Current
Norfork Lake Recreation Conditions
A 2Cooleys Report
This report updated as new information comes
in. If the report has not been updated then conditions remain the same as per the last
report date.
For detailed fishing news visit Scuba Steve's Norfork
Lake Fishing Report
Forecast For Fall 2011
Update October 11, 2011 - The Norfork Lake level is a
a little under 552 and is stable with little generation. Water surface temperature is in
the low 70's with no thermocline down to 42 feet. Projected temperature ranges for the
next 10 days from weather.com predict low to mid 70's to low 80's during the day and low
40's to low 50's at night.
Click
here to check Norfork Lake levels, current weather conditions and forecasts.
Resort Docks
If you have reservations at a resort on Norfork Lake, phone that resort for questions
about access to the lake in their location, and to their dock. Most resort docks are
accessible.
Marinas & Public Boat Launches
Almost all marinas are open, but conditions can change. Call your particular marina with
access questions. All marinas have public boat launch ramps. In almost all cases if the
marina is open, the launch ramp is open. Call to make sure.
Water Contamination
Sometimes people ask about chemicals or other contamination that may get in the water. We
don't know of any, and the Corps has not reported any. If there was a contamination issue
the Corps would issue a Public Notice.
Public Boat Launches
The reason some park boat launches are closed isn't because you can't launch boats. The
problem is parking lots are under water. Once you launch a boat there is no place to park
your car and trailer. Further, if the parking lot is under water there may be no place to
turn around. This is why it's best to launch at open parks and other public access points.
Corps Parks & Campgrounds
Several Corps Parks on Norfork remain closed. See the list below for details. Unlike
resorts which are on higher ground, Corps parks are close to the water, hence they tend to
be closed when everything else is open.
If you have questions about specific Corps parks
call the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers office in Mountain Home, Arkansas at 870-425-2700
Monday through Friday from 8A.M. to 4 P.M.
Some parks are fully closed, others are fully open,
and some are partially closed. Below is the most current park status list from the Corps.
If you are planning a trip to any Corps facility it is best to call just before you leave
to make sure nothing has changed. If your destination is closed, or you can't get a
reservation, consider staying at a local resort.
For Current Norfork Lake Corps Parks Conditions
Visit the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Web Site As Follows:
1. Browse to http://www.swl.usace.army.mil/
2. At the top of the page, in the center, look for the header Park Conditions. Clicking
the Norfork Lake link lands you on a PDF file with the most recent Norfork Lake Corps Park
information.
Helpful Links
Road Information For Arkansas
1. http://www.arkansashighways.com/roads/roads.aspx
Web site detailing road conditions in Arkansas
2. http://twitter.com/#!/AHTD
Arkansas Highway & Transportation Department on Twitter. Shows current road closing
status
3. Phone 501-569-2374 for a recording of Arkansas road closures
Flooded & Closed Road Information - Links for
Arkansas & surrounding State highway and road condition information and maps.
Local Weather & Lake Level
Information
Norfork Lake
Generation Levels
This shows both Norfork Lake level and North Fork River Level. "Elevation" shows
the lake level as feet above mean sea level (ft-msl). "Tailwater" shows the
river level as feet above mean sea level (ft-msl). "Release" is shown as cubic
feet per second (cfs). Electrical "Generation" is shown as megawatt hours (mwh).
Current
Weather & Lake Levels
A special local weather feed taken from the local NOAA aviation weather station. Also
shows lake levels and barometric pressure
Projected Lake
Levels
This simple text table shows what the Corps believes lake levels will be a few days into
the future. Useful to fishermen and boaters who are familiar with area lake levels.
Daily Lake
Projections
A table showing the current lake levels compared to past years. Also shows the lake level
each morning, how full each lake is, the 24 hour change in level, and the average daily
water releases in cubic feet per second (cfs). "SEAS/CONS POOL" stands for
Seasonal Conservation Pool, which is a fancy term for normal. Looking at this table shows,
for any given day, whether lake levels are above or below normal, and by how much. Finally
it shows just how much water storage capacity is left within the entire water storage
system.
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