Thread: Nimrod Draw Down

I spoke to both the Corp. of Engineers Director and Wildlife officer Saturday afternoon at the Carden Point Ramp. They were inspecting the new ramp and to insure lake access was good from that location. Corps will continue to extend the ramp as the lake level continues to drop over the next few weeks. The lake level on Saturday was 340.4 and they said they needed to draw it down to 337 to make repairs. Looks like it will not be as drastic of a draw down as about 10 years ago. Be very careful as you motor around the lake there are numerous humps and sandbars (mud bars) only a few feet under water as well as many stumps in the flats to be aware of. Summer is here so don't forget to hydrate while you enjoy God's great outdoors.

Last drawdown was in 2010 to 337 msl , in 1999 it was drawndown to 332 msl . Suppose to be a partial drawdown (337 msl ) every 4 to 5 years for fish management purposes according to a plan put in place but not sure it is to be followed .

Here is a newspaper article from 1999
Game and Fish, Corps plan Lake Nimrod restoration

Log Cabin Democrat

Published Sunday, April 25, 1999
PLAINVIEW (AP) -- The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are planning a drawdown of Lake Nimrod this year as part of a long-range plan to improve fish habitat and restore the lake's tradition as a premier crappie fishing lake.

Other species of game fish will benefit as well.

During the drawdown, public access to the lake will continue because the two agencies will provide temporary launching facilities. In fact, with the fish more concentrated into a smaller area, there should be some real treats in store for anglers.

Lake Nimrod in west-central Arkansas was completed in 1942 and covers 3,550 acres.

"The plan to restore fishing in Nimrod Lake is owed in large part to public input," said John Young, the Corps' operations manager at Nimrod.

The agencies conducted a workshop last July. They took information gained at the workshop and formulated a plan, which they then took to a second workshop in November to seek further public input, he said.

The Corps will begin drawing the lake down 13 feet to elevation 332 between May 15 and early July, Young explained.

This will place the lake back within the banks of the old Fourche La Fave River channel. The drawdown will last through Dec. 1. However, rainfall could cause the lake to fluctuate because it still must be used to perform its flood reduction mission.

The $125,000 project is being shared by the two agencies with 75 percent being federal money and 25 percent paid by the state, said Renee Wright, the Corps' study manager.

Work will include constructing and placing 35 fish shelters made from trees two to eight inches in diameter, Young said.

The shelters will be 20 feet wide by 150 feet long. Once underwater, these shelters will last several years. Their locations will be marked with buoys so anglers can fish around them.

Young said several stretches of barren shoreline will be planted with button bush, willow and river birch.

Also sorghum sudan or Japanese millet will be planted in mud flats to improve aquatic habitat.

In October, the agencies will conduct a partial fish kill in the drawn-down lake to help bring fish populations into proper balance. Also during the fall, commercial fishing will be utilized to thin out the population of rough fish.

After Dec. 1, the Corps will hold the lake level a few feet lower than normal for the next two years, except when storing floodwater, to allow the planted vegetation an opportunity to grow.

After that, the Corps will continue to modify operations some to enable shoreline vegetation to thrive, and the agency will conduct a partial drawdown to elevation 337 every four years to maintain the balance.