Greers Ferry Lake

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Greers Ferry Lake
Greers Ferry Dam
Location	North Central Arkansas
Lake type	reservoir
Primary inflows	Little Red River
Primary outflows	Little Red River
Basin countries	United States
Surface area	40,500 acres (164 km²)
Max. depth	300+ in areas

Greers Ferry Lake is the artificial reservoir formed by Greers Ferry Dam, a United States Army Corps of Engineers dam in North Central Arkansas. It is located about 60 miles (100 km) north of Little Rock.

[edit] Geography

The reservoir consists of two lakes connected by a water-filled gorge called the Narrows. The area of the two lakes and the Narrows totals about 40,500 acres (164 km²) with a combined shoreline of just over 340 miles. It should be noted that there was once a city, Higden, under this lake. The farmers in Hidgen had constant trouble with flooding. The land was purchased, residents left and the city was abandoned and allowed to flood. The town has since been reestablished on the hill. One local legend and several eyewitness accounts tell that homes and buildings still stand under the water to this day, a watery ghost town. Several roads in town can be followed to the shore were they disappear under the water, and surface on the opposite side of the lake. Most of these roads are now used as launch ramps for boats. One in particular near Sandy Beach in Heber Springs is a popular fireworks show in the area during July, can be reached by divers without equipment.

Carl Garner, former Greers Ferry Lake Resident Engineer since 1959, started the Carl Garner Federal Lands Cleanup Day in 1985.

The normal pool of Greers Ferry Lake is 461.3 feet above sea level. The lowest safe level of the lake with still being able to generate hydroelectric power is 435.0 feet. The lake has flooded various times. The lake crested at 483.95 feet in 1973. It crested above 485 feet in 1982. In April 2008, the lake topped the previous high from 1982. On April 11, 2008 the lake topped 486 feet.