details eventually caused
the government to terminate the company's permit in 1941 the year Harvey Couch
died.
In 1944 with the passing of a
flood control bill by Congress which contained approval for building of a
dam on the Ouachita River the project was revived. Money was appropriated and in
1946 Army Corp of Engineers personnel began showing up. Between 1947 and 1952
farms, residences and even gravesites in the Ouachita River Valley were moved.
Land owners were allowed to cut their timber. Buildings of any substance, the owners allowed to relocate.
The
Buckville
Baptist Church was moved 1/2 mile to higher ground.
Old Buckville, Cedar Glades
(Harold), Flea Bend (Aultville), Oakwood (Chalybeate Spring), White Plains
area are
under the waters of Lake Ouachita.
The
Blakely
Mountain Dam Construction began in 1948 and ended In 1952, a year ahead of
schedule. Power production began under contract to Arkansas Power and Light on
July 17, 1955.
Blakely
Dam itself is composed of rolled earth, almost four million
cubic yards of earth. It is 231 feet high and 1100 feet wide. The optimum
lake level is 578' above sea level. If the level reaches 592' the water
would flow through an emergency 200 feet wide spillway located one mile west
of the dam and then into Lake Hamilton.
This has never happened since the
gates where closed in 1953
however in December 1982 - January 1983, the lake
did reach 591.2 feet, just .8 of a foot short of going through the spillway.
The water level rose 13 1/2 feet between December 2, 1982
and December 5, 1982.
The COE area covers 82,000 acres.
At 578 feet, 40,100 acres of the
project is covered by the lake.
At 592 ft
above sea level it would be 975 miles around the shoreline
and the flood
control pool would be 48,300 acres.
Drainage area is 1105 sq. miles. Total
storage capacity 2,768,000 acre feet.
(One acre foot equals one acre of
water one foot deep).
The hills that surround the lake range up to 1,350'.
Lake Ouachita Indian Mounds
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