Arkansas' Ozark Mountains Region: Things to Do: Attractions: Dams & Hatcheries

Things To Do / Dams & Hatcheries

Dams & Hatcheries
Guiding and protecting Nature's course

Bull Shoals Dam

Dams & Hatcheries One of the largest concrete dams in America, the massive Bull Shoals Dam separates the White River and Bull Shoals Lake. Above the dam, Bull Shoals Lake stretches for almost 100 miles and reaches a depth of over 300 feet in many spots. Below the dam, the swift clear waters of the White River tumble past towering limestone bluffs through wooded valleys and peaceful meadows. Both bodies of water hold more world fishing records combined than any other two adjoining waters. Visitors to the dam can learn more about the history of Bull Shoals lake and how the dam project functions.

Located seven miles north of Cotter, Arkansas, Bull Shoals Dam was started in 1947 and completed in 1951. The powerhouse and switchyard were completed in 1953, with commercial generation beginning in 1952. To construct this massive structure, workers had to build a special seven mile long conveyor belt to bring rock and cement from Lees Mountain just north of Flippin to the dam site. Hydroelectric power generated at this project is marketed by the Southwestern Power Administration, Department of Energy. The power is delivered over a network of high voltage transmission lines to municipalities, rural electric cooperatives and public and private utilities Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Louisiana and East Texas.

Norfork Dam

Located on North Fork River, four miles northeast of Norfork, Arkansas, Norfork Dam is one of four multiple-purpose projects constructed in the upper White River Basin for the control of floods and the generation of hydroelectric power. Water sports, camping and scuba diving on Lake Norfork above the dam and trout fishing on the cold waters of the North Fork River below the dam offer perfect year round vacationing opportunities.

The Norfork National Fish Hatchery

Fish hatcheries have been part of our nation's resource management efforts for more than 100 years, and the Norfork National Fish Hatchery near Mountain Home stocks over 2 million rainbow, cutthroat and brown trout annually in Arkansas and surrounding states. The primary function of the hatchery is to restock the tailwaters below Norfork, Bull Shoals and other dams. Water for this cold water hatchery comes from the Norfork Reservoir from a depth of 100 feet below the surface, where the temperature is a cool 44 degrees.

Visitors are welcome to tour the cold water trout hatchery, open from 7:00 am to 3:30 pm daily. Special group tours can be arranged by calling the hatchery in advance of visiting. Free catch and release fishing is available in Dry Run Creek at the hatchery site for handicapped persons and children under the age of 16. An accessible ramp, paved walk and picnic tables are available in beside Dry Run Creek. Directly across from the hatchery on Highway 177, the Corps of Engineers operates a campground and fishing area.

For more information on the Norfork National Fish Hatchery, visit http://souteast.fws.gov or email FW4_FR_Norfork@fws.gov.